INSTRUCTIONS FOR YEAR IV
IV, 1. COMPARISON OF LINES
PROCEDURE. Present the appropriate accompanying card with the lines in horizontal position. Point to the lines and say: "_See these lines. Look closely and tell me which one is longer. Put your finger on the longest one._" We use the superlative as well as the comparative form of _long_ because it is often more familiar to young subjects. If the child does not respond, say: "_Show me which line is the biggest._" Then withdraw the card, turn it about a few times, and present it again with the position of the two lines reversed, saying: "_Now show me the longest._"
Turn the card again and make a third presentation.
SCORING. All three comparisons must be made correctly; or if only two responses out of three are correct, all three pairs are again shown, just as before, and if there is no error this time, the test is pa.s.sed.
The standard, therefore, is _three correct responses out of three, or five out of six_.
Sometimes the child points, but at no particular part of the card. In such cases it may be difficult to decide whether he has failed to comprehend and to make the discrimination or has only been careless in pointing. It is then necessary to repeat the experiment until the evidence is clear.
REMARKS. As noted by Binet, success in this test depends on the comprehension of the verbal directions rather than on actual discrimination of length. The child who would unerringly choose the larger of two pieces of candy might fail on the comparison of lines.
However, since the child must correctly compare the lines three times in succession, or at least in five out of six trials, _willingness to attend_ also plays a part. The attention of the low-grade imbecile, or even of the normal child of 3 years, is not very obedient to the suggestions of the experimenter. It may be gained momentarily, but it is not easily held to the same task for more than a few seconds. Hence some children who perfectly comprehend this task fail to make a succession of correct comparisons because they are unable or unwilling to bring to bear even the small amount of attention which is necessary. This does not in the least condone the failure, for it is exactly in such voluntary control of mental processes that we find one of the most characteristic differences between bright and dull, or mature and immature subjects.
There has been little disagreement as to the proper location of this test.
IV, 2. DISCRIMINATION OF FORMS
PROCEDURE. Use the forms supplied with this book. First, place the circle of the duplicate set at "X", and say: "_Show me one like this_," at the same time pa.s.sing the finger around the circ.u.mference of the circle. If the child does not respond, say: "_Do you see all of these things?_" (running the finger over the various forms); "_And do you see this one?_" (pointing again to the circle); "_Now, find me another one just like this._" Use the square next, then the triangle, and the others in any order.
Correct the child"s first error by saying: "_No, find one just like this_" (again pa.s.sing the finger around the outline of the form at "X").
Make no comment on errors after the first one, proceeding at once with the next card, but each time the choice is correct encourage the child with a hearty "That"s good," or something similar.
SCORING. The test is pa.s.sed if _seven out of ten_ choices, are correct, the first corrected error being counted.
REMARKS. In the test of discriminating forms, unlike the test of comparing lines, lack of success is less often due to inability to understand the task than to failure to discriminate. The test may be regarded as a variation of the form-board test. It displays the subject"s ability to compare and contrast successive visual perceptions of form. The accurate perception of even a fairly simple form requires the integration of a number of sensory elements into one whole. The forms used in this test have meaning. They are far from nonsense figures even for the (normal) child of 4 years, who has, of course, never heard about "triangles," "squares," "rectangles," etc. The meaning present at this level of intelligence is probably a compound of such factors as appreciation of symmetry and direction, and discrimination of quant.i.ty and number.
Another element in success, especially in the latter part of the experiment, is the ability to make an _attentive_ comparison between the form shown and the others. The child may be satisfied to point to the first form his eye happens to fall upon. Far from being a legitimate excuse for failure, such an exhibition of inattention and of weakness of the critical faculty is symptomatic of a mental level below 4 years.
In addition to counting the number of errors made, it is interesting to note with what forms they occur. To match the circle with the ellipse or the octagon, for example, is a less serious error than to match it with the square or triangle.
This test was devised and standardized by Dr. Fred Kuhlmann. It is inserted here without essential alteration, except that the size recommended for the forms is slightly reduced and minor changes have been made in the wording of the directions. Our own results are favorable to the test and to the location a.s.signed it by its author.
IV, 3. COUNTING FOUR PENNIES
PROCEDURE. Place four pennies in a horizontal row before the child. Say: "_See these pennies. Count them and tell me how many there are. Count them with your finger, this way_" (pointing to the first one on the child"s left)--"_One_"--"_Now, go ahead._" If the child simply gives the number (whether right or wrong) without pointing, say: "_No; count them with your finger, this way_," starting him off as before. Have him count them aloud.
SCORING. The test is pa.s.sed only if the counting tallies with the pointing. It is not sufficient merely to state the correct number without pointing.
REMARKS. Contrary to what one might think, this is not to any great extent a test of "schooling." Practically all children of this age have had opportunity to learn to count as far as four, and with normal children the spontaneous interest in number is such that very few 4-year-olds, even from inferior social environment, fail to pa.s.s the test.
While success requires more than the ability to repeat the number names by rote, it does not presuppose any power of calculation or a mastery of the number concepts from one to four. Many children who will readily say, mechanically, "one, two, three, four," when started off, are not able to pa.s.s the test. On the other hand, it is not expected that the child who pa.s.ses will also necessarily understand that four is made up of two two"s, or four one"s, or three plus one, etc.
Binet, G.o.ddard, and Kuhlmann place this test in the 5-year group, but three separate series of tests made for the Stanford revision, as well as nearly all the statistics available from other sources, show that it belongs at 4 years.
IV, 4. COPYING A SQUARE
PROCEDURE. Place before the child a cardboard on which is drawn in heavy black lines a square about 1 inches on a side.[49] Give the child a pencil and say: "_You see that_ (pointing to the square). _I want you to make one just like it. Make it right here_ (showing where it is to be drawn). _Go ahead. I know you can do it nicely._"
[49] No material is needed if the regular Stanford record blanks are used, as these all contain the square and diamond.
