658 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XXXIX. No. 1009 



This arrangement furnishes a compartment 

 for each card of the pack of fifty-two, and at 

 the same time preserves an approach to equal- 

 ity between the dimensions without a large ex- 

 cess of compartments. Each compartment is 

 three and a half inches in length by two and 

 three fourths inches in height, and admits 

 completely the average playing-card when 

 tossed. Each compartment is provided with 

 a metal clip for holding detachable labels cut 

 from the cards. 



Even one unacquainted with card games and 

 card lore will realize upon slight reflection the 

 well-nigh endless variety of combinations 

 made possible by their qualities of form, 

 color and number. The case is so labeled that 

 the opportunity for forming associations be- 

 tween contiguous boxes and two or more suc- 

 cessive distributions is rare. The cards may 

 be unstacked or stacked, according to purpose. 

 If the latter then learning the order of the 

 cards affords a method for the study of serial 

 learning. The compartments receiving the 

 cards for any series are viewed only during 

 the process of distribution, thereby creating 

 conditions for the study of the sense of posi- 

 tion. Perhaps we shall make better progress 

 in suggesting the possibilities of problems and 

 methods by briefly submitting a problem. 



Let A distribute the pack according to 

 number and color, throwing to the diamond 

 and club compartments only. This requires 26 

 compartments, 1.3 of which receive the like 

 numbered red cards and 13 the like numbered 

 black cards. Let B distribute the pack to 26 

 compartments throwing to the red labels ac- 

 cording to the following plan : Throw spades 

 to hearts, and clubs to diamonds of the same 

 number; e. g., K and Q of Clubs would go to 

 K and Q of diamonds, respectively, while the 

 hearts and diamonds would be distributed to 

 their respective compartments. We say they 

 are " resident." A and B now practise for an 

 equal time under uniform conditions until they 

 can distribute the pack of 52 in about 55 sec- 

 onds. They, then, exchange work and al- 

 though the cards are stacked the same for both 

 series, A manifestly will have to learn the lo- 

 cation of 13 heart boxes and B 13 club boxes; 



this in itself is a trifle, but it is coupled with 

 the fact that the directions of the movements 

 from box to box have made for each subject 

 about 48, out of 52 possible, changes — a high 

 percentage of motor interference. A further 

 study of the consequences of the exchange of 

 work shows that 25 per cent, of the sensory 

 processes of the new work is identical with that 

 of the old, while 75 per cent, is different and 

 causes interference.^" If now the distributing 

 practise be continued until the former speed 

 is attained ample opportunity is given to 

 study the operation and fate of transferable 

 and interferable motor and sensory processes, 

 respectively. And of course material is fur- 

 nished for two " learning curves," one for the 

 first and one for the second series. Doubtless 

 several other problems solvable with this ma- 

 terial and methods will occur to the psycholo- 

 gist. In this connection it may be stated that 

 it has been demonstrated that the playing 

 cards and the case constitute a psychotech- 

 nical instrument for scientific study of certain 

 industrial operations. This has already been 

 demonstrated by their application to the psy- 

 chological problems involved in the distribu- 

 tion of mail to letter cases as done by post- 

 ofiice and railway-mail clerks. 



Picture Postcards. — The value of pictures 

 for aussage, memory and imaginative tests 

 is now generally recognized together with 

 possibilities for the study of the more intri- 

 cate problems of feelings and attitudes. The 

 technique and methods in these latter prob- 

 lems have not kept pace with those devised for 

 the study of sensations and the will. The 

 more complacent methods of introspection are 

 to no purpose in the study of feelings and emo- 

 tions since they do not come to order in the 

 laboratory nor wait for introspective analysis; 

 and the physiographic methods hitherto em- 

 ployed require considerable supplementing be- 

 fore the nature and relationships of the feel- 

 ing consciousness are fully understood. 



Some attempt has been made to use the re- 

 productions of classic paintings in the study 



10 For the basis and methods by which these 

 quantities are determined see Kline and Owens, 

 Fsych. Mev., Vol. 20, p. 224, 1913. 



