4 io SECTIONAL TRANSACTIONS.— J. 



Afternoon. 

 Dr. Hilda W. Oldham. — A psychological study of mathematical ability 



(3.0). 



The Problem. — An investigation of school mathematics, mainly with the 

 object of discovering by scientific method whether or not it is justifiable to 

 include arithmetic, algebra and geometry as one group for school certificate 

 and matriculation examinations. 



If arithmetic, algebra and geometry are separate and distinct abilities, then 

 they should be regarded as such for the purposes of school examinations. 



The Method of Research. — A questionnaire was sent to teachers of mathe- 

 matics in different parts of England to ascertain their opinions concerning 

 these differences in mathematical abilities. A statistical investigation was 

 then conducted. Tests in arithmetic, algebra, geometry and general in- 

 telligence were given to children in fourteen different schools. In all, four 

 hundred and ten children were tested. The results of these tests were 

 correlated and partial correlations were worked out. Professor Spearman's 

 criterion of the tetrad difference was applied. Conversations were held with 

 the children examined, and their subjective attitude to the tests and to 

 mathematics generally were obtained. 



Results. — There seemed to emerge no group factor big enough to justify 

 the inclusion of arithmetic, algebra and geometry in one group for purposes 

 of school examinations. 



In some sets considerable group factors appeared but seemed to be due 

 to extraneous influences, and not to be connate and intrinsic to the activities 

 involved in the abilities concerned. 



Mr. R. J. Bartlett. — Amnesia — a case study (2.45). . 



Invalided from work under a diagnosis of ' early G.P.I.' and having passed 

 through three other institutions, a man of 52 was admitted to Bethlem Royal 

 Hospital in January, 1935, in a badly disorientated condition. He was 

 discharged in January, 1936, able to return to his family and assist in the 

 work of a small shop. 



Pathological examination negatived the G.P.I, diagnosis, neurological 

 examination failed to secure a satisfying diagnosis and psychological 

 examination indicated that the disorientation was not due to delusion or 

 imperception but entirely to amnesia. 



In the resulting treatment memory work played an important part. This 

 work consisted of : — 



(a) Patient conversational recovery of recent events, 



(b) Retracing previous walks and recovery of incidents therein, 



(c) Laboratory work with outline drawings. 



The work showed, in highly exaggerated form, well-known difficulties and 

 errors in learning, recall and recognition, and progress was very slow and 

 interrupted from time to time by marked plateaux. 



The case is given as an example of successful collaboration of experimental 

 psychology and medicine in the treatment of an apparently hopeless case, 

 for, whatever the ultimate results may be, there has been at least a temporary 

 alleviation of a very serious maladjustment to environment. 



