SECTIONAL TRANSACTIONS.— J. 419 



Dr. H. Oldham. — Children's drawings (10.45). 



There were five main lines of research : 



(a) The influence of meaning on the drawings of young children. 



{b) How far drawings are typical at different ages. 



(c) Sex differences. 



{d) The influence of environment. 



(e) The expression of emotions and unfulfilled desires in drawings. 



Conclusions : 



(a) Children cannot draw the simplest object unless it has meaning for 

 them. 



(ft) The writer corroborated former research on the typical nature of 



children's drawings at different age levels, and made observations 



on the choice of subjects. In order of popularity of choice came 



' houses, ships, motor cars, aeroplanes or trains, people, animals, 



flowers, still life. 



(c) Houses and flowers were drawn more often by girls than boys, 

 whilst motor cars, aeroplanes and trains were more popular with 

 boys. 



(rf) The influence of environment was very strong. It was very ap- 

 parent in the drawings of houses. 



{e) Children from 12 to 14 were asked to express various emotions by 

 coloured drawings. There seemed to be a fairly general agreement 

 in form and colour in expressing the same emotion when a pattern 

 was produced. Sometimes figures were drawn, and these were 

 more varied. 



This research is the beginning of a wider one, and may be considered as 

 an introduction to it. 



Dr. G. Calver. — The diagnostic and therapeutic value of play (11.30). 



(i) Value of play to the child. 



{a) Play as development. 



{b) Manipulation of material. 



(c) Translation of instructive and emotional life into action. 



{d) Interpretation of facts of reality. 



(e) Understanding of abstract relationships by concrete material. 



(2) What we learn from child's play. 



(a) Normal developmental phases, e.g. : 



(i) Emotional, 

 (ii) Intellectual, 

 (iii) Sense of reality. 



(3) As expression of abnormalities. 



(a) Family and other environmental situations dramatised. 



(6) Emotional disharmonies. Fear ; anxiety ; insecurity ; aggres- 

 siveness. 



(c) Early psycho - neurosis. Hysterias; obsessions; sexual 

 aberrations. 



(4) Play methods used for diagnosis. 



(5) Play as a therapeutic agent. 



