Abstract
1. The purpose of the present study.
By means of a simple but laborious mental work of adding up consecutively two numbers ranging from 2 to 9 arranged at random in 20 groups of columns, the writer tried to establish a -method of character diagnosis.
2. The procedure and method.
Sheets of test-paper specially designed for the experiment were prepared. The form and design are a little different from those seen in kraepelin's test-paper.
There are 20 group columns with the figures ranging from 2 to 9 arranged at random.
The subjects were requested to add consecutively each figure to the one which followed, thus always making an addition of two figures at a time. All that the subjects had to do was to keep recording the sum of the two numbers given. when the sum exceeded 10, only the second figure had to be recorded, leaving the first figure unwritten.
For calculation of the consecutive two numbers in each column, two minutes were allowed to each subject, who, naturally, had to stop his calculation at the end of the allotted time and resume the same mental work of adding numbers in the next column.
In the experiment which the writer made 500subjects (pupils ranging from the fifth graders of the elementary school to the third graders of the lower secondary school) were used.
The tester carefully observed the results of each calculation in each column and drew out of the general result the following eight factors which, he considers, will be a helpful indication of the character of the subjects. With this key in hand, the writer tried to measure their character.
3. The results.
The eight factors drawn from experiment are as follows:
(1) The total number of the additions made by each subject.
(2) The fluctuation of quantity of the additions.
(3) The position of the highest climb.
(4) The rate of climb.
(5) The total of miscalculations.
(6) The total of correction of errors.
(7) The fastness and slowness of the rising curve.
(8) The general efficiency curve of the mental
work.
The writer considers that an individual's character is formed by the variance of the combination of these factors, which will give the following six distinct types of character.
The tester's observation, the evaluation of the character of the subjects made by their teachers in charge and the personal criticism recorded in the school register joined forces with the results of the experiment to give the six patterns of character, in accordance with which the writer has made a plan of character diagnosis.
(1) Steady type
(2) Competitive type
(3) Positive fluctuation type
(4) Feeble type
(5) Negative fluctuation type
(6) Stagnant type
