226 SECTIONAL ADDRESSES. 



used. The scheme has proved workable, the results unexpectedly 

 successful. Of those who entered occupations of the kind recommended, 

 over 80 per cent, are satisfied with their work, their prospects and their 

 pay. Of those who obtained employment different from the kind advised, 

 more than 60 per cent, are dissatisfied, and most of those who are satisfied 

 appear to be so because they have exceptionally good employers rather 

 than because they like the work. Further, judged by the after-histories 

 of the several children, those who accepted the advice given have proved 

 more efiicient and successful in their work than those who rejected the 

 advice. They are, on the average, in receipt of higher pay ; they have 

 generally obtained promotion earlier, and have experienced fewer changes 

 of situation.' 



A second experiment is now being carried on by the Institute on a far 

 more extensive scale. Six hundred children are being examined and 

 advised, and their subsequent careers will be compared with those of a 

 ' control ' group of an equal number of children to whom the Institute's 

 advice has not been given. 



A generous grant from the Carnegie United Kingdom Trust has made 

 this second experiment possible. 



The following statement indicates the present position : 



' The Experiment carried out by the National Institute of Industrial 

 Psychology in London into the possibility of using psychological tests in 

 Vocational Guidance is one of considerable interest and importance. The 

 number of young people studied (six hundred) was large enough to enable 

 statistical methods to be applied to the analysis of the data collected. 

 Moreover, the use of a control group (also six hundred in number) made it 

 possible to assess more exactly the value of the vocational guidance offered. 

 The main aim of the experiment was to establish a practical procedure of 

 vocational guidance for children at school leaving age (i.e. 14).' 



' Information was sought relating to the child's school record and to 

 his hobbies and out of school life. This was supplemented by data obtained 

 from psychological tests of various kinds. Among the latter may be men- 

 tioned tests designed to measure general intelligence, ability in the use of 

 language, ability in dealing with practical situations, ability in handling 

 machines, in manipulative activities, in computation, in the perception of 

 shapes and forms and the like. During the years that have elapsed since 

 the children who were advised left school, close touch has been maintained 

 with them and much information relating to their occupations and 

 changes of work has been collected. So far as it has been analysed up to 

 the present the results are very encouraging. Those boys and girls who 

 have found work of a kind similar to that recommended have changed 

 their employment less frequently than those who have entered work unlike 

 that recommended to them. These later results confirm those obtained 

 in an earlier experiment carried out by the Industrial Fatigue Research 

 Board and the National Institute of Industrial Psychology.' 



This important confirmation of the earlier experiment is of great value. 

 In the light of these investigations it is not unreasonable to hope that, in 

 days to come, every boy (and girl) on leaving school will have reliable 

 information as to the kind of work in which he can most effectively use 

 the ability he possesses, with pleasure and satisfaction to himself and to 



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