The Measurement of Intelligence Part 18

Sometimes, instead of attempting a definition (of _doll_, for example), the child begins to talk in a more or less irrelevant way, as "I have a great big doll. Auntie gave it to me for Christmas," etc. In such cases we repeat the question and say, "_Yes, but tell me; what is a doll?_"

This is usually sufficient to bring the little chatter-box back to the task.

Unless it is absolutely necessary to give the child lavish encouragement, it is best to withhold approval or disapproval until the test has been finished. If the first response is a poor one and we p.r.o.nounce it "fine" or "very good," we tempt the child to persist in his low-grade type of definition. By withholding comment until the last word has been defined, we give greater play to spontaneity and initiative.

SCORING. As a rule, children of 5 and 6 years define an object in terms of use, stating what it does, what it is for, what people do with it, etc. Definitions by description, by telling what substance it is made of, and by giving the cla.s.s to which it belongs are grouped together as "definitions superior to use." It is not before 8 years that two thirds of the children spontaneously give a large proportion of definitions in terms superior to use.

The test is pa.s.sed in year V if _four words out of the six_ are defined in terms of use (or better than use). The following are examples of satisfactory responses:--

_Chair_: "To sit on." "You sit on it." "It is made of wood and has legs and back," etc.

_Horse_: "To drive." "To ride." "What people drive." "To pull the wagon." "It is big and has four legs," etc.

_Fork_: "To eat with." "To stick meat with." "It is hard and has three sharp things," etc.

_Doll_: "To play with." "What you dress and put to bed." "To rock," etc.

_Pencil_: "To write with." "To draw." "They write with it." "It is sharp and makes a black mark."

_Table_: "To eat on." "What you put the dinner on." "Where you write." "It is made of wood and has legs."

Examples of failure are such responses as the following: "A chair is a chair"; "There is a chair"; or simply, "There" (pointing to a chair). We record such responses without pressing for a further definition. About the only other type of failure is silence.

REMARKS. It is not the purpose of this test to find out whether the child knows the meaning of the words he is asked to define. Words have purposely been chosen which are perfectly familiar to all normal children of 5 years. But with young children there is a difference between knowing a word and giving a definition of it. Besides, we desire to find out how the child apperceives the word, or rather the object for which it stands; whether the thing is thought of in terms of use, appearance (shape, size, color, etc.), material composing it, or cla.s.s relations.h.i.+ps.

This test, because it throws such interesting light on the maturity of the child's apperceptive processes, is one of the most valuable of all.

It is possible to differentiate at least a half-dozen degrees of excellence in definitions, according to the intellectual maturity of the subject. A volume, indeed, could be written on the development of word definitions and the growth of meanings; but we will postpone further discussion until VIII, 5. Our concern at present is to know that children of 5 years should at least be able to define four of these six words in terms of use.

Binet placed the test in year VI, but our own figures and those of nearly all the other investigations indicate that it is better located in year V.

V, 5. THE GAME OF PATIENCE

MATERIAL. Prepare two rectangular cards, each 2 3 inches, and divide one of them into two triangles by cutting it along one of its diagonals.

PROCEDURE. Place the uncut card on the table with one of its longer sides to the child. By the side of this card, a little nearer the child and a few inches apart, lay the two halves of the divided rectangle with their hypothenuses turned from each other as follows:

[Ill.u.s.tration]

Then say to the child: "_I want you to take these two pieces_ (touching the two triangles) _and put them together so they will look exactly like this_" (pointing to the uncut card). If the child hesitates, we repeat the instructions with a little urging. Say nothing about hurrying, as this is likely to cause confusion. Give three trials, of one minute each. If only one trial is given, success is too often a result of chance moves; but luck is not likely to bring two successes in three trials. If the first trial is a failure, move the cut halves back to their original position and say: "_No; put them together so they will look like this_" (pointing to the uncut card). Make no other comment of approval or disapproval. Disregard in silence the inquiring looks of the child who tries to read his success or failure in your face.

If one of the pieces is turned over, the task becomes impossible, and it is then necessary to turn the piece back to its original position and begin over, not counting this trial. Have the under side of the pieces marked so as to avoid the risk of presenting one of them to the child wrong side up.

SCORING. There must be _two successes in three trials_. About the only difficulty in scoring is that of deciding what const.i.tutes a trial. We count it a trial when the child brings the pieces together and (after few or many changes) leaves them in some position. Whether he succeeds after many moves, or leaves the pieces with approval in some absurd position, or gives up and says he cannot do it, his effort counts as one trial. A single trial may involve a number of unsuccessful changes of position in the two cards, but these changes may not consume altogether more than one minute.

REMARKS. As aptly described by Binet, the operation has the following elements: "(1) To keep in mind the end to be attained, that is to say, the figure to be formed. It is necessary to comprehend this end and not to lose sight of it. (2) To try different combinations under the influence of this directing idea, which guides the efforts of the child even though he be unconscious of the fact. (3) To judge the formed combination, compare it with the model, and decide whether it is the correct one."

