226 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XLIX, No. 1262 



five tests correlate .97 with tihe results of 

 the entire scale. 



Summary of Results. — After preliminary 

 trial in four cantonments psychological 

 examining was extended by the War De- 

 partment to the entire army, excepting 

 only field and general officers. To supply 

 the requisite personnel, a school for train- 

 ing in military psychology was established 

 in the Medical Officers' Training Camp, 

 Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia. Approximately 

 one hunidred officers and more than three 

 hundred enlisted men received training at 

 this school. 



The work of mental examining was or- 

 ganized finally in thirty-five army training 

 caanps. A grand total of 1,726,000 men 

 had been given psychological examination 

 prior to January 1, 1919. Of this num- 

 ber, about 41,000 were commissioned 

 officers. More than 83,000 of the enlisted 

 men included in the total had been given 

 individual examination in addition to the 

 group examination for literates, for illit- 

 erates, or both. 



Between April 27 and November 30, 

 1918, 7,749 (0.5 per cent.) men were re- 

 ported for discharge by psychological ex- 

 aminers beeause of mental inferiority. 

 The recommendiations for assignment to 

 labor battalions because of low grade in- 

 telligence, number 9,871 (0.6 -{- per cent.). 

 For assignment to development battalions, 

 in order that they mi-ght be more care- 

 fully observed and given preliminary 

 training to discover, if possible, ways of 

 using them in the army, 9,432 (0.6 -|- per 

 cent.) men were recommended. 



During this same interval there were 

 reported 4,744 men with mental age below 

 seven years; 7,762, between seven and 

 eight years; 14,566, between eight and 

 nine years; 18,581, between nine and ten 

 years. This gives a total of 45,653 men 



under ten years mental age. It is ex- 

 tremely improbable that many of these in- 

 dividuals were worth what it cost the gov- 

 ernment to maintain, equip and train them 

 for military service. 



The psychological rating of a man was 

 reported promptly to the personnel ad- 

 jutant and to the company commander. 

 In addition, all low grade cases and men 

 exhibiting peculiarities of behavior were 

 reported also to the medical officer. The 

 mental rating was thus made available for 

 use in connection with rejection or dis- 

 charge, the assignment of men to organiza- 

 tions and their selection for special tasks. 

 The mental ratings were used in various 

 ways by commanding officers to increase 

 the efficiency of training and to strengthen 

 organizations hj improved placement. 



It was repeatedly stated and emphasized 

 by psychological examiners that a man's 

 value to the service should not be judged 

 by his intelligence alone, but that instead 

 temperamental characteristics, reliability, 

 ability to lead and to "carry on" under 

 varied conditions should be taken into ac- 

 count. Even after the feasibility of secur- 

 ing a fairly reliable measure of every sol- 

 dier's intelligence or mental alertness had 

 been demonstrated, it remained uncertain 

 whether these measurements would corre- 

 late positively with militaiy value to a 

 sufficient degree to render them useful. 

 Data which have become available during 

 the past year settle this question definitely 

 by indicating a relatively high correlation 

 between officers' judgments of military 

 value and the intelligence rating. 



The various figures which follow are pre- 

 sented not as a summary of • the results 

 of psychological examining in the army 

 but instead as samples of these results, the 

 chief value of which is to indicate their 

 principal relationsliip and practical values. 

 {To he coivcluded.) 



