1896.] Psychology. 775 
effects; in 3 and 4, the influence of the imagination predominates. 
Although the imagination is an important factor in 5, this class pre- 
sents a distinct problem of its own, deeper rooted, which may lead the 
inquirer into the sphere of comparative psycholo 
A point in the investigation most difficult to ascertain, was the pro- 
portion of children susceptible to fear. The answers returned varied 
widely, probably because the distinction between the two kinds of fear 
was not usually taken into account by the observers. The most reli- 
able data seemed to indicate a general average of about 10 per cent ; 
but the proportion appeared to be at least three times greater among 
girls than among boys. The question of temperament was investigated, 
but here too the answers varied considerably, and most diverse traits 
were included in the different lists; the only generalization that 
seemed warranted was the preponderance of fear among the gentle and 
timid,—which is, after all, not a point of startling novelty. On the in- 
tellectual side, where teachers are in a position to give trustworthy 
judgments, the figures indicate a slight excess of fear among the 
brighter, and a lower proportion among the more stupid than among 
the mediocre. Prof. Binet argues, however, that this is not due to a 
direct connection, but that the tendency to fear is increased by a vivid 
imagination, which is generally associated with greater intellectual 
capacity. On the other hand, there is a close connection between fear 
and the state of the health ; and a nervous condition, whether due to a 
shock or otherwise, is fruitful soil for fear in children as in adults. 
But a further element must be reckoned with here, in the case of the 
child: for, as he grows conscious of his failing, he loses confidence in 
himself, and thereby becomes still more liable to fear. 
Aside from the concrete causes of fear already noticed, a number of 
factors are concerned in its development. Heredity plays a prominent 
part here as elsewhere. [Ill-treatment is a most effective agent in fos- 
‘tering it, and this heading may be extended to include the many in- 
‘stances of misdirected efforts to train the child which are far from 
wilful. The pedagogical value of the study, which M. Binet brings out 
in a closing section, is nowhere more marked than here. Closely 
allied to this factor is the influence of tragic stories and mysterious 
tales on the child’s imagination, a principle which even judicious parents 
‘are apt to forget. Finally, the force of example—the contagion of fear 
—is shown unmistakably by Prof. Binet’s study. The younger is in- 
fluenced by the older, the stronger by the weaker, the child by the 
teacher ; if the latter show signs of fear in any crisis, the former is 
