CHAPTER 5. 



INTELLIGENCE RATINGS BY STATES. 



In the original plan for statistical analysis records were selected by States in order that a 

 geographical picture of the country with respect to intelligence as it occurred in the draft might 

 ultimately be achieved. Much effort was spent in obtaining cards on this basis, and the separa- 

 tion of the records composing Group II was accomplished entirely with the purpose of making 

 the samples from the smaller States large enough for satisfactory statistical use. The resulting 

 data are presented herewith in tables 200 to 206. 



Unfortunately, it has not been feasible to treat these data statistically under the con- 

 ditions existent during the preparation of the present report (cf. chap. 1, sect. 4), and it is 

 necessary therefore to be satisfied with the mere presentation of the original distributions as 

 they resulted from Hollerith analysis and to leave interpretation for future research. 



It has been shown in the chapter on the comparison of camps (chap. 4) that there are 

 decided differences from one camp to another and that these differences may depend to an 

 unknown amount on differences in camp procedure or on other conditions that are not matters 

 of actual intelligence of the men examined. In general, the staff feared to come to hasty 

 conclusions upon the comparison of States with data of which the precision was so greatly 

 affected by camp differences. On the other hand, as has been pointed out, many of these 

 discrepancies between camps may be due to real differences of intelligence that in turn depend 

 upon the different sections of the country from which the camps drew. It is quite possible, 

 then, that a comparison of camps is in part a geographical comparison. The study of the 

 distribution of intelligence by residential section in the United States is of prime importance 

 and should be made as soon as feasible. Its very importance, however, made its undertaking 

 seem unwise with the limited time and statistical assistance available in the office of the Section 

 of Psychology. The comparison could undoubtedly best be made in terms of the theoretical 

 combined scale outlined in chapter 2. It will be recalled that this scale was not available 

 until too late in the preparation of the report for more than a few casual applications to some 

 of the fundamental distributions. 



It is to be hoped that a statistical treatment based on the data here published in tables 

 200 to 203 can be undertaken and that the geographical picture of intelligence can thus finally 

 be made out. The application of the theoretical combined scale referred to above affords a 

 ready method for comparison. Enough data are, however, presumably given for a combination 

 on any principle of regression that the statistician may desire. It is probable that results of 

 great importance would be obtained simply by grouping States from various sections of the 

 country together. Such a procedure would give larger samples and by involving several camps 

 (in general, all recruits for one State were selected from a single camp) do away to a large 

 extent with the variable conditions resulting from the departure of individual camps from 

 normal procedure. It may also be true that results of great interest could be obtained by 

 selecting particular States or small groups of States from typically different parts of the country 

 and making an extensive comparison of these groups. By proper selection it might be possible 

 to leave camps from which the data are of doubtful validity out of account. 



Tables 200 to 206 are all for white recruits. They include foreign-born cases. Tables 

 of distribution of foreign-born recruits by States have been prepared and are on file in the 

 office of the Surgeon General. By subtraction from the tables given here distributions of 

 native white recruits would be obtained. Limitations of time and clerical personnel have 

 prevented this work, but it is possible that these additional tables could be obtained for the 

 purposes of future research. 



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