Avoid such an expression as, "_I want you to draw a figure like that._"
The child may not know the meaning of either _draw_ or _figure_. Also, in pointing to the model, take care not to run the finger around the four sides.
Children sometimes have a deep-seated aversion to drawing on request and a bit of tactful urging may be necessary. Experience and tact will enable the experimenter in all but the rarest cases to come out victorious in these little battles with balky wills. Give three trials, saying each time: "_Make it exactly like this_," pointing to model.
Make sure that the child is in an easy position and that the paper used is held so it cannot slip.
SCORING. The test is pa.s.sed if at least _one drawing out of the three_ is as good as those marked + on the score card. Young subjects usually reduce figures in drawing from copy, but size is wholly disregarded in scoring. It is of more importance that the right angles be fairly well preserved than that the lines should be straight or the corners entirely closed. The scoring of this test should be rather liberal.
REMARKS. After the three copies have been made say: "_Which one do you like best?_" In this way we get an idea of the subject"s power of auto-criticism, a trait in which the mentally r.e.t.a.r.ded are nearly always behind normal children of their own age. Normal children, when young, reveal the same weakness to a certain extent. It is especially significant when the subject shows complete satisfaction with a very poor performance.
Observe whether the child makes each part with careful effort, looking at the model from time to time, or whether the strokes are made in a haphazard way with only an initial glance at the original. The latter procedure is quite common with young or r.e.t.a.r.ded subjects. Curiously enough, the first trial is more successful than either of the others, due perhaps to a waning of effort and attention.
Note that pencil is used instead of pen and that only one success is necessary. Binet gives only one trial and requires pen. G.o.ddard allows pencil, but permits only one trial. Kuhlmann requires pen and pa.s.ses the child only when two trials out of three are successful. But these authors locate the test at 5 years. Our results show that nearly three fourths of 4-year-olds succeed with pencil in one out of three trials if the scoring is liberal. It makes a great deal of difference whether pen or pencil is used, and whether two successes are required or only one.
No better ill.u.s.tration could be given of the fact that without thoroughgoing standardization of procedure and scoring the best mental test may be misleading as to the degree of intelligence it indicates.
Copying a square is one of three drawing tests used in the Binet scale, the others being the diamond (year VII), and the designs to be copied from memory (year X). These tests do not to any great extent test what is usually known as "drawing ability." Only the square and the diamond tests are strictly comparable with one another, the other having a psychologically different purpose. In none of them does success seem to depend very much on the amount of previous instruction in drawing. To copy a figure like a square or a diamond requires first of all an appreciation of s.p.a.cial relationships. The figure must be perceived as a whole, not simply as a group of meaningless lines. In the second place, success depends upon the ability to use the visual impression in guiding a rather complex set of motor coordinations. The latter is perhaps the main difficulty, and is one which is not fully overcome, at least for complicated movements, until well toward adult life.
It is interesting to compare the square and the diamond as to relative difficulty. They have the same number of lines and in each case the opposite sides are parallel; but whereas 4-year intelligence is equal to the task of copying a square, the diamond ordinarily requires 7-year intelligence. Probably no one could have foreseen that a change in the angles would add so much to the difficulty of the figure. It would be worth while to devise and standardize still more complicated figures.
IV, 5. COMPREHENSION, FIRST DEGREE
PROCEDURE. After getting the child"s attention, say: "_What must you do when you are sleepy?_" If necessary the question may be repeated a number of times, using a persuasive and encouraging tone of voice. No other form of question may be subst.i.tuted. About twenty seconds may be allowed for an answer, though as a rule subjects of 4 or 5 years usually answer quite promptly or not at all.
Proceed in the same way with the other two questions: "_What ought you to do when you are cold?_" "_What ought you to do when you are hungry?_"
SCORING. There must be _two correct responses out of three_. No one form of answer is required. It is sufficient if the question is comprehended and given a reasonably sensible answer. The following are samples of correct responses:--
(a) "Go to bed." "Go to sleep." "Have my mother get me ready for bed." "Lie still, not talk, and I"ll soon be asleep."
(b) "Put on a coat" (or "cloak," "furs," "wrap up," etc.).
"Build a fire." "Run and I"ll soon get warm." "Get close to the stove." "Go into the house," or, "Go to bed," may possibly deserve the score _plus_, though they are somewhat doubtful and are certainly inferior to the responses just given.
(c) "Eat something." "Drink some milk." "Buy a lunch." "Have my mamma spread some bread and b.u.t.ter," etc.
With the comprehension questions in this year it is nearly always easy to decide whether the response is acceptable, failure being indicated usually either by silence or by an absurd or irrelevant answer. One 8-year-old boy who had less than 4-year intelligence answered all three questions by putting his finger on his eye and saying: "I"d do that."
"Have to cry" is a rather common incorrect response.
REMARKS. The purpose of these questions is to ascertain whether the child can comprehend the situations suggested and give a reasonably pertinent reply. The first requirement, of course, is to understand the language; the second is to tell how the situation suggested should be met.
The question may be raised whether a given child might not fail to answer the questions correctly and yet have the intelligence to do the appropriate thing if the real situation were present. This is at least conceivable, but since it would not be practicable to make the subject actually cold, sleepy, or hungry in order to observe his behavior, we must content ourselves with suggesting a situation to be imagined. It probably requires more intelligence to tell what one ought to do in a situation which has to be imagined than to do the right thing when the real situation is encountered.
The comprehension questions of this year had not been standardized until the Stanford investigation of 1913-14. Questions _a_ and _b_ were suggested by Binet in 1905, while _c_ is new. They make an excellent test of 4-year intelligence.