MEASURING THE MIND.

Hokitika Guardian, 4 August 1925, Page 2

MEASURING THE MIND.

LONDON, May 3. An ingenious method ot meastiriic. tin- minds of children by means ol per iormaiiee tests has been introducei into the London County Council cle incut ary schools. Mental ability is gauged by tin quickness shown in solving certain pro hlcms presented pieloriully. I In* re -nits of II pcrliiriiiaiicc tests m thro: schools arc described in a report isstiei by the Medical Research Council, am these have been taken as a basis loi similar test s for children in other part of the country. One test, known as the Port-eon: maze, measures temperament as wel as mind. Eleven mates, graded pro gressively in difficulty, arc printed oi semirate sheets, and the punil is fob that they show the paths in a gartlei surrounded hv walls, lie must find hi wav out I>v the quickest route. The showing made depends on tin pupil’s ability to work under presstin and to withstand distraction by tines sentials in the material or by noises ii the room. A cube imitation test involves tin touching of B* inr numbered cubes nt : certain sequence as indicated by tin teacher, the combinations ol number! being made more and more difficult. Each test gives a eertain score am 1 1 y combining the scores the mental age of the pupil is arrived at. Singh, tests are of no value. The tests of London hoys and girlbetween the age- of 3 and 13 showed some interesting sex differences. ’lhe girls excelled in memory tests and the Ito vs in reasoning.