PAPERS OX PSYCHOLOGY AND EDUCATION 455 



ticularly dislikes, etc. Long lists of antonyms, phrases, 

 etc., are presented, the rater being asked to check those 

 which he likes, dislikes, which more nearly pertain to 

 him, etc. 



In a recent self -analysis blank designed for use with 

 college freshmen at Bradley Polytechnic Institute, the 

 writer included a list of school subjects from which tht 

 student was asked to check the three in which he found 

 most interest. He was asked also to indicate in which 

 fourth of his class he ranked while pursuing the courses 

 checked. After brief experience the latter part of the 

 scheme was abandoned because of its complexity. In 

 the revised blank which is being used the present school 

 year the list of school subjects does not appear. The 

 student is asked to list the three school subjects in which 

 he found most interest, in order of interest : also to list 

 the three he disliked, or which gave him most difficulty, 

 in order of undesirability. Xo subjects are suggested, 

 the student being expected to remember those subjects 

 which stand out in his experience, independent of any 

 list. One reason for making the revision, as is implied 

 above, is the feeling that the suggestiveness of the many 

 terms — the elaborateness of the list — would take the in- 

 terest of the indifferent rater off at a tangent. The pos- 

 sibility of selecting those subjects with high attention 

 value on the list is an item to be considered in the case 

 of the semi-concerned or unconcerned individual. S 

 ciety, moreover, regards certain subjects as being more 

 dignified and respectable than others. Favorite teachers 

 have certain subjects which are their hobbies : these sub- 

 jects are accepted by student admirers as being import- 

 ant independent of personal reaction toward such sub- 

 jects. There arises the reasonable question as to whether 

 the indicated response is the real choice of the rater, or 

 whether he has indicated a preference which is rather 

 in accord with criteria suggested above. It was felt that 

 to have the rater assume responsibility for thinking thru 

 the situation, and for making his own selection with- 

 out having a list before him would give results which 

 would less likely be colored by factors which are foreign 

 to his real convictions. A second reason for making 



