A Psychological Investigation of Transfer of Training with Special Reference to Manual Skill

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A P s y c h o lo g i c a l I n v e s t i g a t i o n of T r a n sfe r of T rain in g w ith S p e c i a l R eference to Manual S k i l l

Edna,. M B a lin t ,B . Sc.

T h e s is su bm itted f o r th e Degree of D octor o f P h ilo so p h y ,

May 1 s t , 1950*

ProQuest Number: 13916490

All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is d e p e n d e n t upon the quality of the copy subm itted. In the unlikely e v e n t that the a u thor did not send a c o m p le te m anuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if m aterial had to be rem oved, a n o te will ind ica te the deletion.

uest ProQuest 13916490 Published by ProQuest LLC(2019). C opyright of the Dissertation is held by the Author. All rights reserved. This work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States C o d e M icroform Edition © ProQuest LLC. ProQuest LLC. 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 4 8 1 0 6 - 1346

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Y 'b b

S

j

IWAiNiCHESTER

j

UNIVERSITY

I

UDnARV

F re f a c e . The ex p er im en ta l work d e s c r ib e d in t h i s t h e s i s was c a r r ie d out J o i n t l y w ith Mr, J.N* Langdon w it h a f i n a n ­ c i a l g ra n t from th e I n d u s t r i a l H ealth R esearch Board i n th e y ea r s 1927 to 1930,

The Appendix d e s c r i b e s an ex­

t e n s i o n o f t h i s r e s e a r c h i n which th e e x p er im en ta l work was done J o i n t l y w ith M iss P, Jlolman.

The f i n d i n g s

...

were p u b lis h e d by His M a je s ty ’ s S ta tio n e r y O f f i c e i n an I n d u s t r i a l H ea lth ResearchHBoaM Report (No. 67) i n 1933.

A p r e lim in a r y y e a r f s work i n th e e x p l o r a t i o n o f

th e f i e l d was made p o s s i b l e through th e g r a n t o f th e Lewis S c h o la r s h ip i n A p p lied P sy c h o lo g y , f o r w hich th e author w is h e s to record th a n k s, e s p e c i a l l y f o r th e gen erou s p r o v i s i o n of a t r a v e l l i n g g ran t making p os­ s i b l e a v i s i t t o I n d u s t r i a l V a c a tio n a l S e l e c t i o n L a b o r a to r ie s on th e c o n t in e n t . The d e t a i l s o f th e ex p erim en ta l work were planned and c a r r ie d ou t under th e d i r e c t i o n of P r o f e s s o r T.H. P ear, to whom th e au th or w is h e s to e x p r e s s her most g r a t e f u l thanks f o r h i s c o n tin u o u s h e lp throughout th e fo u r y e a r s' work i n h i s departm ent and f o r th e i n t e r e s t he h as so g e n e r o u s ly exten d ed to th e w r i t in g of t h i s t h e s i s .

For

h e lp i n th e s t a t i s t i c a l tr ea tm e n t of th e r e s u l t s a debt of g r a t i t u d e i s record ed to Mr. H. E. 0, James and Dr. Frank Y a tes.

C o ntents. In tro d u c tio n , The C o n c e p t o f T r a n s f e r . The S p e c i f i c P r o b l e m o f T r a n s f e r a s i t appeared in 1926. M ethod o f E x p e r i m e n t o n T r a n s f e r . E x p erim en tal P ro c e d u re I .

)l

|P ~ I

V ' i m i ) ■!! ■!

■! m . l !■■■ w

!■ ■ ■■ni l ■ —II 1 ■ —

■ H .I F .M I W I —

Mil*

A d eq u ate and C o n s ta n t M o ti v a ti o n . C o m p a r a b i l i t y o f T r a i n e d and C o n t r o l C ro u p s. Equal D i f f i c u l t y of S u ccessiv e T ra n s fe r T est W o r k in g C o n d i t i o n s . Number o f S u b j e c t s , O p eratio n . Equal A b i l i t y Croups. T ran sfer T ests. C eizeral R e s u l t s . E x p erim en tal D e ta il of T rans f e r T e s ts . in i T

-iif ii.

ii■ 11 ii

in

i

in-

i|-~-

r

n

-

ii■! II-—

r"i

i -

—

M atch I n s e r t i o n , P l a c i n g M a t c h e s i n a Box, P l a c i n g R i n g s o n a Rod. T h reading L in k s. Arm Movement. M oede’ s Im p u ls e M e ter, S tea d in e ss T est I. S tead in ess Test I I. M ental A r ith m e tic . C an cellatio n . T reatm en t of R e s u lts . S u ccessiv e T ra n sfe r. R e l i a b i l i t y of th e T ra n sfe r T ests. C o n clu sio n s. S im ultaneous T ra n s fe r. C o nclusions. T r a n s f e r of T ra in in g i n V isu a l D is c r im in a tio n . D e s c r ip tio n of A p p aratu s.

E xperim ental Procedure I I I and S c o r in g , Treatment of Re s u i t a ,

51 54

General C o n clu sio n s on T ra n sfer o f T r a in in g .

57

D i s t r i b u t i o n o f P r a c t i c e w ith S p e c ia l R eference fro frhe Phenomenon o f **O ver-train in g;”,

61

E xperim ental Procedure IV.

62

R e s u lt s . C o n c lu sio n s.

64 65

D is c u s s io n of E xperim ental C on clu sion s on Transf er of T ra in in g i n th e L ig h t of L a ter Work - 1950*

67

Appendix.

94

I n tr o d u c tio n . E xperim ental P r o c e d u r e V . D i s t r i b u t i o n of Work. R e s u lt s . C o n c lu sio n s.

95 96 96 100 101

The W orkers1 A t t it u d e t o D i f f e r e n t L engths of P r a c t i c e S p e l l on Q u a n tit a tiv e Output.

105

The E f f e c t of Length o f Work B p ell on V aria­ b i l i t y of O utput.

106

The R e la t io n s h ip between V a r i a b i l i t y and T o ta l Output.

110

The R e la t io n s h ip between F a tig u e and V a r i a b i l i t y .

11'2

B ib lio g r a p h y .

118

1.

/

I n t r o d u e t i on . The e x p e r i m e n t a l i n v e s t i g a t i o n s t o

in th is th e s is

form a p a r t o f a s e r i e s

on t h e P s y c h o l o g y o f I n d u s t r i a l S k i l l s th e M anchester L a b o ra to ry .

They a r e

o f P r o f e s s o r T.H* P e a r f s a n a l y s i s

be d e s c r i b e d of researches condu cted i n

a d i r e c t o u tc o m e

of m u scular s k i l l

f i r s t p u b l i s h e d i n " S k i l l i n W ork & P l a y " ' 1' i n 1 9 2 4 . In th e

s u b s e q u e n t t w e n t y - f i v e y e a r s much h a s h a p p e n e d

to b rin g th e eye.

s u b j e c t of m uscular s k i l l

Through th e

e

In d u stria l c ris is i t and " r e s p e c t a b i l i t y " . to

x

i

o

f

in to th e p u b lic

war and th e need o f

h as g a in ed b oth i n im portance It

is

n o t now " u n f a s h i o n a b l e "

r e g a r d " t h e p r o b l e m s o f b o d i l y work a s s e r i o u s l y

as th o se of b o d ily p la y " ,

and t h e r e

i s no l o n g e r t h e

a c c e p te d a n t i t h e s i s betw een b e in g " c l e v e r w ith th e h an d s" and " c l e v e r w ith th e h e a d " .

On t h e o t h e r h a n d

alth o u g h th e

m arriag e o f the

w ords th e is

seem in g ly " I n d is s o lu b le

1i n t r o s p e c t i o n *

a n d 1m o r b i d * " h a s c r u m b l e d i n

face o f a p e r s is te n t p sy c h o lo g ica l o ffen siv e th e re still

a p o v e rty in th e v o cab u lary a v a ila b le

d e s c rip tio n of s k il le d perform ances. ex am in atio n of re c e n t l i t e r a t u r e

Thus an

shows t h a t t h e t e n d e n c y

f o r s k i l l t o b e v ie w e d e x c l u s i v e l y from t h e

1.

P e a r T.II.

f o r th e

o u tsid e,

" S k i l l i n Work So P l a y " M e t h u e n 1 9 2 4 .

2. for it

t o be d e s c r ib e d n o t i n te rm s o f w hat " i t

lik e ",

b u t i n term s o f "lin k a g e

e ffe c to r fu n ctio n s",

feels

of r e c e p ti o n and

s t i l l p e rsists.

An e x a m p l e o f t h i s

is

s e e n i n P r o f e s s o r P.O .

B a r t l e t t ' s a r t i c l e s 011 t h e " M e a s u r e m e n t o f Human 1 . A// S k ill" p u b l i s h e d i n 19 4 8 t h e e m p h a s i s h e r e i s l a i d 011 t h e

s k i l l e d p e r f o r m e r know ing w hat t o do r a t h e r

t h a n how t o

do I t a n d i t

is

su g g ested p a r a d o x ic a lly

t h a t th e m uscular p a r t o f th e m ore e f f i c i e n t t h e

sk illed

l e s s i s know n a b o u t i t .

seem a t f a c e v a l u e t o b e a d i r e c t h y p o th e s is p u t fo rw ard a t th e P l a y " w hich t h e

o p eratio n is th e T h is w ould

contrad m ctio n to th e

e n d o f " S k i l l i n Work &

f o l l o w i n g r e s e a r c h w as p l a n n e d t o

te st.

"To s u m m a r i z e o u r a n a l y s i s , we c o n c l u d e t h a t t r a n s f e r e n c e o f a b i l i t y fro m one a c t i v i t y t o a n o t h e r may o c c u r w h en t h e y p o s s e s s common e l e m e n ts o f m a t e r i a l , c o n d i t i o n s o r m ethod, b u t t h a t t r a n s f e r e n c e i s a l l t h e more l i k e l y t o b e e f f e c t i v e w hen t h e s e common e l e m e n t s have b een a n a ly s e d o u t . I t seem s to be d o u b t f u l w h e t h e r t h e r e i s much u n c o n s c i o u s tran sferen ce" . In th e I s made t o

co n clu d in g p a r t of t h i s t h e s i s rela te

our ex p erim en tal c o n c lu sio n s to th e s e

an d o t h e r more r e c e n t f i n d i n g s , t h e i r re la tio n s h ip to

and t o p la c e them I n

r e l e v a n t w o r k i n t h e same f i e l d .

The m a i n p a r t o f t h e

e x p e rim e n ta l w ork to be

d e s c r i b e d was d e s i g n e d p r i m a r i l y t o 1*

an endeavour

f i n d out t o what

O c c u p a t i o n a l P s y c h o l o g y X X I l 1 8c 2 (1948.v 3 1 - 5 8 ,

83-91.

3.

ex ten t tr a in in g

i n one t y p e o f s i m p l e

d ex terity

is

tran sferred to

o th e r d e x t e r i t i e s w h ich a p p e a r t o

resem ble i t .

The t r a i n i n g w as a s f a r a s p o s s i b l e

r e s tric te d to re p e titiv e p ractice ,

any i n s t r u c t i o n

i n m e t h o d o r a p p e a l t o m o re g e n e r a l i s e d s e n t i m e n t s o r id e a ls being r i g i d l y e lim in a te d .

A ccording to

m ore r e c e n t t e r m i n o l o g y a m ore p r e c i s e w ould be t r a n s f e r o f of

1t r a i n i n g 1 ,

1

d escrip tio n

'p r a c t i c e 1 r a th e r th an tr a n s f e r

The more g e n e r a l t e r m t r a i n i n g i s

k e p t h o w e v e r, b e c a u s e a f u r t h e r aim o f t h i s p r e s e n t ­ atio n is

t o t r a c e t h e h i e r a r c h y o f t r a n s f e r from th e

sim ple f u n c t i o n s d e s c r ib e d h ere t o th e

more g e n e r a l

f u n c t i o n s t o w hich t h e te r m t r a n s f e r o f t r a i n i n g p m ore u s u a l l y a p p l i e d .

is

The p r e s e n t i n v e s t i g a t i o n w a s c a r r i e d o u t i n th e f i e l d

of In d u stria l train in g but i t

a t th e tim e o f p la n n in g t h a t i t s

w as r e a l i s e d

r e l e v a n c e was o f

w i d e r E d u c a t i o n a l i m p o r t and a n a t t e m p t h a s b e e n made t o

assess its

h i s t o r i c a l relev an ce

in th is

m ore g e n e r a l s e t t i n g . 1 . T h i s m o d i f i c a t i o n o f t e r m i n o l o g y was f i r s t p r o p o s e d b y C .3 .M y e rs i n h i s p a g e s on " E d u c a b i l i t y ” . Journ. S c i e n t i f i c T r a n s a c t i o n s B r i t . A s s , f o r Adv. o f S c i e n c e 1928. The i m p l i c a t i o n s o f t h i s a r e f u r t h e r d i s c u s s e d on p . 70~75 2 . A d i s c u s s i o n o f t h i s w i l l be fo u n d i n t h e ap p en d ed a r t i c l e e n t i t l e d " T r a n s f e r o f T r a i n i n g &. T r a n s f e r e n c e " .

