| (1) Library—River | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| M. | | | + | + | β | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||||||
| F. | | | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | | | | | | | | | ||||||||
| H. | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||||||
| Ro. | | | | | | | | | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |||||||||
| J. | | | – | | | | | | | | | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| Bl. | | | | | – | – | – | – | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | – | – | / | ||||
| By. | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Bos. | | | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||||||||||||||
| Bur. | – | + | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |||||||||
| (1) Library—River. | (6) Store—Church. |
| (2) Hat—Road. | (7) Soldier—House. |
| (3) Newspaper—Medicine. | (8) Ship—Boy. |
| (4) Bicycle—Drum. | (9) Furniture—Tree. |
| (5) Theatre—Magazine. |
| | | – | + | α | β | ||
| M. | { | 32 | 66 | 26 | 0 | 13 |
| 23.4% | 48.2% | 18.9% | 9.5% | |||
| F. | { | 32 | 67 | 13 | 5 | 1 |
| 27.2% | 56.7% | 11.0% | 4.3% | .8% | ||
| H. | { | 59 | 79 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| 41.3% | 55.2% | 3.5% | ||||
| Ro. | { | 44 | 85 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 34.1% | 65.9% | |||||
| J. | { | 21 | 121 | 8 | 5 | 0 |
| 13.5% | 78. % | 5.3% | 3.2% | |||
| Bl. | { | 22 | 83 | 6 | 0 | 1 |
| 19.7% | 74.1% | 5.4% | .8% | |||
| By. | { | 16 | 97 | 18 | 14 | 23 |
| 9.5% | 57.8% | 10.7% | 8.3% | 13.7% | ||
| Bs. | { | 26 | 64 | 3 | 7 | 1 |
| 25.8% | 63.5% | 2.9% | 6.9% | .9% | ||
| Bur. | { | 16 | 59 | 8 | 0 | 10 |
| 17.2% | 63.4% | 8.6% | 0 | 10.8% | ||
| Total | { | 268 | 721 | 87 | 31 | 49 |
| 23.2% | 62.3% | 7.6% | 2.6% | 4.3% |
Number of subjects, 9; number of sections, 19; number of experiments, 80; number of associations, 1156.
GROUP III
For two syllables and like words the second strongly predominates in awakening associations; will the same be true when two simple outline pictures are shown in the same order? The following results show in attestation of the above conclusion percentages remarkably similar to those of the words. There are 23.7% for the first and 61% for the second; 84.7% of the associations show no sign of fusion and only 15.3% for fusion and the different forms of partial fusion, the second still holding the ascendency. When the two pictures did fuse, R. tells us, "All the associations were more elaborate pictures than when mere words were given."
A comparative study, inadequate though it is, offers a partial parallelism between the predominating memory type and stimulation. The subjects who are preëminently of the visual, K., visual motor, M., H., V., and visual lingual motor, Ht., find the pictures more suggestive than the syllables, while those of the pure motor, F. and By., reverse the order and find that the syllables offer more numerous and "more vivid" (F.) associations.
Common experience, however, immediately shows the limitations of reaching conclusions, when considering prolificacy as criteria of suggestiveness, inasmuch as starting-points which are abundantly rich in associations tend to produce so many points of departure that they tend to inhibit one another. Again there is to be considered the kind of associations, those of the syllables being of a very elementary character and in serial form.
A few experiments were given in which colored slips of paper were used as starting-points. These proved very suggestive for the subjects. Also a few tones were given, but these were soon discontinued, as other tones, which could not be recorded, were frequently suggested. The sentence which forms a very satisfactory starting-point where one is used could not be used to an advantage where several were given. As we are here interested in the mutual influence of the starting-points, our remaining study will be confined to a quantitative and qualitative variation of the forms used in the previous groups.
Time—50 seconds.
