The Measurement of Intelligence Part 20

REMARKS. Some of the critics of the Binet scale regard this test as of little value, because, they say, the ability to identify pieces of money depends entirely on instruction or other accidents of environment. The figures show, however, that it is not greatly influenced by differences of social environment, although children from poor homes do slightly better with it than those from homes of wealth and culture. The fact seems to be that practically all children by the age of 6 years have had opportunity to learn the names of the smaller coins, and if they have failed to learn them it betokens a lack of that spontaneity of interest in things which we have mentioned so often as a fundamental presupposition of intelligence. It is by no means a test of mere mechanical memory.

This test was given a place in year VII of Binet's 1908 scale, the coins used being the 1-sou, 2-sous, 10-sous, and 5-franc pieces. It was omitted from the Binet 1911 revision and also from that of G.o.ddard.

Kuhlmann retains it in year VII. Others, however, have required all four coins to be correctly named, and when this standard is used the test is difficult enough for year VII. Germany has six coins up to and including the 1-mark piece, all of which could be named by 76 per cent of Bobertag's 7-year-olds. With the coins and the standard of scoring used in the Stanford revision the test belongs well in year VI.

VI, 6. REPEATING SIXTEEN TO EIGHTEEN SYLLABLES

The sentences are:--

(a) "_We are having a fine time. We found a little mouse in the trap._"

(b) "_Walter had a fine time on his vacation. He went fis.h.i.+ng every day._"

(c) "_We will go out for a long walk. Please give me my pretty straw hat._"

PROCEDURE. The instructions should be given as follows: "_Now, listen. I am going to say something and after I am through I want you to say it over just like I do. Understand? Listen carefully and be sure to say exactly what I say._" Then read the first sentence rather slowly, in a distinct voice, and with expression. If the response is not too bad, praise the child's efforts. Then proceed with the second and third sentences, prefacing each with an exhortation to "say exactly what I say."

In this year and in the memory-for-sentences test of later years it is not permissible to re-read even the first sentence. The only reason for allowing a repet.i.tion of one of the sentences in the earlier test of this kind was to overcome the child's timidity. With children of 6 years or upward we seldom encounter the timidity which sometimes makes it so hard to secure responses in some of the tests of the earlier years.

SCORING. The test is pa.s.sed _if at least one sentence out of three is repeated without error, or if two are repeated with not more than one error each_. A single omission, insertion, or transposition counts as an error. Faults of p.r.o.nunciation are of course overlooked. It is not sufficient that the thought be reproduced intact; the exact language must be repeated. The responses should be recorded _verbatim_. This is easily done if record blanks used for scoring have the sentences printed in full.

REMARKS. In this test and in later tests of memory for sentences, it is interesting to ask after each response: "_Did you get it right?_" As in the tests with digits, it is an unfavorable sign when the child is perfectly satisfied with a very poor response.

It is evident that tests of this type give opportunity for different degrees of failure. To repeat only a half or a third of each sentence is much more serious than to make but one error in each sentence (one word omitted, inserted, or misplaced). It would be possible to use the same sentences at three or four different age levels, by setting the appropriate standard for success at each age. If the standard is one sentence out of three repeated with no more than two errors, the test belongs in year V. If we require two absolutely correct responses out of three, the test belongs at about year VII. The s.h.i.+fting standard is rendered unnecessary, however, by the use of other tests of the same kind, easier ones in the lower years and more difficult ones in the upper.

Sentences of sixteen syllables found a place in Binet's 1908 scale and were correctly located in year VI, but later revisions, including that of Binet, have omitted the test.

VI. ALTERNATIVE TEST: FORENOON AND AFTERNOON

PROCEDURE. If it is morning, ask: "_Is it morning or afternoon?_" If it is afternoon, put the question in the reverse form, "_Is it afternoon or morning?_" This precaution is necessary because of the tendency of some children to choose always the latter of two alternatives. Do not cross-question the child or give any suggestion that might afford a clue as to the correct answer.

SCORING. The test is pa.s.sed if the correct response is given with apparent a.s.surance. If the child says he is not sure but _thinks_ it forenoon (or afternoon, as the case may be), we score the response a failure even if the answer happens to be correct. However, this type of response is not often encountered.

REMARKS. It is interesting to follow the child's development with regard to orientation in time. This development proceeds much more slowly than we are wont to a.s.sume. Certain distinctions with regard to s.p.a.ce, as up and down, come much earlier. As Binet remarks, schools sometimes try to teach the events of national history to children whose time orientation is so rudimentary that they do not even know morning from afternoon!