The C o n c e p t o f T r a n s f e r . T he t h e o r y o f t a ? a n s f e r o f t r a i n i n g h a s b e e n r e c o g n is e d a s im p o rta n t to p s y c h o lo g ic a l and e d u c a ti o n a l th e o r y sin c e th e tim e of P l a t o . b elief

The G r e e k s h e l d a

i n g e n e r a l fo rm a l d i s c i p l i n e w hich im p l ie d a

w h o lesale m ental t r a n s f e r . f i e l d was assum ed t o

T ra in in g i n any p a r t i c u l a r

a f f e c t t h e w hole o f m e n ta l l i f e *

T h i s u n i t a r y v i e w o f t h e m i n d g a v e w ay i n t h e M i d d l e Ages t o t h e b e l i e f i n a num ber o f m e n t a l f a c u l t i e s , memory, r e a s o n i n g ,

atte n tio n ,

e t c . , and w ith in th e s e

f a c u l t i e s t r a n s f e r was r e g a r d e d a s p e r f e c t .

In sp ite

of a c o n s id e ra b le body o f ex p e rim en ta l evidence In d isp ro o f, th is b e lie f and i n

i n t h e p o p u l a r m in d d i e d h a r d ,

some s c h o o l s t o d a y i t

s u b j e c t s on t h e

Is

s t i l l p o ssib le to hear

c u rric u lu m b ein g d efen d ed i n term s o f a

crude f a c u l t y t r a i n i n g . The h i s t o r i c

e x p e rim e n ts o f W illia m Jam as s t r u c k

a t e l l i n g blow a t F a c u l t y P s y c h o lo g y , r e s u l t was a sw in g t o t h e

and t h e im m ediate

o th e r extrem e.

F acu ltie s

w ere th e n th o u g h t o f as b e in g s u b d iv id e d i n t o

a

c o l l e c t i o n of elem en ts each needing s p e c i f i c t r a i n i n g for i t s

d ev elo p m en t,

u n im p o rtan t.

a n d t r a n s f e r w as c o n s i d e r e d t o b e

5.

T h i s p o s i t i o n was s o o n f e l t t o b e i n o p p o s i t i o n t o common e x p e r i e n c e of

a n d w as f o l l o w e d b y t h e t h e o r y

’i d e n t i c a l e le m e n ts 1 p u t fo rw a rd by T horndike i n

1906 „

T his a s s e r t s t h a t t r a i n i n g

i n one a c t i v i t y

in f lu e n c e s a n o th e r a c t i v i t y o nly i n

so f a r a s t h e tw o

h a v e e l e m e n t s o r a s p e c t s i n common.

Thus f o r exam ple

tra in in g

i n A r i t h m e t i c m ight be s u p p o s e d t o

tra in in g

i n A l g e b r a i n so f a r as A r i t h m e t i c a l o p e r a t i o n s

a r e u s e d i n A lgebra*

In th e f i e l d

affect

of sp o rt tra in in g

i n T e n n is m ight be su p p o sed to a f f e c t t r a i n i n g In Squash i n so f a r

as b o th r e q u i r e

a s k i l l I n h an d a n d eye m ovem ents.

I t w i l l be se en t h a t t h e

a c ce p tab ility of th is

th e o r y o f i d e n t i c a l e le m e n ts depends v e r y l a r g e l y on th e In te rp re tatio n

o f th e term

1i d e n t i c a l

e l e m e n t 1.

T h o r n d i k e ’ s o r i g i n a l s t a t e m e n t was t h a t , ,ft r a i n i n g t h e m in d m eans t h e d e v e l o p m e n t o f thousands of p a r t i c u l a r independent c a p a c i t i e s , th e fo rm a tio n of c o u n tle ss p a r t i c u l a r h a b its I m p r o v e m e n t o f a n y one m e n t a l f u n c t i o n o r a c t i v i t y w i l l im prove o t h e r o n ly i n so f a r a s t h e y p o s s e s s e l e m e n t s common t o I t a l s o . The amount o f i d e n t i c a l e l e m e n t s i n d i f f e r e n t m e n ta l f u n c t i o n s and t h e amount o f g e n e r a l i n f l u e n c e f r o m s p e c i a l t r a i n i n g a r e much l e s s t h a n common o p i n i o n s u p p o s e s ” . *

1.

T h o r n d i k e , iS.L. P r i n c i p l e s p . 248.

o f T each in g ,

S e ile r,

1906.

6, I t w a s a t a p e r i o d w hen t h i s t h e o r y o f i d e n t i c a l elem en ts r e f i n e d from t h i s

o r i g i n a l s t a t e m e n t was i n

vogue t h a t t h e f o l l o w i n g e x p e r i m e n t a l w ork i n t h e fie ld

o f m a n u a l d e x t e r i t y w as p l a n n e d . It

th e

i s t y p i c a l of t h i s p e r io d i n P sy ch o lo g y t h a t

a c c e p t e d t h e o r y d e p e n d e d o n t h e b r e a k i n g down o f

a w hole i n t o

i t s p a r t s th ro u g h con scio u s in tr o s p e c tio n ,

an d t h a t i t was a u t o m a t i c a l l y assum ed t h a t

the

one

w h o l e f u n c t i o n c o u l d b e c o n s i d e r e d t o b e a sum o f i t s p arts.

S in c e th e n a number o f s e a r c h in g c r i t i c i s m s

h a v e b e e n made o f w h a t w as l a r g e l y f e l t t o b e T h o r n d i k e 1 s *a t o m i c 1 a p p r o a c h ,

and th e t h e o r y o f i d e n t i c a l ele m e n ts

has b e e n r e p l a c e d b y th e t h e o r y o f g e n e r a l i s a t i o n w hich e x p la in s t r a n s f e r e f f e c t in term s of p r i n c i p l e s i d e a s i n one s i t u a t i o n b e i n g a p p l i e d to

and

o th er s itu a tio n s .

T he i m p l i c a t i o n s

o f t h i s t h e o r e t i c a l developm ent a r e 9 d iscu ssed in a l a t e r s e c t i o n . ^ At t h i s tim e t h e

G e s t a l t P s y c h o l o g i s t s w ere

w orking m o stly i n th e p e r c e p tu a l f i e l d as y et very l i t t l e

o v e rla p betw een th e P sy ch o lo g y o f

c o n s c i o u s m e n t a l p r o c e s s e s an d t h e o f th e U n co n scio u s,

2.

p.

81 f f .

an d t h e r e w as

dynam ic P s y c h o lo g y

B o th w ere d e v e l o p i n g s i m u l t a n e o u s l y

7* alon g p a r a l l e l

lin es

e a c h b u i l d i n g up i t s

in dependent t h e o r e t i c a l s t r u c t u r e . to be able t o

show how i n f a c t t h e

It

show how t h i s

ap p lied f ie ld s

lin k ag e

is

is

hoped

la te r th e o rie s

o f t r a n s f e r p ro v id e a lin k betw een th e s e sch o o ls to

own

d iffe re n t

re le v a n t in th e

o f s o c i a l and e d u c a t i o n / p s y c h o l o g y ^ .

The S p e c i f i c P r o b le m o f T r a n s f e r o f D r a i n i n g a s i t appeared in 1926. (The t e r m t r a n s f e r o f t r a i n i n g

i s u s e d synonom ously

w ith such o th e r te rm s as fo rm a l t r a i n i n g , m e n tal d i s c i p l i n e , and g e n e r a l t r a i n i n g . same p r o b l e m , b r i e f l y ,

A ll r e f e r to th e

how d o e s t h e t r a i n i n g

o f one

m en tal f u n c t i o n e f f e c t th e e f f i c i e n c y o f o t h e r m ental fu n ctio n s?

Is tra in in g

o th er branches,

an d i f

i n one b r a n c h c a r r i e d o v e r t o

s o , to what e x t e n t?

W hat i s

t h e m e c h a n i s m o f s u c h t r a n s f e r a n d how d o e s i t t a k e p lace? These q u e s t i o n s u n d e r l i e problem s o f a l l t r a i n i n g . it

th e m ost fu n d a m e n ta l

In th e e d u c atio n al f i e l d

i s to th e b e l ie f in t r a n s f e r of tr a in i n g th a t th e

d e f e n d e r s a p p e a l w hen c l a s s i c a l e d u c a t i o n i s a t t a c k e d . The d e f e n c e

is th at

t h o u g h a k n o w l e d g e o f L a t i n may b e

o f no o b v i o u s u t i l i t y , th e

m in d i s

f i t t e r to

1 . P.

y e t i n a c q u i r i n g t h i s know ledge

su b je cte d to a d is c ip lin e

d e a l w ith o th e r p ro b lem s.

8l ff.

w hich r e n d e r s i t S im ila r ly th e

8.

dem and f o r a p u r e l y \ o c a t i o n a l e d u c a t i o n w o u l d l o s e much o f i t s any g r e a t

force

i f th e

occurrence of t r a n s f e r to

e x t e n t were p r o v e d .

I n t h e i n d u s t r i a l f i e l d , tho u g h t h e

im portance

o f th e p roblem o f t r a n s f e r i s o f t e n n o t t o th e h ig h e r m en tal p ro c e s s e s , th e

it

is

o f t e n m et w i t h i n

sp h e re o f m uscular c o - o r d i n a t i o n .

o p erativ e

great in

W ill an

s k i l l e d i n one o p e r a t i o n i n v o l v i n g m anual

d e x t e r i t y , b e more l i k e l y b e c a u s e o f t h i s t o a c q u i r e sk ill

q u i c k l y i n a n o th e r d i f f e r e n t manual d e x t e r i t y ?

The p r o b le m i s 9 c a n m u s c u la r s k i l l be t r a n s f e r r e d fro m one o p e r a t i o n t o

o th e rs.

The t e r m s k i l l i s

u s e d t o m ean a n i n t e r g r a t i o n o f w e l l a d j u s t e d m u s c u l a r perform ances.

The t e r m s k i l l i s a p p l i e d t o t h e h i g h e r

more c o m p l e x i n t e g r a t i o n s o f p e r f o r m a n c e a n d t h e t e r m d e x te r ity to th e I n 1926 t h e

sim p ler p a tte r n s of s p e c if ic h a b its . s i t u a t i o n w as a c o n f u s i n g o n e ,

E x p e r i m e n t a l w ork i n t h e

e d u c a t i o n a l f i e l d h a d show n

c o n f lic tin g evidence of th e occurrence of t r a n s f e r , evidence 1,

of i t

i

o ccu rrin g to

or

so s l i g h t a n e x t e n t a s t o

S e e 1 9 5 8 P .M . E a r l e In a r e p o r t to th e N a tio n a l I n s t i t u t e o f I n d u s t r i a l P s y c h o l o g y , o n "The M e a s u r e m e n t o f M a n u a l D e x t e r i t i e s * * u s e s ! d e x t e r i t y 1 t o m ean ’P r e c i s i o n i n t h e c o n t r o l o f a m o v e m e n t , o r s p e e d i n t h e r e p e t i t i o n o f a movement, o r b o t h i n c o m b i n a t i o n , 1 m anual d e x t e r i t y m eaning ’ d e x t e r i t y i n t h e u s e o f t h e f i n g e r s , hand & a r m 9 e i t h e r s e p a r a t e l y o r i n c o m b in a t io n R eport N o,4 . N at. I n s t , I n d u s t. P sy ch s.

9. be p r a c t i c a l l y u n im p o rta n t. survey of a l l f i e l d s

of th is a

of p o p u lar o p in io n and b eh av io u r

showed a w i d e s p r e a d f a i t h b eliev ed th a t

In s p ite

in tr a n s f e r .

s k i l l and a b i l i t y

I t w as w i d e l y

i n one o c c u p a ti o n

m ight be r e a d i l y p a s s e d ov er to o th e r k in d r e d o c c u p a t i o n s 9 a n d i n many i n s t a n c e s e v e n t o of q u ite

occu p atio n s

a d if fe re n t n atu re.

Up t o

t h i s t i m e no w o r k h a d b e e n p u b l i s h e d u p o n

tr a n s f e r in p u re ly in d u s tr ia l o p eratio n s.

Work h a d

b e e n d o n e o n g e n e r a l t r a n s f e r o f m em ory, o n c r o s s ­ e d u c a t i o n 1 b e t w e e n t h e r i g h t a n d l e f t h a n d , a n d on p th e e f f e c t of s e n so ri-m o to r le a rn in g ' In v a rio u s fie ld s,

b u t n o t on t h e p u r e l y m u s c u la r o p e r a t i o n s

i n v o l v e d i n m o st i n d u s t r i a l r e p e t i t i v e fact,

com bined w i t h t h e

w ork.

