444 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. LI. No. 1322 



ber of series of closely related novel problems. In. 

 the solution of successive problems of a series the 

 essential commion elements are gradually abstracted 

 and associated with an appropriate symbol of some 

 sort. There thus develops a general concept which 

 functions increasingly in succeeding problems in 

 directing (Observation and controlling re-formula- 

 tion of hypotheses, tmtil finally new problems are 

 solved at sight or a general formula is given for 

 all problems of the series. In the solution of suc- 

 cessive series of problems further functioning and 

 development of the concept occur, enabling the 

 subject finally to generalize correctly in advance 

 for new aeries of problems of the same type. The 

 order of abstraction of essential situation-elements 

 was found to follow closely the order of frequency 

 of the subject 's reactions to them. This is also the 

 order of their temporal nearness to the goal or end 

 of the trial. The recombination of essential ele- 

 ments in connection with appropriate symbols, and 

 their association with effective responses, foUow 

 the same order though somewhat less closely. 

 There was usually a high degree of transfer of the 

 effects of learning from problem to problem and 

 from series to series of problems. The median 

 percentage of transfer from the first to the sec- 

 ond series was almost invariably surpassed by 

 subjects who required more than the median num- 

 ber of trials for the mastery of the first series. 

 ,This high degree of transfer in the work of slow 

 learners appears to have arisen from the greater 

 strength of mechanical associations rather than 

 from a deeper insight into the causal relations in- 

 volved. However, the basic concept mentioned 

 above appears to have been the principal medium 

 of transfer. Yet it should not be forgotten that 

 this concept functioned through specific associa- 

 tions which had become mechanized to a high de- 

 gree largely through repetition. 



Edward K. Steong, Jr., 



Secretary 



GENERAL MEETING OF THE AMER- 

 ICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY 



The 59tli meeting of the American Chem- 

 ical Society was held at St. Louis, Mo., April 

 12 to Friday, April 16, 1920. The council 

 meeting was held on the 12th, a general meet- 

 ing on April 13th, both in the morning and in 

 the afternoon, divisional meetings all day 

 Wednesday and Thursday morning, and ex- 

 cursions, Thursday afternoon and Friday. 

 Full details of the meeting and program will 



be found in the May issue of the Journal of 

 Industrial and Engineering Chemistry. The 

 registration was slightly over one thousand, 

 eight htmdred and twenty-five enjoying the 

 smoker. 



General public addresses were given by Paul 

 W. Brown, editor and publisher of " America 

 at Work," on "The Physical Basis for the 

 Economical Development of the Mississippi 

 Valley," by Chas. H. Herty on "Victory and 

 its Resi)onsibilities." The chief public ad- 

 dress was given in the assembly room at the 

 Central High School on " Chemical Warfare " 

 by Col. Amos A. Fries, director of the Chem- 

 ical Warfare Service. 



The following Divisions and Sections met: 

 Agricultural and Food, Biological, Industrial 

 Chemists and Chemical Engineers, Organic, 

 Pharmaceutical, Physical and Inorganic, rub- 

 ber, and water. Sewage and Sanitation Divi- 

 sions and the Dye, Leather, and Sugar Sec- 

 tions. Further details of their meetings wiU 

 be found in the May issue of the Journal of 

 Industrial and Engineering Chemistry. 



The banquet, held on Thursday evening, 

 April 15, filled the large banquet hall of the 

 Hotel Statler. 



A general business meeting was held on 

 Tuesday morning, at which resolutions pub- 

 lished in the Council Proceedings, this issue, 

 on the death of Professor Alfred Werner were 

 read by Dr. Chas. H. Herty. Also, Ernest 

 Solvay was unanimously elected an honorary 

 member of the American Chemical Society. 

 Chas. L. Parsons, 



Secretary 



SCIENCE 



A Weekly Journal devoted to the Advancement of 

 Science, publishing the official notices and pro- 

 ceedings of the American Association for 

 the Advancement of Science 



Published every Friday by 



THE SCONCE PRESS 



LANCASTER. PA. GARRISON, N. Y= 



NEW YORK. N. Y. 



Ealeied io the pon-afio «t Luieaiui, Pm.. u Kcoad el«a ■**•• 



