RE CORD 8 OF MEETINGS 367 



tion to learning any material would seem to be that better results are 

 secured by a few more prolonged or persistent periods of study repeated 

 perhaps for several days than shorter periods prolonged over a greater 

 number of days. 



Some observations were made on individual methods of learning 

 which can not be included here. 



Messrs. Reynolds, Gyger and Winslow. The authors said in abstract : 

 The experiment had two aims: (1) To investigate the learning process. 

 (2) To find what transfer, from the right hand to the left, if any, 

 would be shown. 



Three subjects took part in the experiment which follows. It was 

 carried on in two series: (1) That in which the subjects caught the 

 pennies, two at a toss, palm of the hand down. (2) That in which 

 they caught three. The first series was of 7 days' duration; the second, 

 10 days'. The time for tossing was from 1 p. m. to 2 p. m. on Mondays 

 and Wednesdays. Conditions were as nearly constant as possible, the 

 same room being used throughout the experiment. In the case of the 

 two-penny series, the subjects caught for 10 trials and then rested for 10. 

 In the three-penny series two subjects caught at the same time, the third 

 subject resting. In the first case, score was kept by the two unemployed 

 subjects in turn; in the second case, by the one unemployed subject. 



Certain conditions influencing accuracy were noted, among which 

 are the following: Some parts of the room were more conducive to 

 accurate catching than others, that nearest the window being the most 

 favorable. The pennies could be caught with most accuracy if no ob- 

 jects were in front of the subject to distract his attention. The tossing, 

 when carried on before a blank, light-colored wall, was most successful. 

 An increase in confidence and in accuracy resulted when a window was 

 opened to admit new air. An interruption, as that caused by another 

 person entering the room, was followed by a corresponding fall in score. 

 The subject, by counting to himself his successful tosses, was stimulated 

 to a better score. The nervous feeling of haste as well as nervousness 

 caused by outside matters of importance to the subjects (such as press- 

 ure of work) tended rather to increase than to diminish their scores. 



Each subject discovered and followed his own methods of tossing. 

 After finishing the two series, the subject who had followed the method 

 of throwing his pennies high into the air was able to catch an additional 

 penny (making four in all) with very little effort. The other subjects 

 tried this continually and failed, their hands striking the floor before 

 the fourth penny was reached. The quick shutting of the hand was an 

 important factor. One subject was materially helped by thinking of 