It may be cla.s.sed, therefore, as one of the many forms of the "combination method." Elements must be combined into some kind of whole under the guidance of a directing idea. In this respect it has something in common with the form-board test, the Ebbinghaus test, and the test with dissected sentences (XII, 4). Binet designates it a "test of patience," because success in it depends upon a certain willingness to persist in a line of action under the control of an idea.

Not all failures in this test are equally significant. A bright child of 5 years sometimes fails, but usually not without many trial combinations which he rejects one after another as unsatisfactory. A dull child of the same age often stops after he has brought the pieces into any sort of juxtaposition, however absurd, and may be quite satisfied with his foolish effort. His mind is not fruitful and he lacks the power of auto-criticism.

It would be well worth while to work out a new and somewhat more difficult "test of patience," but with special care to avoid the puzzling features of the usual games of anagrams. The one given us by Binet is rather easy for year V, though plainly somewhat too difficult for year IV.

V, 6. THREE COMMISSIONS

PROCEDURE. After getting up from the chair and moving with the child to the center of the room, say: "_Now, I want you to do something for me.

Here's a key. I want you to put it on that chair over there; then I want you to shut (or open) that door, and then bring me the box which you see over there_ (pointing in turn to the objects designated). _Do you understand? Be sure to get it right. First, put the key on the chair, then shut_ (open) _the door, then bring me the box_ (again pointing).

_Go ahead._" Stress the words _first_ and _then_ so as to emphasize the order in which the commissions are to be executed.

Give the commissions always in the above order. Do not repeat the instructions again or give any further aid whatever, even by the direction of the gaze. If the child stops or hesitates it is never permissible to say: "_What next?_" Have the self-control to leave the child alone with his task.

SCORING. _All three commissions must be executed and in the proper order._ Failure may result, therefore, either from leaving out one or more of the commands or from changing the order. The former is more often the case.

REMARKS. Success depends first on the ability to comprehend the commands, and secondly, on the ability to hold them in mind. It is therefore a test of memory, though of a somewhat different kind from that involved in repeating digits or sentences. It is an excellent test, for it throws light on a kind of intelligence which is demanded in all occupations and in everyday life. A more difficult test of the same type ought to be worked out for a higher age level.

Binet originally located this test in year VI, but in 1911 changed it to year VII. This is unfortunate, for the three Stanford investigations, as well as the statistics of all other investigators, show conclusively that it is easy enough for year V.

V. ALTERNATIVE TEST: GIVING AGE

PROCEDURE. The formula is simply, "_How old are you?_" The child of this age is, of course, not expected to know the date of his birthday, but merely how many years old he is.

SCORING. About the only danger in scoring is in the failure to verify the child's response. Some children give an incorrect answer with perfect a.s.surance, and it is therefore always necessary to verify.

REMARKS. Inability to give the age may or may not be significant. If the child has arrived at the age of 7 or 8 years and has had anything like a normal social environment, failure in the test is an extremely unfavorable sign. But if the child is an orphan or has grown up in neglect, ignorance of age has little significance for intelligence.

About all we can say is that if a child gives his age correctly, it is because he has had sufficient interest and intelligence to remember verbal statements which have been made concerning him in his presence.

He may even pa.s.s the test without attaching any definite meaning to the word "year." On the other hand, if he has lived seven or eight years in a normal environment, it is safe to a.s.sume that he has heard his age given many times, and failure to remember it would then indicate either a weak memory or a grave inferiority of spontaneous interests, or both.

Normal children have a natural interest in the things they hear said about themselves, while the middle-grade imbecile of even 40 years may fail to remember his age, however often he may have heard it stated.

Binet placed the test in year VI of the 1908 series, but omitted it altogether in 1911. Kuhlmann and G.o.ddard also omit it, perhaps wisely.

Nevertheless, it is always interesting to give as a supplementary test.

Children from good homes acquire the knowledge about a year earlier than those from less favorable surroundings. Unselected children of California ordinarily pa.s.s the test at 5 years.

CHAPTER XII

INSTRUCTIONS FOR YEAR VI

VI, 1. DISTINGUIs.h.i.+NG RIGHT AND LEFT

PROCEDURE. Say to the child: "_Show me your right hand._" After this is responded to, say: "_Show me your left ear._" Then: "_Show me your right eye._" Stress the words _left_ and _ear_ rather strongly and equally; also _right_ and _eye_. If there is one error, repeat the test, this time with left hand, right ear, and left eye. Carefully avoid giving any help by look of approval or disapproval, by glancing at the part of the body indicated, or by supplementary questions.

SCORING. The test is pa.s.sed if all three questions are answered correctly, or if, in case of one error, the three additional questions are all answered correctly. The standard, therefore, _is three out of three, or five out of six_.

The chief danger of variation among different examiners in scoring comes from double responses. For example, the child may point first to one ear and then to the other. In all cases of double response, the rule is to count the second response and disregard the first. This holds whether the first response was wrong and the second right, or _vice versa_.