T his

ap p aren tly p arad o x ical s itu a tio n

o f t h e t r a n s f e r p ro b le m gave r i s e

to th e fo llo w in g

i n v e s t i g a t i o n on t r a n s f e r i n m anual d e x t e r i t y i n in d u s tr ia l o p eratio n s.

1.

^ C ro s s -e d u c a tio n ” i s th e term used to r e f e r t o th e s p e c i a l t r a n s f e r o f s k i l l fro m one s i d e o f t h e b o d y t o a s y m m e tr ic a l p a r t on t h e o t h e r s i d e , e . g . T r a i n i n g t h e l e f t h a n d t o g r i p m o re s t r o n g l y l e a d s t o an i n c r e a s e i n t h e s t r e n g t h o f g r i p o f t h e r i g h t hand.

2.

T he t e r m n s e n s o r i - m o t o r l e a r n i n g ” i s u s e d h e r e t o d e s c rib e such o p e ra tio n s as ty p e w r itin g , c a rd s o r t i n g , a n d maze l e a r n i n g .

10,

M ethod o f E x p e r i m e n t s on T r a n s f e r * T h e o r i g i n a l form, o f e x p e r i m e n t s o n t r a n s f e r

of

t r a i n i n g w as t h a t u s e d b y P r o f e s s o r W i l l i a m J a m e s i n 1890 *

T he s u b j e c t w as g i v e n a t e s t

o p eratio n * o p eratio n , At t h e te st

in a chosen

T h is was f o llo w e d b y t r a i n i n g s im ila r b u t not id e n tic a l to

i n a second

th e f ir s t*

e n d o f t h i s t r a i n i n g he was g i v e n a f u r t h e r

in th e f i r s t

o p eration*

p erfo rm an ce betw een th e f i r s t

The d i f f e r e n c e

in

an d l a s t t e s t w as t h e

m easu rem en t o f t h e t r a n s f e r o f im provem ent from t h e i n t erm.e d i a t e

tra in in g *

The e s s e n t i a l f o r m o f t h i s (b) t r a i n i n g

e x p e r i m e n t ( a ) te s * £ ,

in sim ila r but not id e n tic a l m aterial,

and ( c ) f u r t h e r t e s t ,

had form ed t h e b a s i s

f u r t h e r e x p e r i m e n t a l w o r k up t o how ever, h as b een c r i t i c i s e d

1926*

of a ll

Much o f t h i s ,

and th e e x p e r i m e n t a l

te c h n iq u e h a s s in c e b een p e r f e c t e d and e la b o ra te d * T he m o s t i m p o r t a n t o f t h e s e o rig in s,

a r e d e s c r i b e d below*

c r i t i c i s m s and t h e i r The p r e s e n t i n v e s t i ­

g a t i o n on t r a n s f e r i n m anual d e x t e r i t y was p l a n n e d

1*

W illia m Jam es — P r i n c i p l e s

o f P s y c h o lo g y % IV,

1911.

w i t h c o n t i n u a l r e f e r e n c e t o th em and was c a r r i e d out w ith s p e c ia l a t t e n t i o n to J.E .

Coover

1

ex p erim en tal

d e ta il.

i n a sum m ary o f e i g h t e e n i n v e s t i ­

g a t i o n s on t r a n s f e r i n v e r y v a r y i n g f i e l d s , out t h a t few o f t h e s e w ith enough p e r s o n s t o treatm en t. th irty

For th is

su b jects is

g en e ra lisa tio n s or th ree

m

p o in ts

i n v e s t i g a t i o n s h a v e b e e n made allow of any s t a t i s t i c a l t o be p o s s i b l e ,

req u ired .

a minimum o f

No c o n c l u s i v e

c a n b e made f r o m g r o u p s o f o n l y tw o

su b jects,

E x a m i n i n g p r e v i o u s w o r k on t r a n s f e r o f t r a i n i n g 2 m e m ory, D r, W.G. S l e i g h t p o i n t e d o u t t h e a b s e n c e

of " c o n tro 1- s u b je c ts " to d eterm in e th e p r a c t i c e of th e t e s t s th e f i r s t

th em selv es,

and t h e

la c k of evidence t h a t

and s e c o n d " t r a n s f e r - t e s t s "

d ifficu lty .

effect

He made a n e x t e n s i v e

w ere o f e q u a l

in v e s tig a tio n in

w h i c h h e u s e d a c o n t r o l g r o u p o f s u b j e c t s who w e r e g i v e n th e f i r s t

and l a s t t r a n s f e r t e s t s ,

any i n t e r m e d i a t e t r a i n i n g . ment i n t h e effect te st

By t h i s

but d id not rece iv e means an y im p ro v e ­

s e c o n d t r a n s f e r t e s t due t o t h e p r a c t i c e

c a r r i e d o v e r from th e f i r s t p e r f o rm a n c e o f t h i s

can be d i s t i n g u i s h e d from any e f f e c t o f t r a n s f e r

from, t h e

in term ed iate tr a in in g ,

fo r in stan ce,

i f th e

t r a i n e d a n d c o n t r o l g r o u p o f s u b j e c t s b o t h show t h e

same

1 , """Formal D i s c i p l i n e frorii t h e s t a n d p o i n t o f I S x p e r i m e n t a l P s y c h o l o g y " . P s y c h o l o g i c a l M o n o g r a p h s XX. N o . 5 , 2.

"Memory"& F o r m a l T r a i n i n g " , ( 1 9 1 1 .) I X . 4 , p p . 5 8 6 - 4 8 7 *

B r i t , J o u r n .o f P sy ch olog y . -----

12 . im provem ent from t h e th is

im provem ent i s

f i r s t to th e

second t r a n s f e r t e s t ,

o b v i o u s l y n o t due t o

t r a in i n g b u t to th e p r a c tic e

th e in te rm e d ia te

o b tain ed in th e

f i r s t te st*

I f ? h o w e v e r, t h e t r a i n e d g ro u p shows a g r e a t e r th an th e

c o n tro l group, t h i s

th e in term ed iate is

tra in in g .

im p rovem en t

may b e t r e a t e d a s a r e s u l t 1'h e e x t e n t

o f th e d iffe re n c e

a m e asu re o f t h e amount o f t r a n s f e r w h ich h a s o c c u r r e d . One o f t h e

e s s e n ti a l p o in ts in th e use o f a c o n tro l

group o f s u b j e c t s i s

th a t

same s t a n d a r d i n t h e

chosen o p e ra tio n s as th e tra in e d ,

group. th e

of

If th is

rela tio n sh ip

as a group t h e y s h o u ld be o f th e

is not so,

it is

d i f f i c u l t to

assess

b e t w e e n t h e i m p r o v e m e n t s o f t h e tw o

g r o u p s , w h e r e a s i f t h e y b e g i n a s tfe q u a l - a b i l i t y M g r o u p s , any d iffe re n c e

i n t h e i r f i n a l perform ance i s

ea sily

m easured. It

has been urged t h a t

m a t e r i a l and c o n d i t i o n s a re

i n many l a b o r a t o r y e x p e r i m e n t s a rtific ia l,

and s u b j e c t s

w o u l d u s u a l l y t a k e o n l y a p a s s i n g i n t e r e s t im t h e i r perform ance. T h o m d ik e

To m e e t t h e s e

o b j e c t i o n s P r o f e s s o r D .L .

c o n d u c te d an e l a b o r a t e

i n w hich o v e r e i g h t th o u sa n d

sta tistic a l

exam ination^,

s c h o o l - c h i l d r e n w ere t h e

su b jects * l .®1 M e n t a l D i s c i p l i n e i n H i g h S c h o o l S t u d i e s . ,f of i d . P sy ch o lo g y . V ol. 15. 1 9 24.

Journal

T h e Mt r a n s f e r - t e s t s " , i . e . , presence

of tra n sfe r,

te sts

to

d e te c t the

aim ed a t m e a su rin g t h e a b i l i t i e s

em p lo y ed i n l a n g u a g e and m a th e m a tic s *

The t r a i n i n g

w as t h e n o r m a l s c h o o l w o r k o f t h e c h i l d r e n e x t e n d i n g o v e r a p e r i o d o f on e y e a r , of te s ts

a f t e r w hich a se co n d s e r i e s

sim ila r to th e f i r s t

req u irem en ts as to

s e r i e s w as m a d e.

The

c o n t r o l s u b j e c t s w e r e met b y

s e l e c t i n g g r o u p s who h a d f o l l o w e d a c o u r s e o f s t u d y id en tic al

s a v e i n on e r e s p e c t *

F o r exam ple,

a group

w h ic h h a d s t u d i e d s u b j e c t s A .B .C .D . w ere com pared w i t h a gro u p w hich h a d s t u d i e d s u b j e c t s A .B .C .E .

O ther

t h i n g s b e i n g e q u a l , t h e d i f f e r e n c e b e t w e e n ,ft r a n s f e r te s ts '* g iv e n b e f o r e and a f t e r th e y e a r ’ s t r a i n i n g rep rese n ts th e d iffe re n ce in e ffe c t

of tra in in g in

s u b j e c t s D* a n d E . The r e s u l t s w e r e

s ta tis tic a lly tre a te d ,

marks

b e i n g s t a n d a r d i z e d s o a s t o be o f e q u a l v a l u e a t a l l p o in ts of th e

scale.

The a v e r a g e g a i n i n s t a n d a r d i z e d

m arks o f t h e

s e c o n d o v e r t h e f i r s t t r a n s f e r t e s t was

2 3 , o f w hich

it

sp ecial p ra c tic e th e e f f e c t

is

estim ated th a t

in th e t e s t s ,

12 were

due t o

t h e r e m a i n i n g 11 b e i n g

o f th e y e a r ’ s sch o o lin g *

S in ce th e g a in

due m e r e l y t o t h e p r a c t i c e o b t a i n e d i n t h e f i r s t t r a n s f e r was s l i g h t l y g r e a t e r t h a n t h a t y e a r 's

school tr a in in g ,

th e

be s a i d t o be v e r y g r e a t .

due t o th e

e f f e c t of t r a n s f e r cannot

14. P r o f e s s o r T . H . Pear'*' h a s p o i n t e d o u t t h a t th e usiial p ro ced u re th e r e m o tiv atio n is te sts,

is

in

no e v i d e n c e t h a t

c o n s ta n t in each of th e

tra n sfe r

T h e r e i s u s u a l l y no a s s u r a n c e , b e y o n d t h e

goodw ill o f th e s u b je c t, in c e n tiv e to an d i n t h e

t h a t he h a s t h e same

s a t i s f a c t o i y perform ance in th e f i r s t

fin a l tra n s fe r te st*

M o r e o v e r , i n m an y

in v e s tig a tio n s th e tr a in in g has not been in te n s iv e , c o n s i s t i n g m erely o f a b r i e f

d aily p ra c tic e

co n tin u in g f o r v ario u s len g th s of tim e . One o f t h e c h i e f f a c t o r s t o b e c o n s i d e r e d i n any s tu d y o f r a t e th e a t titu d e It

is

o f im provem ent i n an o p e r a t i o n i s

of th e

s u b je c t tow ards t h a t o p e r a tio n .

common e x p e r i e n c e t h a t one l e a r n s t o

t h i n g more q u i c k l y when t h e r e i s fo r learn in g . w ork t h a t

Yet i t

su b je c ts are

in order th a t th e

some s t r o n g m o t i v e

f re q u e n tly happens in la b o ra to ry asked to p erfo rm a g iv en t a s k

s p e e d and q u a l i t y o f t h e p e rfo rm a n c e

may b e o b s e r v e d w i t h n o g r e a t e r i n c e n t i v e th a n th e w ish t o p le a s e th e e x p e rim e n te r. itse lf

do a new

i s u s u a l l y o f no i n t r i n s i c

su p p lied The t a s k

i n t e r e s t , n o t even

having v alu e as a "jo b done", as o f te n th e

ac tu al

p e r f o rm a n c e h a s t o be undone i n p r e p a r a t i o n f o r t h e next s u b je c t to

do i t

ag ain .

Such c o n d itio n s

1. u R e c e n t s t u d i e s o f S k i l l e d P e rfo rm a n c e s w ith R eference to T ra n s fe r o f T r a in in g . 0 N a tu re .

June 1 8 , 192 7.

15.

a r e i n n o w ay c o n s t a n t f o r a l l a n y one s u b j e c t a t a l l t i m e s . in cen tiv e

is

re q u ire d to

su b je cts,

o r even f o r

Some c o n t r o l l e d

ensure, not th a t a l l

su b jects

a re w orking e q u a lly h a rd , b u t t h a t a l l s u b j e c t s

are

w o r k i n g c o n s i s t e n t l y h a r d r o u n d a b o u t t h e i r own p a r t i c u l a r norm .

