no. 2.] PSYCHOLOGICAL EXAMINING IN THE UNITED STATES AEMY. 477 



Dix staffs endeavored to continue the principle of the performance test by selecting a battery 

 of tests that would yield higher correlations with the known measures of general intelligence 

 than did the Stenquist. The search for other tests for "illiterates" materially modified the ex- 

 amination procedure in Dix. The other three camps continued the use of the original group 

 skill test. Taylor used to some extent a group cube and a dissected picture test for quick surveys 

 of groups waiting for individual examination. 



Lee used the group skill test hi examining 8,049 men. The first several hundred were exam- 

 ined by its use according to original directions. It was then found necessary to increase the rate 

 of examining. Correlations of several sorts were run and the staff decided to use one-half of 

 the number of tests and reduce the time to 15 minutes. The items used were A (wrench), B 

 (chain), D (bell), E (coin holder), and I (lock). 



After this trial of the group skill Lee proposed the use of digit-symbol, symbol-digit and 

 picture completion tests hi place of Stenquist. Examination a and the three substitute tests 

 correlated 0.76; short Stenquist and these three tests correlated 0.15 (47 illiterates). Work on a 

 new test for "illiterates" stopped at this point until late in December. A complete set of tests 

 for " illiterates" was reported at this later date but with relatively few data on their validity as a 

 measure of intelligence. Devens also reported a complete new set of tests for "illiterates" with 

 considerable data for criticism and further use. (See ch. 6, pp. 367 ff .) 



At the close of the preliminary experiments Camp Dix reported a number of variations on 

 the group skill test and suggested dropping tests C (paper clip), H (push button), and J (mouse- 

 trap). These are probably the more difficult items. By the elimination of these tests, mechanical 

 difficulties because of breakage and adjustments of the materials were greatly reduced. If 

 dropped, the total time allowed was to be reduced from 30 to 20 minutes. A preliminary scheme 

 of weighting was also given as follows: 



Camp Dix also suggested the introduction of other group skill tests. The Stenquist was to 

 remain as one of several such tests. The group performance tests suggested and tried out by the 

 Dix Staff are described elsewhere. (See ch. 6, pp. 363 f.) Early results on these tests indicate 

 that low-grade and illiterate men cover a considerable range of scores but are still below the 

 average score of unselected groups. The Dix group skill test and examination a, 909 cases, 

 show a correlation of 0.475. 



The group skill test at Devens passed through similar stages, but remained the important 

 group method for examining illiterates. Devens called for a large increase in equipment almost 

 immediately. Lee, experiencing the same difficulty, reduced the time required to give the test 

 by reducing the number of items one-half. Taylor used it as an alternative procedure. They 

 placed greater emphasis on a few short diagnostic performance test devised there and on the 

 individual examinations. Dix, as shown above, emphasized its own special group method. 

 The numbers examined by group skill test during the fall of 1917 are: Devens, 3,955; Dix, 

 936; Lee, 8,049; Taylor, 1,670. These totals do not include unselected groups examined in the 

 four camps during the preliminary experimentation with methods. 



Section 6. — Individual examinations — low grade men- 

 Men failing to pass group examinations went finally to special examiners, who gave them a 

 careful individual examination. It was intended by the original plan that men failing hi exami- 

 nation b or in the group skill test would be given individual examinations. In practice men 

 were often sent directly from examination a to an individual examination. Men who had not 

 been previously examined were also referred to the psychological examiners by company com- 

 manders and by psychiatrists and other medical officers. These men were always given a full 

 individual examination. At Lee a psychologist was assigned to assist the psychiatrist at the 

 base hospital and later one was assigned to work with the psychiatric board in its camp survey. 

 Men examined in this way were given only individual examination. 



