168 MEMOIRS NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. [vol.xv, 



It is the task of the psychological examiner to obtain reliable intelligence ratings and to make recommendations 

 based thereupon. Where serious mental peculiarties or psychopathic conditions are discovered, full report should be 

 made and the subject promptly referred to the psychiatrist with such information as the psychological examination 

 has supplied. 



The examiner' s recommendations. — As a result of careful psychological examination, the examiner may conclude, 

 (1) that the subject should be assigned or returned to appropriate military organization for regular training; (2) that he 

 should be assigned or transferred to the Development Battalion or to a service organization in which simple forms of 

 manual labor are the chief requirement; (3) that he should be recommended to the psychiatrist for discharge by reason 

 of intellectual deficiency ; (4) that he should be referred to the psychiatrist for further examination because of peculiari- 

 ties of behavior or definite psychopathic tendencies. 



It is impossible to state with safety the particular degree of intellectual deficiency which justifies recommenda- 

 tion for discharge. Other factors than intelligence contribute to a man's serviceableness in the Army. These must 

 be taken into account. If the officers who are attempting to train a man are satisfied with his responses, the indica- 

 tions are that he should not be discharged, even if very inferior in intelligence. In general, subjects whose mental age is 

 below eight should be seriously considered for discharge or Development Battalion. Those \chose mental ages range from 

 eight to ten should be considered for use in special service organizations or for assignment to Development Battalion. AH 

 others, except those whose psychotic symptoms would cause their immediate reference to the neuropsychiatric ex- 

 aminer, should be assigned to regular training organizations. 



Grade E shall be given to all men who are recommended by the examiner for discharge, Development Battalion, 

 or service organizations, and to such men only. All men whose intelligence is deemed satisfactory for regular military 

 duty shall be given rating of D— or higher. 



In this connection too great emphasis can not be laid upon the use of common sense as well as technical skill and 

 information by the psychological examiner. While doing his utmost to obtain reliable measurement of mental traits, 

 he should be quick to observe indications of qualities of physique, temperament, and character which are important 

 in the soldier. 



2. POINT SCALE EXAMINATION, 

 (a) PROCEDURE.' 



Test 1, xsthetic comparison and judgment. 



Expose first only pair (a) of test 1, trial l; 2 next pair (6); and last pair (c), saying each time, " Which is the prettier 

 of these two faces?" If prettier is unintelligible, ask " Which do you like the better?" Record judgment (+ or — ) each 

 time. If there have been any correct judgments, repeat the procedure with trial 2. 



Credit 1 point for each pair, if both judgments have been correct. Total possible credits, 3. 



Test 2, perception and comparison of pictures (missing parts). 



Present card (test 2, a) asking simply, " What is missing in this picture of a woman?" If subject responds "hands" 

 or "arms," pass on to the next part of the test, but if instead he says "hat," ask " What else?" If again he replies 

 incorrectly, consider the attempt a failure and pass on to card 6, c, d. With the faces (c) and (d) covered, present face 

 (6) asking, " What is missing in this face?" If subject replies "an ear," ask " What else?" Similarly present (c) and 

 (<f), giving two chances and no more. 



Credit 1 point for each correct response. Total possible credits, 4. 



Test 3, comparison of lines and iveights. 



(a) Present the lines on card (test 3, a) with the longer one above, saying, " Which is the longer of these two lines?" 

 If the answer is incorrect, proceed no farther; if correct, remove the card from view, turn it upside down, and present 

 it with the longer line below. (6) Next place before subject the 3 and 12 gram weights, about 5 centimeters apart, 

 saying, "I wish you to tell me which is the heavier of these two blocks." If subject merely chooses a weight by pointing, 

 ask "How do you know?" and if hestill hesitates to touch them, say, " You may touch them if you icish to." If subject 

 responds correctly by lifting the weights and selecting the heavier one, reverse the blocks in position and give a second 

 trial, (c) Same procedure, with 6 and 15 gram weights. 



Credit 1 point for (a) if both judgments have been correct. Similarly for (6) and (c). Total possible credits, 3. 



Test 4, memory span for digits. 



Digits used: (a) 



First set 374 



Second set 581 



Say, " Listen, and repeat exactly what I say." Then read distinctly and at the rate of two per second, in a per- 

 fectly monotonous tone, the following digits, "3, 7, 4" and pause for response. If subject fails to grasp the idea and 

 makes no response, tell him again to listen carefully and to say just what you say. Then present again the same set 

 of digits. If subject repeats them correctly, pass on to the first set of four digits given under (b). If he fails to repeat 

 correctly the first set of three digist, he is given the second set "5, 8, 1." If subject fails in this trial, the test is dis- 



i The following condensed directions for point scale examination should be supplemented by reference to Yerkes, Bridges and Hardwick, "A 

 Point Scale for Measuring Mental Ability," Warwick and York, Baltimore. 

 1 See material for point scale examination. 