T h e r e a r e no c r i t e r i a o n w h i c h t o

c o m p a r e a m o u n t o f human e n d e a v o u r *

If,

f o r exam ple,

we c o m p a r e s p e e d o r q u a l i t y o f w o r k , t h e s e a r e by th e

a b ility

of h is

e ffo rt.

of th e

affected

s u b j e c t as w e ll a s b y t h e

But i f

stren g th

some m e t h o d o f a s y s t e m a t i c

c o n t r o l o f i n c e n t i v e be a d o p t e d w h i c h i n d u c e s e a c h s u b j e c t t o w o r k c o n s i s t e n t l y a t h i s own maximum, t h e n , o t h e r c o n d i t i o n s b e i n g c o n s t a n t , we h a v e a b a s i s f o r c o m p a riso n o f t h e i r r e s p e c t i v e r a t e s o f im provem ent. Mr. H . E . O . J a m e s

1

c o n t r a d ic to r y evidence

has p o in te d out t h a t th is may b e a r e s u l t

s i m p l i f i c a t i o n o f th e p roblem . o f e x p e r i m e n t a l m ethod t h e

of th e

O w ing t o t h e

ex isten ce

v ario u s a b i l i t i e s

lim ita tio n s

of n o n -ex isten ce

t r a n s f e r has been d eterm in ed o n ly by t h e of e f f i c i e n c y in t h e

over­

of

m easurem ent

te sted .

F u rth er

su ch m easurem ents have o f t e n c o n s i s t e d o n ly of a b r i e f q u an tita tiv e te s t p o ssib le

q u a lita tiv e

co n stitu e n ts I.

and have n o t t a k e n i n t o changes in th e n a tu re

of th e a b ility .

account any of th e

E x p e r i m e n t a l m ethod m ust

P a p e r t o B r i t i s h A s s o c i a t i o n . S o u t h A f r i c a . 1929* " T h e T r a n s f e r o f T r a i n i n g " B r i t i s h J o u r n a l of P sy ch o lo g y . V o l . XX. 4 .

16# b e e v o l v e d i n more d e t a i l i n o r d e r t h a t t r a n s f e r w hich does n o t im m e d ia te ly m a n if e s t i t s e l f

in

e f f i c i e n c y - c h a n g e s may y e t b e d e t e c t e d I n p o s s i b l e q u alita tiv e

changes.

obscure q u a l i t a t i v e

It

se em s p o s s i b l e t h a t

such

c h a n g e s may r e s u l t

In d efin ite l e f f i c i e n c y g a i n s a n d l o s s e s a t some l a t e r p e r i o d .

E x p erim en tal P ro c e d u re. T h e f o l l o w i n g e x p e r i m e n t a l p r o c e d u r e w as p l a n n e d as f a r a s p o s s i b l e t o meet t h e m entioned ab o v e.

c ritic ism s

The f o l l o w i n g p r e c a u t i o n s w ere

tak en . A dequate & C o n s ta n t M o t i v a t i o n * I n th e s e exp erim en ts a stro n g p e c u n ia ry in c e n tiv e w as a d o p t e d ; sum a s

th e

l o n g a s t h e i r w o r k w as s a t i s f a c t o r y ,

a d d itio n to t h i s , on t h e i r day th e

s u b j e c t s w e r e p a i d a minimum w e e k l y and, i n

a d a i l y b o n u s w hen t h e i r i m p r o v e m e n t

own p r e v i o u s

sco re m erited i t .

On t h e f i r s t

s u b j e c t s w ere u rg e d to w ork t h e i r h a r d e s t by

being p a id In o rd e r o f t h e i r su ccess.

A fter th is

th e y

w e r e t o l d t h a t t h e y w o u l d i n f u t u r e b e p a i d 011 t h e i r 1#

T he t e r m T r a n s f e r o f I m p r o v a b i l i t y i s now u s e d t o d e s c rib e such a q u a l i t a t i v e change. Gox J .W . " M a n u a l S k i l l ” C a m b r i d g e U n i v . P r e s s 1934# p # 1 6 2 *

17, own i m p r o v e m e n t * d elib erate

T his e lim in a te d any danger of

re d u c tio n of i n i t i a l

o u tp u t w ith th e

i d e a t h a t i t w ould t h u s be e a s i e r t o b e a t o n e fs own s c o r e i n d a y s t o

com e.

The s u b o a c t s w e r e a l l b o y s b e t w e e n t h e

ages

o f 1 5 a n d 18 w h o s e s e r v i c e s w e r e o b t a i n e d t h r o u g h th e

agency of t h e M an ch ester J u v e n ile

E m p lo y m e n t

B ureau.

T h e y w e r e p a i d a minimum w a g e o f 1 2 / -

p e r week,

and i n a d d i t i o n r e c e i v e d a d a i l y bonus

d e p e n d in g e n t i r e l y on t h e d e g re e o f im provem ent e f f e c t e d d a y b y day* good w orker to sh illin g s

I t w as t h u s p o s s i b l e f o r a

e a r n o n a n a v e r a g e tw o t o t h r e e

in a d d i tio n ea ch day.

By t h i s

1 a d e q u a t e i n c e n t i v e w as a s s u r e d . ' w hich t r a n s f e r t e s t s w ere g iv e n , t h e b o n u s w a s made u p o n t h e b a s i s th ese.

On t h e

m e ans a n d a y s on

su b je cts*

o f im provem ent i n

T h u s t h e r e w a s t h e sam e i n c e n t i v e

as i n

t r a i n i n g a n d t h e m o t i v a t i o n was c o n s t a n t f r o m t e s t to

te st.

S in ce th e p e r s o n a l in f lu e n c e

of th e

e x p e r i m e n t e r i n t e s t i n g c a n seld o m be e l i m i n a t e d e a ch s u b j e c t w orked u n d e r th e each of th e th r e e

2

same e x p e r i m e n t e r f o r

su ccessiv e t r a n s f e r t e s t s .

1.

T h e v a l u e o f money w as v e r y much h i g h e r i n 1 9 2 6 .

2.

I . B u r n e t t & T .M . P e a r * " M o t i v e s i n A c q u i r i n g S k i l l • M B r i t . J o u r , P s y . 1925.

18, T h i s m e t h o d of’ p a y i n g s u b j e c t s o n t h e i r own im provem ent h as t h e s p e c i a l a d v a n ta g e c o m p e t i t i v e paym ent* t h a t g iven th e th a t th e

a ll

su b je cts

over any are th e n

same c h a n c e o f e a r n i n g a g o o d b o n u s , a n d in c en tiv e

co n stan t.

as p o s s i b l e k e p t

C o m p e ti tio n seems t o b e o f l i t t l e

as an i n c e n t i v e m ately th e

is th u s as f a r

value

e x c e p t w hen s u b j e c t s h a v e a p p r o x i ­

same a b i l i t y .

w ith our s u b je c ts ,

T h is was c e r t a i n l y t r u e

J o n e s w i t h 300 w o u l d c o m p e t e

r e a d i l y w i t h S m i t h w h o s e s c o r e w as 385? b u t w o u l d e n t i r e l y ig n o re e v e n when t h i s in tro d u c e d , in c e n tiv e . h is

J o h n s o n , who h a d r e a c h e d 350* com p etitiv e

And

e l e m e n t was v o l u n t a r i l y

i t was a lw a y s s u b s i d i a r y t o t h e p e c u n i a r y S m i t h was much more i n t e r e s t e d

in b eatin g

own s c o r e o f 3 0 5 &nd t h u s e a r n i n g ' a g o o d b o n u s

t h a n o f r e m a in in g above Jo n e s w ith h i s

300,

The

money t o b e e a r n e d w as i n e v e r y c a s e o f p r i m a r y in te re st.

O n ly t h e p e c u n i a r y i n c e n t i v e was s t r e s s e d .

The s u b j e c t s w e r e t o l d t o w o r k h a r d b e c a u s e d i d t h e y w ould e a r n m ore. c l e a r ly u n d ersto o d to

i f th ey

T h e i r p a y m e n t w as a l w a y s

be i n d i r e c t p r o p o r t i o n t o

th e ir

e f f o r u. , 1

1,

T h is s t r e s s i n g o f t h e p e c u n i a r y i n c e n t i v e m ight a p p e a r naw ^in 1950 n o t t o be i n l i n e w i t h th e c u rre n t a t t i t u d e to In c e n tiv e s in In d u s try , fo r a f u l l d i s c u s s i o n o f t h i s see C .A ,M a c e 's a d d r e s s on " S a t i s f a c t i o n i n W o r k " , O c c u p a t i o n a l P s y c h o l o g y X X I I , X? (194 -8 ^) a n d l a t e r d i s c u s s i o n s o n i t i n t h e sa me j o u r n a l .

19* The i m p o r t a n c e a n d s u c c e s s o f t h i s m e t h o d o f p a y m e n t w as a p p a r e n t from, t h e s c r a p s o f c o n v e r s a t i o n heard d u rin g r e s t p a u s e s . on t h e

v ario u s s c o re s ,

T here w ere h e a te d argum ents

t h e r e w ere lo u d d i s c u s s i o n s on

a d v a n ta g e s and d i s a d v a n t a g e s o f d e t a i l s t h e r e w e r e many p r e d i c t i o n s i n t h e week.

i n m ethod,

o f how much w o u l d h e e a r n e d

The w h o l e a t m o s p h e r e w a s on e o f k e e n n e s s

and i n t e r e s t i n s p i t e

of th e

extrem e d u l l n e s s o f t h e

w ork b e i n g d o n e. It

is

o f i n t e r e s t h e r e t o coiipare o u r r e s u l t s

w ith th o s e

o b ta in e d by P r o f e s s o r J.C . B lu g el in h is 1 w ork on s c h o o l c h i l d r e n d o i n g m e n t a l a d d i t i o n . He a d o p t e d a s i m i l a r m ethod o f b o n u s p ay m en t com bined w ith th e

draw ing o f p r o g r e s s g r a p h s .

In a d escrip tio n

o f t h e e f f e c t o f t h e s e he s a y s ; - "T h e c o m b i n e d e f f e c t of th e

v a r i o u s I n c e n t i v e s seems t o

s u c c e s s f u l i n p ro d u c in g a genuine

have been very en th u siasm f o r th e

w ork an d a c o n t i n u o u s c o n c e n t r a t i o n u p o n t h e

- In I t s e l f

somewhat d u l l and m e c h a n i c a l t a s k , t h r o u g h o u t t h e w hole 46 days d u r in g w hich t h e e x p e rim e n t l a s t e d , "

1.

" P r a c t i c e , P a t i g u e and O s c i l l a t i o n " , S upplem ents X I I I , 1 1 .

B r i t . J .Psycho1

20®

C o m p a r a b ility o f T r a in e d and C o n tro l G roups® S u b j e c t s f o r c o n t r o l and t r a i n e d , g ro u p s w ere c h o sen from t h e

same a g e a n d c l a s s o f b o y a t t h e

J u v e n i l e U n e m p l o y m e n t Bureau® was p a i d on t h e

The c o n t r o l g r o u p

sa me s y s t e m a s t h e t r a i n e d group®

T h e i n d i v i d u a l a m o u n t s e a r n e d on t h e th e f i r s t

o c c a sio n of

g i v i n g o f t h e t e s t s were b a s e d up o n t h e

perform ance

of in d iv id u a l s u b je c ts ,

second o c c a s io n s ,

a n d o n t h e two

on im p ro v em en t on t h e p r e v i o u s

perform ance i n each o f th e tests® le g itim a te to

assum e t h a t

Thus i t

seem s

i n b o th t r a i n e d and c o n t r o l

g ro u p s t h e f i n a n c i a l i n c e n t i v e was i d e n t i c a l ® "i

B if f io n I t y o f S u c c e s s iv e T r a n s f e r T ests* ^^^•‘T T frV

The t e s t s b eg in n in g ,

— . 'ffrart ■ ■‘iwy r n

nn—ti

g i v e n on t h e t h r e e

in th e

m iddle,

t r a i n i n g w ere i d e n t i c a l *

..........

■ !* ■ n u m i in f T im

o c c a sio n s a t the

and a t th e

end o f th e

N atu rally th e re

t r a i n i n g e f f e c t due t o p r a c t i c e but th is

pi< »'■!■*■ '

in th e t e s t

is

a

itse lf,

c a n b e a s s u m e d t o b e t h e same f o r b o t h

c o n t r o l a n d t r a i n e d gx*oups, and i s a s s e s s e d b y com parison

o f t h e i r r e s p e c t i v e perform ances®

W orking C o n d i t i o n s * The s u b j e c t s w e r e i n t e n s i v e l y t r a i n e d f o r a f o r t n i g h t w i t h t h e o m i s s i o n o f d a y s o n w h i c h ’’t r a n s f e r t e s t s * ’ w ere given®

They w ere a l l

exposed fo r th re e

21*

h o u r s , b o t h m orning an d a f t e r n o o n , t o

th e

la b o ra to ry

c o n d itio n s and d is c ip lin e ® Number o f S u b j e c t s . The t r a i n e d g r o u p c o n t a i n e d 3 2 , group 28 s u b j e c t s . resu lts

and t h e

S t a t i s t i c a l treatm en t

co n tro l

of th e

i s t h e r e f o r e p ossible®

O p e r a t i o n *1 The o p e r a t i o n c h o s e n f o r t h e of th e

su b je cts is

in te n siv e

train in g

a m o d i f i c a t i o n o f on e . u s e d i n t h e

d rrv in g -ch ain in d u stry .

