The hundreds of teachers who have sat in the lecture room of Professor E. L. Thorndike will see how many guiding suggestions for this volume have come from that source. Professor W. A. McCall has given counsel on certain chapters. Many investigators and publishers have extended courtesies, which are acknowledged through the references, and to which attention is here gratefully directed. I am indebted to Dr. John S. Richards, Medical Superintendent of The Children’s Hospital, Randall’s Island, New York, and to Mr. L. L. Kolburne, student at Teachers College, for assistance in securing illustrative material for Chapter VII. Finally, I have enjoyed the advantage of editorial supervision by Professor M. V. O’Shea.

My chief hope for the volume is that it may contribute toward the welfare of school children compelled to attend upon prescribed education, without due regard for their idiosyncrasies of original endowment.

Leta S. Hollingworth

Teachers College

Columbia University

May, 1923

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PAGE
Preface [vii]
Editor’s Introduction [xvii]
CHAPTER
I. Preliminary Discussion [1]
Speculation Concerning the Nature of Ability. Results of Quantitative Investigation.
II. The Relationships among Capacities [11]
The Coefficient of Correlation. General Intelligence vs. Special Aptitudes. Correlation of Abilities in Various Groups. Studies of Disorganizing Minds. Is Intellect Inherited as a Unit? Can an Intellect Be Trained as a Unit? The Hierarchy of Abilities. Present Status of the Problem. Measurement of General Intelligence: The IQ. Measurement of Special Ability. The Psychographic Picture of Individuality. At What Age Is Mental Endowment Evident? The Frequency of Marked Special Talents and Defects. Possible Origin of the Dissociation of Certain Capacities.
III. Consideration of the Neural Basis [49]
The Physiological Mechanism of Mental Life. Attempted Localization of Mental Functions. Theory of Congenital Lesion or Atrophy Criticized. Regeneration of Function without Regeneration of Structure in Injured Brains. Attempts to Establish a Neural Basis for the “Two Factor Theory” and the “Two Level Theory.” Present Status of the Problem.
IV. Reading [57]
Relation between IQ and Capacity for Reading. The Mechanics of Reading. Comprehension in Reading. Word Blindness. Psychological Studies of Special Defect in Reading. Nervous Instability and Special Defect in Reading. A Four-Year Study of a Non-Reader. Summary of Studies of Non-Readers. Cases of Special Ability in Reading. The Significance of Literacy.
V. Spelling [98]
Coherence among Linguistic Functions. Analysis of Learning to Spell. Psychological Examination of Poor Spellers. Can Special Defect in Spelling Be Overcome? Does Reading Teach Spelling? Illustrative Cases.
VI. Arithmetic [114]
Relation between IQ and Capacity for Arithmetic. Distinction between Arithmetic and Mathematics. The Psychology of Arithmetical Calculation. The Organization of Arithmetical Abilities. Psychological Studies of Special Deficiency in Arithmetic. Methods of Detecting Wrong or Incomplete Habits. Nervous Instability and Special Deficiency in Arithmetic. Arithmetical Prodigies. Arithmetical Ability of Two Children of IQ 184 and IQ 187 (Stanford-Binet). The Inheritance of Arithmetical Abilities. Implications for Education.
VII. Drawing [141]
The Various Kinds of Drawing. Ramifications of Drawing through the Curriculum. Psychological Analysis of Talent in Drawing. Relation between Aptitude in Drawing and General Intelligence. The Color-Blind. Illustrative Cases. Inheritance of Talent in Drawing. General Summary.
VIII. Music [164]
What Is Music? The Various Kinds of Music. The Analysis of Musical Talent. Relation among Various Elements of Musical Talent. Relation between Musical Talent and General Intelligence. Absolute Pitch. Tone Deafness. Range of Individual Differences. Can Musical Capacity Be Increased by Education? The Inheritance of Musical Talent. Psychographic Study of Individuals. Capacity to Appreciate Music.
IX. Miscellaneous [183]
Special Functions Which Have Not Been Long Studied. Left-Handedness. Mirror Writing. Mechanical Ability. Ability to Lead and Handle People.
X. Individuality and Education [196]
The Values of Individuality. Compulsory Education. The Importance of General Intelligence for School Progress. Special Abilities and Disabilities as Determinants of School Progress. Experimental Attempts to Individualize Education. The Cost of Fostering Individuality. The Probable Rewards of Individualizing Education.