Characters—same as Table I.
| (1) Boy Rolling Hoop—Blacksmith | ||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M. | | | | | | | – | – | – | – | – | – | | | | | | | | | | | ||||||||
| F. | | | | | – | – | | | + | + | |||||||||||||||
| H. | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||||||||||
| R. | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||||||
| K. | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |||||
| V. | – | – | | | | | + | + | + | + | + | + | + | + | + | + | + | + | + | + | ||||
| S. | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ||||||
| By. | | | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Bs. | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |||||||||||||
| Ht. | | | | | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||||||||||||
| (1) Boy Rolling Hoop—Blacksmith. | (5) Horse—Dog House. |
| (2) Old Man With Umbrella—Bird House. | (6) Shoemaker—Fisherman. |
| (3) Carpenter—Mower. | (7) Little Girl—A Chicken. |
| (4) Children Playing—Boy with Basket. | (8) Boy—A Sheep. |
| | | – | + | α | β | ||
| M. | { | 41 | 65 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| 37.6% | 59.7% | 1.8% | .9% | |||
| F. | { | 11 | 42 | 21 | 0 | 5 |
| 13.9% | 53.2% | 26.6% | 6.3% | |||
| H. | { | 37 | 52 | 11 | 26 | 9 |
| 27.4% | 38.5% | 8.1% | 19.3% | 6.7% | ||
| R. | { | 41 | 58 | 8 | 0 | 15 |
| 33.4% | 48% | 6.5% | 12.1% | |||
| K. | { | 32 | 82 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 27.1% | 72.9% | |||||
| V. | { | 12 | 95 | 21 | 3 | 5 |
| 8.8% | 70% | 15.4% | 2.1% | 3.7% | ||
| S. | { | 36 | 44 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 45% | 55% | |||||
| By. | { | 8 | 111 | 12 | 0 | 13 |
| 5.4% | 77.2% | 8.3% | 9.1% | |||
| Bs. | { | 13 | 40 | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| 21.7% | 66.7% | 11.6% | ||||
| Ht. | { | 22 | 72 | 7 | 0 | 4 |
| 20.9% | 68.6% | 6.7% | 3.8% | |||
| Totals | { | 253 | 661 | 89 | 29 | 52 |
| 23.7% | 61% | 8.2% | 2.7% | 4.4% |
Number of subjects, 10; number of sections, 8; number of experiments, 76; number of associations, 1084.
GROUP IV
The previous experiments suggest the conclusion that that starting-point in the presence of which consciousness is reacting exerts a greater influence than one just past. The proof of this anticipated result is supplemented by subsequent consectary data.
It is necessary to test the outcome when the nature of the impressions is varied and the starting-points are given simultaneously. An outline picture and a word may be so given. These experiments verify from a different standpoint the statement that the picture establishes itself more permanently and is more influential, there being 47.8% of the associations produced by the picture alone, 14.8% by the words alone, 25% of a fusion of the two, and 12.4% of a uniting influence with the first predominating. The subject R. is an exception in that she favors the word when not favoring a combination of the two, a fact which I am unable to explain except to add that the subject stated that the æsthetic pleasure connected with the picture was sufficient to inhibit the associations. K. has 100% for the pictures, which is partially explained by the fact that she is a remarkable visualizer who reproduces all situations in visual terms.
Time—50 seconds.
Characters same as Table I.
| (1) (a rabbit)—Table | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M. | | | – | – | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | + | – | – | – | – | |||||||||
| R. | + | + | + | + | + | + | + | + | + | + | + | + | + | + | + | + | + | + | ||||||
| K. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |||||||||
| S. | | | | | | | | | | | – | | | | | | | | | | | |||||||||||||
| J. | | | – | – | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | – | – | – | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Ht. | | | – | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | – | – | – | – | ||||||
| | | – | + | α | β | ||
| M. | { | 38 | 9 | 16 | 6 | 0 |
| 55.0% | 13.1% | 23.3% | 8.6% | |||
| R. | { | 1 | 20 | 55 | 0 | 0 |
| 1.3% | 26.3% | 72.4% | ||||
| K. | { | 65 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 100.0% | ||||||
| S. | { | 29 | 15 | 3 | 10 | 0 |
| 50.8% | 26.3% | 5.3% | 17.6% | |||
| J. | { | 75 | 19 | 14 | 9 | 0 |
| 64.2% | 16.3% | 11.9% | 7.6% | |||
| Ht. | { | 17 | 7 | 30 | 33 | 0 |
| 19.5% | 8.1% | 34.5% | 37.9% | |||
| Totals | { | 225 | 70 | 118 | 58 | 0 |
| 47.8% | 14.8% | 25.0% | 12.4% |
Number of subjects, 6; number of sections, 5; number of experiments, 30; number of associations, 471.
