284 LINUS WARD KLINE 



the consequent form of the learning curve. Besides the manner 

 of learning the stacked order gives added force to the r61e of 

 kinaesthesis as it affects the different phases and stages of learning. 



The methods used in learning the order, as shown by the 

 reports of the subjects, were three: rational, sectional, and trial 

 and success. 



The rational method consists in the application of sense exper- 

 ience to the solution of a novel problem. The order of the suit 

 was learned largely by visual impressions supported and checked 

 by kinaesthetic. The subject reasoned that the 4 suits were 

 repeated 13 times and the numerical order 4 times, then by 

 matching number and suit for the first 13 a pattern was formed 

 by which the entire series was mechanically completed. 



The sectional method consisted in applying the suit order, 

 clubs, diamonds, spades, hearts to the numerical order as the 

 latter was learned. This caused the subject to learn isolated 

 sections here and there in the run of the 52 cards. Subject E 

 at the sixth period tried to write the order in terms of move- 

 ments and boxes. It appeared thus Q of C, 5 of C, 6 of D; 4 of 

 H, 3 of C, 10 of C; 8 of D, 2 of H, K of C; 7 of C, 9 of D, J of H; 

 A of C, in groups or sections of three each. Spades had been 

 completely suppressed! This method continued until the ninth 

 period when he wrote out the first 13 correctly and began on 

 the second with the Q of C. He suddenly realized that Q of C 

 was the first card delivered, and that the fourteenth card must 

 be of some other suit. He remembered that it was Q of D and 

 this suggested the Q of S as another possible queen. It then 

 occurred that he had been omitting spades altogether from his 

 records. He tried again, arranging the cards in groups of four 

 and wrote out 46 of the series correctly, omitting four from the 

 third 13. Evidently he had not seen the relation between the 

 two orders: suit and numbers. At the tenth period the entire 

 series was written correctly. 



The numerical order was determined largely from the sequence of 

 movements. The spade is an absent element. The order of the suit 

 was new until the 9P, when I saw it would apply to groups of four; it 

 had not occurred that the order of the suit might be applied to the 

 numerical order for discovering the entire series. 