The test has two rather serious faults: (1) It gives too much play to chance, for since only two alternatives are offered, guesses alone would give about fifty per cent of correct responses. (2) We cannot be sure that the verbal distinction between forenoon and afternoon always corresponds the two divisions of the day. It is possible that the temporal discrimination precedes the formation of the correct verbal a.s.sociation.

This test was included in the year VI group of the 1908 scale, but was omitted from the 1911 revision. Nearly all the data except Bobertag's show that it is rather easy for year VI, though too difficult for year V. Bobertag's figures would place the test in year VII. Possibly the corresponding German words are not as easy to learn as our _morning_ and _afternoon_.

CHAPTER XIII

INSTRUCTIONS FOR YEAR VII

VII, 1. GIVING THE NUMBER OF FINGERS

PROCEDURE. "_How many fingers have you on one hand?_" "_How many on the other hand?_" "_How many on both hands together?_" If the child begins to count in response to any of the questions, say: "_No, don't count.

Tell me without counting._" Then repeat the question.

SCORING. Pa.s.sed _if all three questions are answered correctly and promptly_ without the necessity of counting. Some subjects do not understand the question to include the thumbs. We disregard this if the number of fingers exclusive of thumbs is given correctly.

REMARKS. Like the two tests of counting pennies, this one, also, throws light on the child's spontaneous interest in numbers. However, the mental processes it calls into play are a little less simple than those required for mere counting. If the child is able to give the number of fingers, it is ordinarily because he has previously counted them and has remembered the result. The memory would hardly be retained but for a certain interest in numbers as such. Middle-grade imbeciles of even adult age seldom remember how many fingers they have, however often they may have been told. They are not able to form accurate concepts of other than the simplest number relations.h.i.+ps, and numbers have little interest or meaning for them.

Binet gave this test a place in year VII of the 1908 series, but omitted it in the 1911 revision. G.o.ddard omits it, while Kuhlmann retains it in year VII, where, according to our own figures, it unmistakably belongs.

Bobertag finds it rather easy for year VII, though too difficult for year VI.

Our data prove that this test fulfills the requirements of a good test.

It shows a rapid but even rise from year V to year VIII in the per cent pa.s.sing, the agreement among the different testers is extraordinarily close, and it is relatively little influenced by training and social environment. For these reasons, and because it is so easy to give and score with uniformity, it well deserves a place in the scale.

VII, 2. DESCRIPTION OF PICTURES

PROCEDURE. Use the same pictures as in III, 3, presenting them always in the following order: Dutch Home, River Scene, Post-Office. The formula for the test in this year is somewhat different from that of year III.

Say: "_What is this picture about? What is this a picture of?_" Use the double question, and follow the formula exactly. It would ruin the test to say: "_Tell me everything you see in this picture_," for this form of question tends to provoke the enumeration response even with intelligent children of this age.

When there is no response, the question may be repeated as often as is necessary to break the silence.

SCORING. The test is pa.s.sed if _two of the three_ pictures are described or interpreted. Interpretation, however, is seldom encountered at this age. Often the response consists of a mixture of enumeration and description. The rule is that the reaction to a picture should not be scored _plus_ unless it is made up chiefly of description (or interpretation).

Study of the following samples of satisfactory responses will give a fairly definite idea of the requirements for satisfactory description:--

_Picture (a): satisfactory responses_

"The little girl is crying. The mother is looking at her and there is a little kitten on the floor."

"The mother is watching the baby, and the cat is looking at a hole in the floor, and there is a lamp and a table so I guess it's a dining room."

"The little girl has wooden shoes. Her mother is sitting in a chair and has a funny cap on her head. The cat is sitting on the floor and there is a basket by the mother and a table with something on it."

"It's about Holland. The little Dutch girl is crying and the mother is sitting down."

"A little Dutch girl and her mother and that's a kitten, and the little girl has her hand up as if she was doing something to her forehead. She has shoes that curve up in front."

"Dutch lady, and the little baby doesn't want to come to her mother and the cat is looking for some mice."

"The mother is sitting down and the little one has her hands up over her eyes. There's a pail by the mother and a chair with some clothes on it and a table with dishes. And here's a lamp and here's some curtains."

_Picture (b): satisfactory responses_

"Some people in a boat. The water is high and if they don't look out the boat will tip over."

"Some Indians and a lady and man. They are in a boat on the river and the boat is about to upset, and there are some dead trees going to fall."

"There's a lot of water coming up to drown the people. There are two people in the boat and the boat is sinking."

"There's some people sailing in a canoe and the woman is leaning over on the man because she is afraid."