2

I n an i n v e s t i g a t i o n

c a r r i e d o u t i n a n o t h e r c o n n e x i o n b y Mr. 3® W y a t t , was d i s c o v e r e d t h a t t h i s p ractice

it

o p e ra tio n g iv es a r e lia b le

c u r v e *0

W hile w o rk in g t h e o f a table®

ns u b j e c t ”' i s

se ate d

in front

T h is su p p o rts a c i r c u l a r t u r n - t a b l e

w hich c a r r i e s p a i r s

of s p in d le s

on w h i c h l i n k s

are

1,

The d i f f i c u l t y o f s e l e c t i n g a n o p e r a t i o n w h i c h g i v e s a r e g u l a r r a t e o f i m p r o v e m e n t i s m o re d i f f i c u l t t h a t i t m ight a p p e a r , f o r f u r t h e r d i s c u s s i o n o f t h i s s e e A ppendix I . B efore th e i n v e s t i g a t i o n w as b e g u n a t h o r o u g h s e a r c h o f t h e c u r r e n t l i t e r a t u r e w a s made f o r ' t e s t s o f s k i l l .

2,

T he e x p e r i m e n t e r s t h a n k M e s s r s . H a n s R e n o l d L t d . , o f M a n c h e s t e r , who k i n d l y s u p p l i e d , on s e v e r a l o c c a s i o n s , a la r g e q u a n t i t y o f lin k s f o r use w ith th e ap paratus*

3*

"M achine S p e e d s and O u t p u t " . J . N a t . I n s t . I n d . P s y c h o l . (1 9 2 7 ) 8. We a r e i n d e b t e d t o h i m f o r t h e l a b o r a t o r y a d a p ta tio n of th e ap p aratu s*

22. p laced .

(Bee F i g . l . )

before th e s u b je c t, d ro p p in g th e to p

As e a c h p a i r c o m e s i n t o p o s i t i o n

he r e m o v e s i t

link: i n t o

from t h e t u r n - t a b l e ,

a box a t h i s r i g h t hand.

A t t h e same t i m e he t a k e s a n o t h e r l i n k f r o m a b o x a t h is

l e f t hand, p la c e s i t

in se rts

on t h e

in th e tu rn -ta b le *

s p i n d l e , w h ic h he r e ­

He t h e n r o t a t e s t h e t a b l e

in order to b rin g th e next sp in d le in to p o s itio n fo r th is

o p e ra tio n to be re p e a te d .

B

F ig .

I.

D ia g r a m o f A p p a r a t u s .

A . - L i n k an d s p i n d l e . B .- V eeder c o u n te r, C.~ S p i k e e n g a g i n g arm o f c o n n t e r .

nr?

25.

n

24 . The s c o r e 3 r e c o r d e d a u t o m a t i c a l l y b y a F e e d e r co u n ter o p erated by th e r o ta tio n of th e tu r n - ta b le , i s th e number o f l i n k s d e a l t w ith i n a p e r io d m inutes*

w ork.

A p e r i o d o f t e n m inutes*

rest

a l t e r n a t e d w ith e a c h p e r i o d o f t e n m inutes* and t h e

s u b j e c t s w orked f o r e i g h t

m o rn in g and a f t e r n o o n , p ractice

curve i s

and a f t e r n o o n , t h e

and d e t a i l e d

show ing f o r b o th m orning

av e ra g e number o f l i n k s

d u r in g e a ch t e n m inutes* p e r i o d .

( F i g # 2 .)

it

i s e v i d e n t from t h i s t h a t th e f u l l

is

not yet a tta in e d ,

th a n 50 p e r

w ork,

such p e r io d s , b o th

A ty p ic al

appended,

of te n

d e a lt w ith A lthough

e ffe c t of p ractice

i m p r o v e m e n t i n g e n e r a l w a s more

cent of th e i n i t i a l

score.

Fq.ua 1 A b i l i t y G r o u p s . A l t o g e t h e r 52 s u b j e c t s w e r e t r a i n e d m anner,

in th is

e a c h b e i n g e m p l o y e d f o r tw o w e e k s .

c o n s t i t u t e d t h e t r a i n e d group*

These

A f u r t h e r 28 s u b j e c t s

who w e r e a p p r o x i m a t e l y e q u a l t o t h e t r a i n e d g r o u p i n in itia l

ch ain -assem b lin g a b i l i t y ,

c o n tr o l group. in th e

c o n s titu t e d the

T h is group d id n o t r e c e i v e

any t r a i n i n g

c h a in -a sse m b lin g operatio n *

F q u a l - a b i l i t y g r o u p s were o b t a i n e d b y g i v i n g a b rie f

ch ain -assem b lin g t e s t to

a g ro u p o f 70 boys*

i

25. T h ese w ere r a n k e d a c c o r d in g t o t h e i r p e r f o r m a n c e . From t h i s

rank a lte r n a tiv e

group, th u s th e

1 st,

boys w ere ch o sen f o r each

5ud, 5 ^ 9

7 th ,

b e i n o n e g r o u p t h e 2 n d , 4 -th , 6 t h , th e

o th er.

o m itted .

9 th , 8 th ,

e t c * , w ould etc. , in

Any b o y s o b v i o u s l y u n s u i t a b l e w e r e Thus th e s e

g ro u p s were s t r i c t l y

b o th as re g a rd s t h e i r t o t a l s c o r e s and th e i n i t i a l com posing th em .

com parable

(o r average) i n i t i a l

scores of th e

in d iv id u als

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T r a n s f e r T ests* B e fo r e t h e f o r t n i g h t ' s t r a i n i n g w as b e g u n , and in th e

m id d le and a t t h e en d , t h e p e r f o rm a n c e o f e a c h

su b ject, te sts

i n b o t h g r o u p s , w as m e a s u r e d i n t h e

d esig n ed to

tra n sfe r.

v ario u s

show t h e p r e s e n c e o r a b s e n c e o f

T hese t r a n s f e r - t e s t s w ere s e l e c t e d in

a c c o r d a n c e w i t h an o b s e r v a t i o n a l a n a l y s i s o f t h e o p e ra tio n w ith th e

lin k s

They w ere m o stly t e s t s

and s p i n d l e s

d e scrib ed above.

o f m anual d e x t e r i t y ,

in v o lv in g

the

s i m p l e c o m p o n e n t m o v e m e n ts a c t u a l l y c o n t a i n e d i n

th e

c h a in assem b lin g o p e r a tio n .

o f "m atch i n s e r t i o n " q u ick ly as p o ssib le fo r th e purpose.

c o n s i s t e d o f p l a c i n g m atches a s i n h o l e s p i e r c e d i n a b o a r d made

T h is i s a s im p le r form o f t h e

n e c e ssa ry in p la c in g the S im ilarly , te s ts and o f p l a c i n g

F o r exam ple a t e s t

movement

sp in d le s i n th e tu r n - ta b le .

of th r e a d in g th e l i n k s on a n e e d l e ,

s m a ll r i n g s on a r o d ,

are

o f t h e movement n e c e s s a r y i n p l a c i n g t h e

s im p le r form s l i n k on th e

sp in d le. A list

of th e t r a n s f e r t e s t s

th e ir p rese n tatio n is m e n ta l d e t a i l on p ag e

an d t h e

m e th o d o f

giv en i n th e ac co u n t o f e x p e r i­

28. G eneral R e s u l ts . The co m p ariso n o f t h e

tw o g r o u p s i n t h e

perform ance of th e t r a n s f e r t e s t s d ifferen ce*

Im provem ent i s

s h o w s no s i g n i f i c a n t

show n f r o m t h e f i r s t t o

th e la s t tr a n s f e r te s ts , hut th is

is

ap p ro x im ately

t h e same i n b o t h t r a i n e d a n d c o n t r o l g r o u p s * appears th a t th e

eig h t days1 in te n siv e

train in g

It in

the

one m an u al o p e r a t i o n h a s l i t t l e

th e

g e n e r a l l e v e l o f manual a b i l i t y a s m easured by

the t r a n s f e r t e s t s

o r no e f f e c t on

i n o t h e r manual o p e r a tio n s *

I t w as t h o u g h t t h a t t h i s r e s u l t m i g h t b e p a r t l y c a u se d by t h e f a c t t h a t th e t r a n s f e r t e s t s were n o t b eing g iven alo n g w ith th e t r a i n i n g rath e r at d is tin c t way t h r o u g h ,

In terv als,

o p eratio n s,

a t th e b eg in n in g ,

but h alf­

and a t t h e end o f t h e t r a i n i n g p e r io d *

I t w as t h e r e f o r e

su g g e ste d t h a t a f u r t h e r experim ent

b e c a r r i e d o u t I n w h i c h tw o m a n u a l o p e r a t i o n s b e l e a r n t as f a r a s p o s s i b l e t o g e t h e r ,

in o rd er I f p o s s ib le ,

to

d is c o v e r I f any t r a n s f e r o c c u rre d from th e a c t u a l le arn in g of th e d ith. t h i s

one t o t h e

l e a r n in g of t h e oth er*

i n view th e p r e c e d in g e x p e rim e n ta l p ro c e d u re

was m o d i f i e d a l o n g t h e f o l l o w i n g l i n e s .

29.

E x p erim en tal P rocedure I I .

O perations* In a d d itio n to th e

ch ain -assem b lin g o p e ra tio n , a

Z' s e c o n d o p e r a t i o n was d e v i s e d t o b e a s f a r as p o s s i b l e | \ to th e

ch ain -assem b lin g in I t s

d if f e r e n t in m aterial* in v o lv in g th e f i l l i n g

com ponent m ovem ents, y e t

For th is purpose a pro cess and em ptying o f c a r t r i d g e

cases

1

w i t h s m a l l wooden c y l i n d e r s was ch o sen * A c o m p a r i s o n , b y m o v e m e n t - a n a l y s i s , o f t h e tw o o p e r a t i o n s was made a l o n g t h e f o l l o w i n g l i n e s s C h a in A ssem bling*

C artrid g e F illin g .

1 . P i c k i n g up l i n k w i t h t h e l e f t hand* 2* T h r o w i n g l i n k o f f s p i n d l e r i g h t han d * 5. P l a c i n g l i n k s o n s p i n d l e s . 4.

P lacin g sp in d lesin ta b le .

tu rn -

1* P i c k i n g up c a r t r i d g e c a s e w ith left-h an d * 2 . E m p ty in g wooden c y l i n d e r s o u t o f c a r t r i d g e case (lef1 h a n d .) 3 . P l a c i n g w ooden c y l i n d e r s I n cartrid g e cases. 4. P lac in g c a rtrid g e cases in stan d .

S p e e d i n b o t h d e p e n d s on c o - o r d i n a t i o n b e t w e e n t h e tw o h a n d s , a n d on c o - o r d i n a t i o n b e tw e e n hand and e y e , a d d itio n to th e

sim ple d e x t e r i t y

c a rtrid g e -fillin g sid e

o f e a c h hand*

in

In th e

o p e r a t i o n t h e s u b j e c t h a s on h i s l e f t - h a n d

a sta n d h o ld in g c a r tr id g e

c a s e s e a c h c o n t a i n i n g tw o

w h ite wooden c y l i n d e r s . 1.

7/e a r e i n d e b t e d t o Mr* ,8. W y a t t f o r s u g g e s t i n g t h i s o p e r a t i o n , and t o t h e k i n d n e s s o f M e s s r s . Kynoch, L t d . , f o r th e su p p ly o f c a r t r id g e c a s e s .

He i s

r e q u i r e d to ta k e

tim e w ith h i s

one c a r t r i d g e

l e f t han d and to

i n f r o n t o f him .

em pty i t

case a t

a

i n t o th e box

W i t h h i s r i g h t h a n d h e t a k e s tw o

b l a c k ‘d w o o d e n c y l i n d e r s c o n t a i n e d i n t h e n e a r s e c t i o n o f t h i s b o x ? p u t s th e s e i n th e em ptied c a r t r i d g e

case

w hich he t h e n p l a c e s i n t h e s t a n d on h i s r i g h t . Himp 1 oyme n t o f Sub rj e o t s . As b e f o r e 5 t h e

s u b j e c t s were p a id

a minimum

w e e k l y wage o f 1 2 s . a n d a l a r g e b o n u s o n t h e i r im provem ent b o t h i n t h e fillin g

o p eratio n s.

c h a in - a s s e m b lin g and c a r t r i d g e -

A stro n g in c e n tiv e

t o w ork w i t h

maximum e f f o r t w as m a i n t a i n e d t h r o u g h o u t . The s u b j e c t s w e r e d i v i d e d i n t o two g r o u p s of' th irty

each.

as i n th e

By p r e l i m i n a r y t e s t s

in ch ain -assem b lin g ,

e a r l i e r e x p e r i m e n t , i t was

arranged th a t

e a c h g r o u p b e g 'a n w i t h e q u a l i n i t i a l a b i l i t y o p eratio n . in itia l

That i s to

s a y 9 th e

in th is

group a v e r a g e s i n t h e

c h a i n - a s s e m b l i n g w ere a p p r o x i m a t e l y e q u a l .

