no. i.] PSYCHOLOGICAL EXAMINING IN THE UNITED STATES ARMY. 157 



III. Group Examination Alpha 



1. PROCEDURE. 



Examination alpha is to be given to all subjects who remain in the room after the elimination of illiterates. In 

 giving the following directions examiner should speak rather slowly, distinctly, and with proper emphasis. He should 

 expect and demand perfect order and prompt response to commands. 



When everything is ready examiner proceeds as follows: "Attention! The purpose of this examination is to see how 

 well you can remember, think, and carry out what you are told to do. We are not looking for crazy people. The aim 

 is to help find out what you are best fitted to do in the Army. The grade you make in this examination will be put on 

 your qualification card and will also go to your company commander. Some of the things you are told to do will be 

 very easy. Some you may find hard. You are not expected to make a perfect grade, but do the very best you can. 



"Now, in the Army a man often has to listen to commands and then carry them out exactly. I am going to give 

 you some commands to see how well you can carry them out. Listen closely. Ask no questions. Do not watch any 

 other man to see what he does. 



"Look at your papers. Just below where you have been writing, there are several sets of forms — circles, triangles, 

 and so forth. First you will be told to do something with the circles at 1, afterward with the circles at 2, and so on. 



"When I call 'Attention,' stop instantly whatever you are doing and hold your pencil up — so. Don't put your 

 pencil down to the paper until I say 'Go.' (Examiner lowers his pencil.) Listen carefully to what I say. Do just 

 what you are told to do. As soon as you are through, pencils up. Remember, wait for the word 'Go'. " 



N. B. — Examiner: Give the following instructions very distinctly and at moderate speed. After giving the com- 

 mand "Attention, " always notice carefully and have orderlies notice whether all pencils are up. Never proceed until 

 they are. This is especially important in the beginning. Be careful to use the directions that fit the form of alpha book- 

 let distributed. Be careful not to pause or to drop the voice in the course of a compound direction, e. g., in 2, before the 

 words "and also." Raise your pencil whenever you say "Attention. " Lower it promptly whenever you say "Go." 



Test l,form 5. 



1. "Attention! 'Attention' always means 'Pencils up! ' Look at the circles at 1. When I say 'Go '(but not before) 

 make a cross in the first circle and also a figure 1 in the third circle.— GO!" (Allow not over 5 seconds.) 



2. "Attention! Look at 2, where the circles have numbers in them. When I say 'Go' draw a line from circle 1 to 

 circle 4 that will pass above circle 2 and below circle 3. — GO!" (Allow not over 5 seconds.) 



3. "Attention! Look at the square and triangle at 3. When I say 'Go' make a cross in the space which is in the 

 triangle but not in the square, and also make a figure 1 in the space which is in the triangle and in the square. — GO!" 

 (Allow not over 10 seconds.) 



4. "Attention! Look at 4. When I say 'Go' make a figure 1 in the space which is in the circle but not in the tri- 

 angle or square, and also make a figure 2 in the space which is in the triangle and circle, but not in the square. — GO!" 

 (Allow not over 10 seconds.) 



N. B. — Examiner: In reading 5, don't pause at the word circle as if ending a sentence. 



5. "Attention! Look at 5. If a machine gun can shoot more bullets a minute than a rifle, then(when I say 'Go') 

 put a cross in the second circle; if not, draw a line under the word NO. — GO!" (Allow not over 10 seconds.) 



6. "Attention! Look at 6. When I say 'Go' put in the second circle the right answer to the question: 'How many 

 months has a year?' In the third circle do nothing, but in the fourth circle put any number that is a wrong answer to 

 the question that you have just answered correctly. — GO!" (Allow not over 10 seconds.) 



7. "Attention! Look at 7. When I say 'Go' cross out the letter just before C and also draw a line under the second 

 letter before H. — GO!" (Allow not over 10 seconds.) 



8. "Attention! Look at 8. Notice the three circles and the three words. When I say 'Go' make in the first circle 

 the first letter of the first word; in the second circle the first letter of the second word, and in the third circle the last 

 letter of the third word. — GO!" (Allow not over 10 seconds.) 



9. "Attention! Look at 9. When I say 'Go' cross out each number that is more than 20 but less than 30. — GO!" 

 (Allow not over 15 seconds.) 



10. "Attention! Look at 10. Notice that the drawing is divided into five parts. When I say 'Go' put a 3 or a 2 

 in each of the two largest parts and any number between 4 and 7 in the part next in size to the smallest part. — GO!" 

 (Allow not over 15 seconds.) 



11. "Attention! Look at 11. When I say 'Go' draw a line through every even number that is not in a square, and 

 also through every odd number that is in a square with a letter. — GOl" (Allow not over 25 seconds.) 



12. "Attention! Look at 12. If 7 is more than 5, then(when I say 'Go') cross out the number 6 unless 6 is more 

 than 8, iu which case draw a line under the number 7. — GO !" (Allow not over 10 seconds.) 



"During the rest of this examination don't turn any page forward or backward unless you are told to. Now turn 

 over the page to test 2." 



Test 1, form 6. 



1. "Attention! 'Attention' always means 'Pencils up!' Look at the circles at 1. When I say 'Go' but not before, 

 make a cross in the second circle and also a figure 1 in the third circle. — GO!" (Allow not over 5 seconds.) 



2. "Attention! Look at 2, where the circles have numbers in them. When I say 'Go' draw a line from circle 2 to 

 circle 5 that will pass above circle 3 and below circle 4. — GOl" (Allow not over 5 seconds.) 