TABLE OF FIGURES

FIGURE PAGE
1.Distribution of ability to discriminate among intervals of time, the subjects being adults. (From Seashore’s The Psychology of Musical Talent. Reproduced by courtesy of Silver, Burdett and Company, and of the Columbia Graphophone Company.)[8]
2.Flight of birds, illustrating distribution in ability to fly. (Schematic.)[9]
3.The psychograph of a schoolboy, showing his standing in various mental functions; illustrating use of the horizontal line to denote typical performance. (From Hollingworth’s Judging Human Character. Reproduced by courtesy of D. Appleton and Company.)[39]
4.The psychographs of three schoolgirls, showing their standings in various mental functions, measured to determine mathematical ability; illustrating use of the vertical line to denote typical performance. (From Tests of Mathematical Ability and Their Prognostic Value. Reproduced by courtesy of Agnes L. Rogers.)[40]
5.The psychograph of a schoolboy, showing his standing in various mental functions; illustrating use of the circle as a diagram, the median circumference denoting the typical performance of his age[41]
6.Showing how X improved as measured by Trabue’s “Language Scale A,” from Feb., 1918, to Dec., 1921[77]–81
7.Showing X’s improvement in silent reading, from April 15, 1921, to Dec. 2, 1921, as measured by Thorndike-McCall “Reading Scale,” Form I[82]–83
8.Showing X’s ability to get meaning from printed words, in May, 1922, as tested by Haggerty’s “Sigma 1,” for grades 1 to 3[84]
9.Showing an account written by X of his week’s reading[86]
10.Composition written at school by X in December, 1920, showing deficiencies in spelling[107]
11.Letter written by X showing how he could spell by use of dictionary[108]
12.Showing efforts to spell of a 14-year-old schoolboy, of IQ 93, after eight years of school instruction. Illustrating extreme dissociation of spelling ability from general intelligence[110]
13.Showing spelling of a 12-year-old girl, of IQ 59, after six years of instruction. Illustrating extreme dissociation of spelling ability from general intelligence[111]
14.Showing spelling of a child 9 years 10 months old, with IQ 143, after three years of instruction. Illustrating dissociation of spelling ability from general intelligence[112]
15.Showing D’s calculations on Test 2, Army Alpha, Form 5, at the age of 10 years 11 months, five minutes being allowed for the performance[132]
16.Showing D’s calculations on Test 6, Army Alpha, Form 5, at the age of 10 years 11 months, three minutes being allowed for the performance[133]
17.Showing R’s calculations on Test 2, Army Alpha, Form 5, at the age of 7 years 6 months, five minutes being allowed for the performance[135]
18.Showing R’s calculations on Test 6, Army Alpha, Form 5, at the age of 7 years 6 months, three minutes being allowed for the performance[136]
19.Showing the psychograph of a stupid child, who has a special ability in representative drawing. (From Manuel’s A Study of Talent in Drawing. Reproduced by courtesy of The Public School Publishing Company.)[155]
20.Showing special ability in drawing of a 14-year-old boy, of IQ near 70[156]
21.Showing special ability in drawing of a 14-year-old boy, of IQ near 70[157]
22.Showing the special ability to cut silhouettes, of a feeble-minded man, inmate of an institution for mental defectives[159]
23.Charlie Chaplin pursuing a gentleman, and pursued by a policeman. Showing the special ability to draw, of a feeble-minded man, in an institution for mental defectives[160]
24.Showing attempts by two distinguished university professors to cut silhouettes of an elephant[161]
25.Psychograph of G, showing special ability in music and drawing combined with mediocre intelligence[177]
26.Psychograph of M, showing special defect in music combined with very superior general intelligence[179]
27.Showing mirror writing by public school pupils. (From Beeley’s An Experimental Study of Left-Handedness. Reproduced by courtesy of the University of Chicago Press.)[189]