Both g ro u p s w orked f o r e i g h t t e n - m i n u te p e r i o d s a t c h a in a s s e m b lin g i n t h e m orning. f u r th e r e ig h t ten -m in u te p e rio d s a t in th e

aftern o o n .

afte rn o o n . 1.

G ro u p IX h a d a ca rtrid g e f illi n g

G roup I w as n o t e m p l o y e d i n t h e

T h i s a r r a n g e m e n t o f w o r k w as a d o p t e d i n

T he d i f f e r e n c e i n c o l o u r o f t h e c y l i n d e r s - w a s f o r ch eck in g p u rp o se s o n ly .

o rd e r t h a t th e

e f f e c t of th e

o p e r a t i o n on t h e

c a rtrid g e -fillin g

im provem ent i n t h e

ch ain -assem b lin g

o p e r a t i o n m ig h t be

observed.

id e n tic a l tra in in g

i n c h a i n - a s s e m b l i n g , b u t G roup

II,

in a d d itio n to t h i s ,

cartrid g e f illi n g .

The t w o g r o u p s h a d

had th e

ex tra tra in in g in

Thus any d i f f e r e n c e i n th e

ch ain -assem b lin g p r a c tic e

c u r v e s o f t h e tw o g r o u p s

c o u l d be a t t r i b u t e d t o t h e e f f e c t o f t h e t r a i n i n g in th e c a r t r i d g e - f i l l i n g

o p eratio n .

I t may b e n o t e d h e r e t h a t t h r o u g h o u t t h e experim ent th e by th e

e f f e c t s o f f a t i g u e were e l i m i n a t e d

reg u lar in s e rtio n of r e s t pauses.

w h en q u e s t i o n e d n e v e r a d m i t t e d t o boredom . th e

S u b jects

any f a tig u e

or

The l a t t e r w as a p p a r e n t l y e l i m i n a t e d b y

stro n g f in a n c ia l in c e n tiv e .

I n t e r e s t w as

m a i n t a i n e d b y t h e e f f e c t o f 11a l w a y s w o r k i n g f o r t h e 1 p e n n y . T* T he s u b j e c t s t h r o u g h o u t s e e m e d t o w o rk k een ly in o p eratio n .

sp ite

of th e

H e s t p a u s e s were s p e n t

of th e ir resp e ctiv e

1,

m onotonous n a t u r e

o f th e

in eager d iscu ssio n

scores.

T h i s i s how t h e s u b j e c t s u s e d t o r e f e r t o t h e b o n u s a n d t h e way i n w h i c h i t w a s c a l c u l a t e d .

G eneral R e s u lt s , E x a m i n a t i o n ■o f t h e

ch ain -assem b lin g sco res of

t h e tw o g r o u p s t h r o u g h o u t t h e f o r t n i g h t ,

shows o n l y

v e r y s l i g h t and a p p a r e n t l y chan ce d i f f e r e n c e s i n th e x r perform ances. t h a t th e p r a c tic e

P ro m P i g * 3 i t

c u r v e s o f t h e tw o g r o u p s a r e

alm ost i d e n t i c a l .

T h e r e i s no i n d i c a t i o n o f a n y

t r a n s f e r e f f e c t i n G roup I I tra in in g

i n th e

c a n be s e e n

from, t h e

sim u ltan eo u s

c a rtrid g e -fillin g .

The e x t r a

t r a i n i n g i n c a r t r i d g e - f i l l i n g h a d no a p p r e c i a b l e p o sitiv e

o r n eg ativ e

e f f e c t on t h e

im provem ent i n

c h a in -a s s e m b lin g. Exp e r i m e n t a l D e t a i l T r a n s f e r T e s t s R efer r ed t o i n S e c t io n E x p e r i m e n t a l P r o c e d u r e I f! The f o l l o w i n g a r e t h e s e r i e s g i v e n on t h e t h r e e

o ccasio n s; b efo re tr a in i n g in

ch ain -assem b lin g h ad begun, week, and a t t h e

of tr a n s f e r te s ts

en d o f t h e

at th e

end o f th e f i r s t

fo rtn ig h t.

of r e s u l t s th e y are r e f e r r e d to

as 1,

In ta b le s 2 and 3

resp e ctiv e ly .

1*

D etailed trea tm en t of th e se r e s u l t s on p ag e 40.

is

described,

* j e 0143. u j S U T I IT J put? 9ufuaoui o i n 4 t -u p ? n o uo v I I dnojJD jo a ju n p a-jieoduioo ui 'oidm o) nr»i} oqpsodtaoo m

I dnoao

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pune i ecLnoa-o jo

caAJcno 9unqu]0BO H-uit2qo j o u o s jasdtuoo n

m

n

54, ft/latch i n s e r t i o n , The s u b j e c t s a t i n

f r o n t of a sm all b o ard

p i e r c e d w ith h o l e s 5 i n e a c h o f w h ich a m atch can be i n s e r t e d .

He t o o k m a t c h e s o n e b y o n e f r o m a

box p l a c e d i n a c o n s t a n t p o s i t i o n s and e n d e a v o u re d i n th e tim e p o ssib le.

allo w ed 3 to

i n s e r t a s many m a t c h e s a s

The s c o r e i s t h e n u m b e r o f m a t c h e s

i n s e r t e d i n tw o m i n u t e s .

The t e s t w a s p e r f o r m e d

w ith b o th r i g h t and l e f t hands s e p a r a t e l y . P l a c i n g m atches i n

a box .

The s u b j e c t s a t i n f r o n t o f a t a b l e were a r r a n g e d t h i r t y The m a tc h e s w ere d istan c e

on w hich

m atches i n a s t r a i g h t

lin e .

s e p a r a t e d from each o t h e r b y a

o f r o u g h l y one c e n t i m e t r e .

h an d he h e l d a m a tc h -b o x ;

In h is

w i t h h i s r i g h t h a n d he

p i c k e d t h e m a t c h e s o n e b y one f r o m t h e endeavoured to f i l l

le ft

ta b le

and

th e box as q u ic k ly as p o s s i b l e .

T he m a t c h e s h a d t o b e p l a c e d n e a t l y w i t h t h e h e a d s a l l one way. fix e d th e

When t h i s h a d b e e n d o n e 3 t h e

c o v e r on t h e box and c l o s e d i t .

p re c a u tio n ensured t h a t w ith th e I n s tr u c tio n s

th e

T h is

s u b j e c t h a d com plied

as to n e a tn e s s .

w as t h e n r e p e a t e d w i t h t h e

su b ject

l e f t hand.

tim e ta k e n as m easured by a s to p w atch .

The e x p e r i m e n t The s c o r e i s t h e

5 5. P lacin g rin g s

on a r o d .

T h e ,su b je c t to o k c u rta in rin g s ,

one a t a tim e ,

from a bow l p la c e d In a c o n s ta n t p o s i t i o n w i t h i n e a s y r e a c h o f t h e h a n d he was e m p l o y i n g . s l i p p e d them as q u i c k l y a s p o s s i b l e s ta n d p l a c e d i n f r o n t o f him . perform ed w ith b o th r i g h t OBhe s c o r e mi n u t e s ,

over a r e to r t

The e x p e r i m e n t w a s

and l e f t h a n d s s e p a r a t e l y ,

i s th e number o f r i n g s me a s u r e d b y t h e

He

d e a l t w i t h i n tw o

s t op w a t c h .

T h reading l i n k s . T he tw in e.

s u b je c t h eld a la rg e n ee d le th re a d e d w ith At h i s

th o se u sed in th e

f r e e h a n d was p l a c e d a p i l e ch ain -assem b lin g .

of

lin k s;

He p i c k e d up t h e

l i n k s one a t a tim e and t h r e a d e d them o v e r th e n e e d l e . T h i s t e s t w as a l s o p e r f o r m e d w i t h b o t h r i g h t a n d l e f t hands s e p a r a te ly . Arm M o v e m e n t . The a p p a r a t u s c o n s i s t s of 2 fe e t rad iu s. is

fix ed

a graduated

of a cardboard sem icirc le

A long t h e c i r c u m f e r e n c e scale.

At t h e

a m ovable p o i n t e r w h ic h r o t a t e s th e head o f th e p o in te r I s th e

cen tre

of

th is

is

fix ed -

on s m a l l w h e e l s .

At

an a tta c h m e n t i n t o w h ich

s u b je c t can i n s e r t h is f i n g e r s .

The s u b j e c t

56. sta n d s w ith h is se m icirc le.

a g a in s t th e

c e n tre of th e

He r e s t s h i s h a n d on t h e b r o a d h e a d

of th e p o in te r, p ro v id ed .

hip

w ith h is fin g e rs

in th e p lace

W ith ey e s c l o s e d , he i s r e q u i r e d to

make a r o t a t p r y m ovement o f t h e

arm.

in s tru c te d to t r y to re p e a t th e

movement t o

th e

same e x t e n t a s b e f o r e .

in th is

th e c o e f f ic ie n t

m ean d e v i a t i o n f r o m t h e

ex actly

He m akes t h e movement

manner a l t o g e t h e r t e n t i m e s .

th is te s t is

of th e

He i s t h e n

The s c o r e

of v a r ia tio n ,

i.e .,

in th e

mean e x p r e s s e d a s a p e r c e n t a g e

mean.

Moedef s i m p u l s e - m e t e r . The s u b j e c t h o l d t h e and i s

in s tru c te d to

t h e blow i s to

ag a in th e

strik e

m e a s u r e d on t h e

s t r i k e the

as b e f o r e .

hammer i n h i s r i g h t h a n d th e

an v il.

sc ale .

score i s th e

of

He i s t h e n t o l d

a n v il a g a in w ith j u s t th e He r e p e a t s t h i s

The f o r c e

same f o r c e

te n tim e s In a l l .

c o e ff ic ie n t of v a r ia tio n .

H ere

37 o S tead in ess T est I . The a p p a r a t u s e m p l o y e d w as t h a t

d e s c rib e d in

W h i p p l e ' s M a n u a l o f M e n t a l .and P h y s i c a l T e s t s ^ V o l . I* p . 157.

It

co n sists

o f a m etal p l a t e

s e t a t an

an g le o f 45° p ie r c e d by h o le s of d ia m e te r 3 2 , 20, 16,

139

1 1 9 10,

T h is p l a t e

is

9 p 8,

7 s six ty -fo u rth s

in e le c tr ic

c i r c u i t w i t h a b u z z e r and

a m etal s ty l u s h e ld by th e betw een p l a t e sounded.

and s t y l u s

o f an in c h .

su b ject.

occurs,

When c o n t a c t

the b u z z e r I s th e re b y

The m e t h o d was a s f o l l o w s 1 -

was i n s t r u c t e d t o h o l d t h e

T he s u b j e c t

s ty l u s in each o f th e

h o le s i n t u r n , from t h e l a r g e s t to th e

sm allest.

The

s t y l u s w as h e l d I n e a c h h o l e f o r 15 s e c o n d s , w i t h a p r e lim in a r y 3 seconds b e fo re co m p letin g th e c irc u it,

in order to

ad a p tatio n .

At t h e

s u b j e c t rem oved t h e

electric

g iv e th e s u b je c t tim e f o r first

sound o f t h e b u z z e r th e

s t y l u s from t h e h o le he h ad r e a c h e d ,

and th e

e x p e r i m e n t was com m enced a g a i n f r o m t h e f i r s t

h o le.

T h i s was r e p e a t e d s e v e n t i m e s .

each of th e

seven t r i a l s

before co n tact, in each h o le

The s c o r e i n

Is th e t o t a l tim e e la p s in g

th a t i s th e

to t a l of th e

15

seconds

d e a l t w ith s u c c e s s f u l l y p l u s t h e number of

s e c o n d s b e f o r e t h e b u z z e r so u n d s I n t h e h o l e w here t h e first

co n tact is

m ade.

s u b je c t's perform ance, i s 1.

W a r w i c k 8c Y o r k ,

The s c o r e ,

re c o rd e d a s th e

t h e m iddle

B altim o re.

1924,

one o f t h e s e t o t a l s .

38, th at

is th e

f o u r t h from th e

lo w est o r h i g h e s t .

S tead in ess T est I I , The a p p a r a t u s i s It

d e s c r i b e d i n W hipple I ,

i s th e u s u a l t r a c in g b o ard , w ith a s l i t

co n v erg in g m etal s t r i p s . a m illim etre

scale.

A l o n g one e d g e

p . 152$

bounded by i s m ounted

T he s u b j e c t w as i n s t r u c t e d t o

draw t h e

s t y l u s a l o n g t h e s l i t w i t h o u t m aking c o n t a c t

w ith th e

sid e s.

