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 passed.
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 passing the finger around the circumference 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 passing 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 passed 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 quantity
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 assigned 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 passed 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 pass 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 pass the test. On the other hand, it is not expected that the
child who passes will also necessarily understand that four is made up
of two two's, or four one's, or three plus one, etc.
Binet, Goddard, 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 1¼ 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 passed 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 retarded 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 retarded 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. Goddard allows
pencil, but permits only one trial. Kuhlmann requires pen and passes 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 illustration 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 spacial 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 coördinations. 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 substituted. 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 butter," 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.
IV, 6. REPEATING FOUR DIGITS
PROCEDURE. Say: "_Now, listen. I am going to say over some numbers and
after I am through, I want you to say them exactly like I do. Listen
closely and get them just right--4-7-3-9._" Same with 2-8-5-4 and
7-2-6-1. The examiner should consume nearly four seconds in pronouncing
each series, and should practice in advance until this speed can be
closely approximated. If the child refuses to respond, the first series
may be repeated as often as may be necessary to prove an attempt, but
_success with a series which has been re-read may not be counted_. The
second and third series may be pronounced but once.
SCORING. Passed if the child repeats correctly, _after a single reading,
one series out of the three_ series given. The order must be correct.
REMARKS. The test of repeating four digits was not included by Binet in
the scale and seems not to have been used by any of the Binet workers.
It is passed by about three fourths of our 4-year-olds.
IV. ALTERNATIVE TEST: REPEATING TWELVE TO THIRTEEN SYLLABLES
The three sentences are:--
(a) "_The boy's name is John. He is a very good boy._"
(b) "_When the train passes you will hear the whistle blow._"
(c) "_We are going to have a good time in the country._"
PROCEDURE. Get the child's attention and say: "_Listen, say this: 'Where
is kitty?'_" After the child responds, add: "_Now say this ..._,"
reading the first sentence in a natural voice, distinctly and with
expression. If the child is too timid to respond, the first sentence may
be re-read, but in this case the response is not counted. _Re-reading is
permissible only with the first sentence._
SCORING. The test is passed if at least _one sentence is repeated
without error after a single reading_. As in the alternative test of
year III, we ignore ordinary indistinctness and defects of pronunciation
due to imperfect language development, but the sentence must be repeated
without addition, omission, or transposition of words.
REMARKS. Sentences of twelve syllables had not been standardized
previous to the Stanford revision, but Binet locates memory for ten
syllables at year V, and others have followed his example. Our own data
show that even 4-year-olds are usually able to repeat twelve syllables
with the procedure here set forth.