At t h e f i r s t

co n tact th e su b ject

s t o p p e d an d r e p e a t e d t h e p r o c e s s . eleven tim e s .

T he s c o r e I n e a c h c a s e

tra v e rse d before c o n tact. is

T h i s w as r e p e a t e d

re c o rd e d as th e

i s th e

d istan ce

The s u b j e c t ' s p e r f o r m a n c e

m iddle one o f t h e s e

elev en .

M enta1 A r i t h m e t i c. T h e m a t e r i a l c o n s i s t e d o f p a g e s o f suras o f t h e fo llo w in g t y p e s - 3 x 9 = 30, 27, 12, w as I n s t r u c t e d t o u n d e r l i n e t h e score

is

15.

The s u b j e c t

c o r r e c t answ er.

t h e number o f a n s w e rs c o r r e c t l y

The

m arked i n

fo u r m inutes. C an cellatio n . The m a t e r i a l i s

d e s c r i b e d i n W hipple I ,

p . 126,

The s u b j e c t was I n s t r u c t e d t o c r o s s o u t e v e r y q . r . and t ,

on t h e p r i n t e d form .

reco rd ed w ith a sto p -w atch .

The t i m e t a k e n w as T he s c o r e w a s

s.

c a l c u l a t e d from a fo rm u la

1

b a s e d o n b o t h s p e e d an d

accuracy. The s u b j e c t w a s i n f o r m e d o f t h e

m ethod o f

s c o r i n g a n d w as t h u s aw are t h a t b o t h s p e e d and a c c u r a c y were e s s e n t i a l * T h e s e l a s t tw o t e s t s

w ere c h o s e n b e c a u s e t h e y

have no o b v io u s c o n n e x io n w i t h t h e p r o c e s s o f c h a i n assem bling*

I t Ym s a s s u m e d t h a t i f t h e p r e s e n c e o f

t r a n s f e r were d e m o n s tra te d i n a l l t h e t e s t s , la s t to

as g r e a t a degree

as in th e t e s t s

in th e se

o f manual

d e x t e r i t y , t h e r e w o u ld be r e a s o n t o

suppose t h a t

t h i s t r a n s f e r had i t s

c u ltiv a tio n of a

o rig in in th e

g e n e r a l m ental a t t i t u d e to w ard s t e s t i n g , to env iro n m en t, in

o r i n some g e n e r a l f a c t o r r a t h e r t h a n

sp e cific p ra c tic e . The t e s t s w ere a lw a y s g i v e n i n t h e

and a t th e

1.

in h ab itu atio n

same i n t e r v a l s o f t i m e t o

I t w asiS = W here A 0 W 0 T

0 - W

v

all

same o r d e r su b jects.

100 - i m r x t t = index of e f f ic ie n c y . = number o f l e t t e r s c r o s s e d . = number o f l e t t e r s w rongly c r o s s e d . = number o f l e t t e r s e r r o n e o u s l y o m itted * = tim e i n seco n d s.

40. T reatm ent o f R e s u lts . The t r e a t m e n t o f t h e r e s u l t s th e experim ent i s

IDa r t o f t h e

The t e r m

and " s i m u lta n e o u s

"su ccessiv e" r e f e r s

and a f t e r t r a i n i n g .

o r absence

giv en b e fo re

T he t e r r a " s i m u l t a n e o u s " r e f e r s

seco n d p a r t w here t h e d e t e c t i o n o f t r a n s f e r

w as d e t e r m i n e d b y t h e fillin g

to th e f i r s t

e x p e rim e n t w here t h e p r e s e n c e

o f t r a n s f e r was a s s e s s e d b y b r i e f t e s t s

to th e

of

d escrib ed s e p a r a te ly , u n d er th e

head in g s " su c c e ssiv e t r a n s f e r " tra n sfe r".

o f t h e tw o p a r t s

a d d i t i o n a l o p e r a t io n of c a r t r i d g e -

g iv en d a ily w ith th e t r a i n i n g

o p eratio n of

ch a in assem b lin g . S u ccessiv e T r a n s f e r . I n com paring t h e

re la tiv e

a b ility

o f t h e tw o

g r o u p s i n t h e t r a n s f e r t e s t s , t h e m ethod a d o p te d i s t h a t o f co m p ariso n betw een m eans.

I f th e

d iffe re n ce

b e t w e e n t h e m e a n s o f tw o g r o u p s o f m e a s u r e m e n t s i s a t l e a s t th r e e tim e s as la rg e as th e th is

d ifferen ce,

it

i s u s u a l l y c o n s i d e r e d t o be

s i g n i f i c a n t and n o t a t t r i b u t a b l e S im ilarly , to

stan d ard e rro r of

to

chance f a c t o r s .

a lth o u g h th e odds a g a i n s t i t s

chance are

low er,

own s t a n d a r d e r r o r i s

a d ifferen ce at

b e i n g due

ex c ee d in g tw ice

le a s t very su g g e stiv e .

its

41. The f i r s t in th e

in th e p re se n t tre a tm e n t c o n siste d

c a lc u la tio n of th e

betw een t h e 5.

step

d iffe re n c e s f o r each in d iv id u a l

scores in t r a n s f e r t e s t s

1 and 2 , and 1 and

T h i s was done f o r b o t h t r a i n e d and c o n t r o l g r o u p s ,

and t h e

mean o f t h e s e

d i f f e r e n c e s w as c a l c u l a t e d

e a c h ca.se, t o g e t h e r w i t h i t s These m easures a re T able I .

own s t a n d a r d e r r o r

shown i n t h e f i r s t

A n eg ativ e

2^*15 ) ' VR f o u r colum ns o f

an i n f e r i o r

a test*

I t w i l l be s e e n t h a t t h e r e i s

o f arm movement,

(

s i g n i n t h e s e f o u r colum ns

in d ic a te s

th a t

in

sco re a t th e l a t e r r e p e t i t i o n of o n l y on e t e s t ,

i n w h i c h t h i s w as t h e

case*

In

e v e r y o t h e r t e s t t h e r e w a s some i m p r o v e m e n t b y b o t h groups at each r e p e titio n * The f i n a l p r o b l e m i s t o

d eterm in e w h eth er the

t r a i n e d g r o u p i m p r o v e d more t h a n t h e c o n t r o l g r o u p o f su b je cts. t e s t th e

C olum n 5 s h o w s f o r t h e s e c o n d t r i a l d iffe re n ce

b e tw e e n th e im provem ent e f f e c t e d

by th e t r a i n e d group, group.

N u m erically ,

of each

and t h a t It is

made b y t h e

co n tro l

th e d if f e r e n c e betw een th e

mean i m p r o v e m e n t s show n I n c o l u m n s 1 a n d 3colum n 6 g i v e s f o r e a c h t e s t

the

S im ilarly ,

d if f e r e n c e betw een th e

mean i m p r o v e m e n t o f t h e t r c a i n e d g r o u p s h o w n i n c o l u m n 2,

and t h e

mean I m p r o v e m e n t o f t h e c o n t r o l g r o u p sh o w n

i n colum n 4 . 5 and 6 i s

S a c h o f t h e d i f f e r e n c e s shown i n colum ns

shorn w ith i t s

own s t a n d a r d e r r o r ,

ca lcu late d

C o r r e l a t i o n s between su c c e s s iv e a p p l i c a t i o n s of T ra n s f e r T e s t s , j Match I n s e r t i o n R. Hand

2 -3

1 -3

*7363 1*0589

*7557 1*0553

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Me an ; Correlation!' 1 *7460 | i ) !

i— [^ i C O^ 1 00 C OI lO o • • 1 +1

Match I n s e r t i o n L. Hand

1 -2

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*6268

*6577 1*0731

*6478 1*0748

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*6111

Rings R. Hand

*5580 1*0903

*6577 1*0719

*7069 1*0656

*6409

Rings L . Hand

• 4363 1*1080

*8799 1*0301

‘3645 1*1157

*5602

*6081 1*0813

Match Box R, Hand

*6577 1*0744

Match Box L. Hand

! Threading Links R. Hand

*8610 1*0527

*4465 1*1632 —

*5381 1*1334

*6319

Threading Links L. Hand

'7847 1*0783

*6180 1 00479

,'7 6 5 4 1•0844

“7227

Arm Movement

*4973 1*0970

*6280 1*0781

*1674 1*1253

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Impulse Meter,

*4669 1*1043

*3748 1*1148

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*4089

S te a d in e ss (.Static)

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j

S te a d in e s s {Dynamic)

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*3748 1*1107

*4629

l| "It 1; j;

Mental A rith m e tic

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C ancellation

*7654 1* 0553

, *6580 1*0919

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10

! I

|

H *8230

II1

! !1 ^ __ 44 !1 *5626

In th is

case as th e

square r o o t of th e

sum o f t h e

s q u a r e s o f t h e s t a n d a r d e r r o r s o f t h e means c o n c e r n e d * A n eg ativ e

s i g n i n e i t h e r colum n 5 o r 6 d e n o t e s a

d ifferen ce

in fav o u r of the

The c r u c i a l

d a t a a r e g iv e n I n colum n 6 w hich i s

b a s e d on t h e f i n a l th is

c o n t r o l group*

sta g e s of p ra c tic e *

R eference to

colum n shows t h a t t h e m a j o r i t y o f m e a s u r e s a r e

In fav o u r o f th e tr a in e d

group;

th at

i s , th ey

Im p ro v ed more i n t h e s e t e s t s t h a n d i d t h e group.

I t w i l l a l s o be s e e n , how ever, t h a t

case i s t h i s its

fav o u rab le

own s t a n d a r d e r r o r .

th e r e i s no s in g le t e s t tra in e d

d iffe re n ce It

i n no

e q u a l to tw ice

th e re fo re

i n w hich t h e

appears th a t

d iffe re n ce

betw een

and u n t r a i n e d s u b j e c t s can b e s a i d w ith

co n fid en ce not to same t i m e ,

th e

b e du e t o

f a c t th a t th e

fav o u r of th e tr a in e d te sts

co n tro l

w hich c a n be

d ex terity , R e lia b ility

sam p lin g e r r o r s .

At t h e

g e n e ra l ten d en cy i s i n

group, p a r t i c u l a r l y

i n th o se

s a i d m ore p r o p e r l y t o b e o f m a n u a l

i s n o t t o be d is r e g a r d e d . of th e tr a n s f e r t e s t s •

R e l i a b i l i t y o f a t e s t I s u s u a l l y m easured by th e size

and s ig n if ic a n c e

of th e c o r r e l a t i o n betw een

su ccessiv e a p p lic a tio n s o f th e t e s t to

t h e same s u b j e c t s .

44. Here t h e f o l l o w i n g o b s e r v a t i o n s s h o u l d be n o t e d : (1)

I f th e

a b i l i t y t e s t e d i s m o d ified by

t r a i n i n g , th e n p o o r c o r r e l a t i o n betw een su ccessiv e

a p p lica tio n s of th e te s t

same s u b j e c t s ,

may t o

some e x t e n t ,

be a s c i'ib e d to

th e f a c t

to th e reaso n ab ly

(supported by a l l th a t

we k n o w o f l e a r n i n g I n g e n e r a l ) , t h a t su b je cts (2)

some

l e a r n more r a p i d l y t h a n o t h e r s *

The o p e r a t i o n o f t h i s f a c t o r w i l l b e

m axim al i n t h e

in itia l

because i t i s here th a t

sta g es of p r a c t ic e , le arn in g is

most

rap id , (5)

Some s u b j e c t s

showed a p p r e c i a b l e

Im provem ent as t h e r e s u l t o f t h e of p ra c tic e These

g iv en by th e t e s t s .

o b s e r v a t i o n s may b e I l l u s t r a t e d b y a t a b l e

e x t r a c t e d from an a r t i c l e Muscxo.

1

su ccessiv e

s m a l l amount

on " M o t o r C a p a c i t y " , b y B,

M uscio c a l c u l a t e d t h e

c o r r e l a t i o n betw een

ap p lica tio n s

a t tw o s t a g e s ;

of te s ts

first

w hen p r a c t i c e w a s l o w , a n d s e c o n d w h e n p r a c t i c e w as h ig h . 1*

"M otor G a p a c ity , w ith S p e c i a l R e fe ren ce t o V o c a tio n a l G uidance". B r i t « J . P s y c h o 1.11922 ) 1 3 . p p . 157-184.

The r e s u l t s a r e g i v e n b e l o w s -

In itia l re lia b ility Co - e f f i c i e n t s .

T ests.

F in al r e lia b ility C o -e ffic ie n ts.

T apping.

•86

.92

A im ing

.70

.82 . 88

M atch S t i c k

In sertio n .

•

I t w i l l be n o te d t h a t is

sm a lle r th a n th e

56

in each case th e

“ f i n a l *1 c o - e f f i c i e n t .

In th e p re se n t in v e s tig a tio n , t e s t e d on o n ly t h r e e

“in itial* *

occasions.

th e

s u b j e c t s were

C o n seq u en tly , i t

v e r y u n l i k e l y t h a t maximum p r a c t i c e w a s a t t a i n e d ,

is an d

th e r e f o r e th e fo reg o in g o b se rv a tio n s apply.

That is

to

are

say,

the c o r r e l a t i o n s

p ro b ab ly ,

f o r th e

th e ir tru e

v alu es.

s e t out in T able I I ,

reaso n s g iv en ,

g r e a t l y re d u c e d below

I t w i l l be s e e n , how ever,

t h e y a .re s o m e t i m e s h i g h , t h a t t h e y

th at

a r e a lw a y s p o s i t i v e

and r a r e l y n o n - s i g n i f i c a n t . C o n clu sio n s. I n no c a s e was t h e

d if f e r e n c e betw een t r a i n e d

c o n tro l gro u p s, w ith re g a rd to over the

first

facto rs.

im provem ent i n th e t h i r d

a p p lic a tio n of a t e s t ,

t o exclude t h e p o s s i b i l i t y

and

of i t s

of such a siz e

b e i n g due t o

chance

as

47. S im u ltan e ous T r a n s f e r * The r a t e

o f im p ro v em en t o f t h e

ch a in -asse m b lin g is

sh o w n i n P i g . 5 .

th e a c tu a l n u m erical r e s u l t s th is

tw o g r o u p s i n T ab le I I I

from w hich t h e

g iv es

curves in

f 'i g u r e were o b t a i n e d .

T a b l e I I I C o m p a r i s o n o f C h a i n A s s e m b l i n g M e an s f o r G roups I an d I I . * ( O b t a in e d i n e a c h c a s e fro m s c o r e s o f 32 s u b j e c t s . J

A .IJ .

M onday. T u esd a y ,. W ednesday. T hursday. F rid a y . M onday. Tuesday. W ednesday, T hursday. F rid a y .

c a rtrid g e

Group I I *

164 202 223

165

234

2 45 252

269 276

The m e th o d u s e d t o in

G ro u p I .

218 2 34 249 260 267 271

2 ty*y

295

284

is

0

+ +

4 8 2

5 7 + 9

effect

f i l l i n g , on t h e p e r f o r m a n c e

a s s e m b l i n g o f Group I I ,

tjs 1 -1- 5 + 5

199

284

d eterm in e th e

D ifferen ce b e t w e e n m e an s o f G ro u p s I and I I

in

of tra in in g ch a in

th e co m p ariso n of th e

d aily

*

Group I e m p l o y e d i n C h a in A s s e m b l i n g i n t h e m o r n i n g . No o p e r a t i o n i n t h e a f t e r n o o n . G ro u p I I e m p l o y e d i n C h a i n A s s e m b l i n g i n t h e m o r n i n g , and C a r t r i d g e P i l l i n g i n t h e a f t e r n o o n .

/

P l u s a n d m inus s i g n s r e f e r t o p o s i t i v e d i f f e r e n c e o f Group I o v e r Group I I . See f* ^ 3 .

or n eg ativ e

g ro u p means i n t h e sig n ific an c e

c h a in assem b lin g o p eratio n *

of th e

d i f f e r e n c e betw een th e s e

shown s t a t i s t i c a l l y b y t h e

as th e

it

d ifferen ce*

l a t i o n b e t w e e n t h e tw o means i s

w hich t h e

It

d ifferen ce

The c a l c u ­

g re a test,

second F rid a y ,

stan d ard e r r o r is

d ifferen ce*

For th is

s h o u l d be a t l e a s t t w i c e a s g r e a t

sta n d a rd e r r o r of th e

s e c o n d Monday a n d t h e

is

c a lc u la tio n of th e

s t a n d a r d e r r o r o f t h e tw o G roups* t o be s i g n i f i c a n t

The

v iz .,

g iv e s a r e s u lt in

le s s th a n tw o - th ir d s of th e

can be assum ed t h e n t h a t th e

b e t w e e n t h e two g r o u p s i s

th e

i n no i n s t a n c e

g r e a t f o r i t n o t t o b e due t o

d iffe re n ce

su fficie n tly

chance v a r i a t i o n s i n th e

i n d i v i d u a l s c o r e s m a k i n g u p t h e g r o u p m e an .

H owever,

F i g . 3 s h o w s a t e n d e n c y f o r t h e tw o c u r v e s t o

d iv erg e

c o n s i s t e n t l y d u rin g th e is not sig n ific a n t

la s t th ree

e v e n on t h e

th e p o s s i b i l i t y th a t th is

days*

la st

div erg en ce

A lthough t h i s

day, i t

su g g ests

of th e cu rv es

m i g h t h a v e become s i g n i f i c a n t h a d t h e w o r k b e e n c o n t i n u e d f o r a lo n g er p e rio d . su ffic ie n tly

T h i s e x p e r i m e n t was n o t c o n t i n u e d

l o n g t o show w h e t h e r t h i s w ould o c c u r o r

not * These r e s u l t s of tra in in g

sho w t h a t

du rin g th e

first

fo rtn ig h t

I n c h a i n a s s e m b l y , t h e eifctra t r a i n i n g

in

49

ca rtrid g e f i l l i n g

h a d no a p p a r e n t p o s i t i v e o r n e g a t i v e

e f f e c t on th e im provem ent i n

chain assem b lin g .

C o nclusion A gain a s i n t h e o th e r e x p e r im e n ts t h i s r e s u l t se e m s t o i m p l y t h a t d u r i n g t h e e a r l y ' s t a g e s of l e a r n i n g a s im p le manual d e x t e r i t y ,

learn in g

of a n o th e r s i m i l a r

d e x t e r i t y p r o d u c e s no t r a n s f e r o r i n t e r f e r e n c e .

50

T r a n s f e r o f T r a i n i n g i n Y i s u a l P i s c rim in a ls! on The g e n e r a l e x p e r i m e n t m e t h o d i n t h i s i n v e s t i g a t i o n is

t h e same a s t h a t d e s c r i b e d a b o v e .

The p i o b l e m i n t h i s

e x p e r i m e n t may be s t a t e d a s f o l l o w s : a c q u ired during in te n s iv e of s t e e l b a l l s ,

I s the p r a c t i c e

t r a i n i n g I n e s tim a tin g th e s iz e

a l l ly in g w ith in a g iv en ra n g e , t r a n s f e r r e d

t o t h e e s t i m a t i o n of

s iz e of

a sim ilar

s e r i e s of b a l l s

ly in g

w ell o u tsid e t h i s range? D e s c r i p t i o n of A p p a r a tu s The s e r i e s o f s t e e l b a l l s e m p lo y e d , f r o m 1 6 / 6 4 t o 7 / 6 4 by d i f f e r e n c e of

1/64 i n .

each s i z e w ere used w i t h a b a l l - s o r t i n g by VLv* S . W y a tt* slo p in g

lid .

com partm ents,

ran g ed i n d iam eter

ap p aratu s devised

T his a p p a ra tu s c o n s i s t s of

The box i s

d iv id ed in to

Ten b a l l s o f

a box w i t h a

a number of

t h e num ber b e i n g t h e

square of

t h e number of

d i f f e r e n t . s i z e s of b a l l s em ployed

(See F i g .

4) .

I n th e

lid are

cut te n s l o t s

w ith s id e s converging

i n such a m anner t h a t b a l l 1 d ro p s i n t o th e f i r s t row, b a l l 2 I n to the drops in to

s e c o n d r o w , and so o n t o No. 1 0 , w h i c h

the t e n t h row.

to p lace th e b a l l s ,

If

acco rd in g to

a p p ro p ria te grooves, th e b a lls the

the

su b ject i s size,

th en i n s t r u c t e d

each i n i t s

c o r re c tly p laced f a l l in to

s q u a r e m a r k e d (X) i n t h e d i a g r a m .

The number an d

51

d e v i a t i o n f ro m t h e t r u e p o s i t i o n of are th u s

o btained d ir e c t l y .

b a l l s w rongly p la c e d

For ex a m p le , i f

the s u b j e c t

i s p r e s e n t e d w i t h b a l l 4 and p l a c e s i t w r o n g l y i n i t w i l l f a l l i n the

slo t

7,

s q u a r e m a rk e d 3 i n t h e d i a g r a m S L O T S

2 mp4 t X

$

4

$

4 7

to

,T 1

X

Oi >

X

X

M

V A

X -4 0*,

X X y

Kjar'

1 k T * 1 mr/n i m n J, *• Plan of B a ll -so rtiin g annaratus . t ■ i

.Qi *

v t;

'

“

^

'

P r o c e d u r e and S c o r i n g . The e x p e r i m e n t a l p r o c e d u r e w as s o a r r a n g e d t h a t t h e e s t i m a t i o n of t h e v is io n o n ly . (a)

s i z e o f b a l l s h o u l d be l i m i t e d t o

Thus t h e f o l l o w i n g p r e c a u t i o n s w e r e a d o p t e d

The s u b j e c t r e c e i v e d th e b a l l i n a c u p - s h a p e d s p o o n an d p l a c e d i t d esired s lo t, by t o u c h .

by means o f

t h i s elim in atin g

t h i s i n the d iscrim in atio n

(b)

The s p o o n w a s made o f s u c h a w e i g h t a s t o render im p e rc ep tib le th e d iffe re n c e a n y two a d j a c e n t b a l l s -

between

th u s e lim in a tin g

d is c r im in a tio n by w e ig h t. (c)

The s p o o n w h i c h w a s made o f c o p p e r , was l i n e d w ith f e l t i n o r d e r to e x c l u d e a n y i n f e r e n c e s i z e on th e

of

b a s i s o f t h e s o u n d made i n d r o p p i n g .

The d i f f e r e n t

s t e p s i n t h e p e r f o r m a n c e w ere c a r r i e d

o u t t o t h e b e a t of a m e tr o n o m e , t h e r a t e o f w h i c h w as d e c i d e d by p r e l i m i n a r y e x p e r i m e n t .

The b a l l s w e r e p r e s e n t e d

t o t h e s u b j e c t by m e a n s o f a f e e d p i p e w h i c h came t h r o u g h a s c re e n h id in g the ex p erim en ter f s o p e r a tio n s . They w e r e p r e s e n t e d i n i r r e g u l a r o r d e r , same o r d e r was p r e s e r v e d i n e a c h t e s t p e r i o d . have a h ig h ly p o l i s h e d

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he w r i t e s , "What th e n i s t h e p i c t u r e o f th e d e v e lo p in g p e r so n a lity ? I t i s one i n w hich s p e c i f i c a d ju stm e n ts t o s p e c i f i c s t i m u l i a re the o u t s t a n d in g f a c t The p i c t u r e i s one o f i n v a r i a n c e o f t h e s tim u lu s i n v a r i a n c e o f th e m en tal s e t and i n v a r ia n c e o f t h e r e s p o n s e * Suppose t h i s t h e o r y o f l e a r n i n g i s f a l s e * Suppose i t i s o n ly t h e young c h i l d or t h e m e n t a l ly u n d ev e lo p e d who must b e t a u g h t i n terras o f h a b i t s , and ta u g h t i n t h i s way o n ly b e c a u s e h i s c a p a c i t y f o r g e n e r a l i s a t i o n has n o t matured* Suppose t h a t w ith t im e t h e s e s p e c i f i c h a b i t s can become a u t h e n t i c a l l y g e n e r a l i s e d , and th u s r e p la c e d b y much more f l u i d and f l e x i b l e dynamic d i s p o s i t i o n s , o f th e o r d e r o f t r a i t s * Suppose t h a t t h e • m atu rin g i n d i v i d u a l r e p r e s e n t s su ch t r a i t s t o h i m s e l f s u b j e c t i v e l y a s i d e a l s o f conduct*" A l l p o r t h e r e and i n t h e whole o f t h i s h i s t o r i c c h a p te r i n h i s book on P e r s o n a l i t y r e j e c t s t h e c o n c e p t o f b l i n d t r a n s f e r , " e x c e p t fo r t h e young c h i l d o r m e n t a lly u ndeveloped"*

T h is i s an i n t e r e s t i n g e x c e p t i o n

i n v iew o f t h e t r e n d i n t h e P s y c h o lo g y o f th e young baby today*

Thus Dr* W in n ie o tt i n a p u b l i c a t i o n o f b r o a d c a s t

t a l k s ^ p u s h e s th e problem o f b l i n d t r a n s f e r one s t e p f u r t h e r back* 1® 2*

5*

R u e d ig e r , W*0* ,"The i n d i r e c t improvement o f m e n ta l f u n c t i o n th rou gh id e a ls" * E d u c * H e v .1908* O r a t a ,P * T ., "R ecent R ese a rch S t u d i e s on T r a n s fe r o f T r a in in g w ith I m p l i c a t i o n s f o r th e C urriculum , Guidance and P e r s o n n e l l . j o u r n a l o f E d u c a t io n a l R e s e a r c h ,1941® pp® 81-101* ’ — — "The O rdinary D evoted Mother'1' and Her Baby"® Pam phlet 47