GROUP V
The character of the starting-points determines which shall be followed in a simultaneous presentation; can the character of two immediately successive starting-points be so varied as to overcome the factor of temporal difference? The few experiments in this group show an attempt to shift and measure this influence, selecting as variants words of general and specific character, the first being a term of everyday experience with the subjects, of wide connotation, and therefore presumably rich in associations, and the second, which had the advantage of position, one of more limited and specific connotation, thus in a measure making it possible to test the stability of the second in establishing itself as a word-suggester. For the words "Gymnasium—Stamens" the second still strongly predominates. There is a slight increase in the amount of fusion (24.5% in all), the explanation of which would probably lie in the fact that the first is more assertive than before and offers more elements common to the two. There was one case of total fusion, one case where fusion started before the sixth word and continued, no cases of alternating fusion, four cases of partial fusion, five cases where the second was followed throughout, no case where the first was followed throughout, five cases of alternation between the first and the second. In 75.5%, the influence was exerted without fusion. Eight of the nine subjects favor the specific term.
Time—50 seconds.
Characters—same as Table I.
| (1) Laboratory—Rake | ||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M. | | | | | | | | | | | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| F. | | | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||||||||||||
| H. | + | + | + | + | + | + | + | + | + | + | + | |||||||||||
| V. | | | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | | | | | | | | | | | |||
| S. | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | | | | | | | | | ||||||||
| Bl. | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |||||
| By. | | | – | – | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ||||||||||
| Bs. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ht. | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||||||||||||||
| J. | | | | | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | | | | | | | | | | | |||
| | | – | + | α | β | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M. | { | 22 | 25 | 4 | 6 | 0 |
| 38.6% | 43.9% | 7.0% | 10.5% | |||
| F. | { | 4 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 17.4% | 82.6% | |||||
| H. | { | 4 | 25 | 13 | 0 | 0 |
| 9.5% | 59.6% | 30.9% | ||||
| V. | { | 7 | 38 | 2 | 0 | 7 |
| 12.8% | 70.7% | 3.7% | 12.8% | |||
| S. | { | 11 | 34 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 24.4% | 75.6% | |||||
| Bl. | { | 0 | 36 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 100.0% | ||||||
| By. | { | 11 | 16 | 7 | 0 | 9 |
| 25.5% | 37.1% | 16.5% | 20.9% | |||
| Bs. | { | 0 | 9 | 12 | 2 | |
| 39.1% | 52.2% | 8.7% | ||||
| Ht. | { | 10 | 11 | 10 | ||
| 32.3% | 35.4% | 32.3% | ||||
| J. | { | 17 | 8 | 15 | 0 | 13 |
| 32.1% | 15.1% | 28.3% | 24.5% | |||
| Totals | { | 86 | 221 | 63 | 8 | 29 |
| 21.2% | 54.3% | 15.4% | 1.9% | 7.2% |
Number of subjects, 10; number of sections, 3; number of experiments, 27; number of associations, 407.
GROUP VI
What modification of influence takes place when an auditory impression in the form of a word of abstract nature (the pure abstract words are taken later) is given in comparison with a concrete noun? The tables indicate that we are now able partly to overcome the disadvantage of first position by the advantage of concrete content. 24% of the associations are the result of total fusion; there are eight cases of total fusion throughout the series, and seven where total fusion took place before the third word and continued. There are two cases where the first was followed throughout, and but one where the second was followed exclusively. The tables indicate that there were very few words. Some of the subjects claim, "These words did not seem equally rich in associations. I was not at all conscious of the one while the other was in consciousness." (H.) The most characteristic feature here was, as Br. also indicates, "Great amount of rivalry at the beginning of the series"; while Bs. states, "There was a lot of confusion and a feeling of groping for words." Br. adds later, "For some seconds association seemed obstructed. Then by an effort the process was started which followed an involuntary course. A kind of confused presence of both words." Another subject adds, "There was a long blank after the words were said in which both words were balancing off in the fringe of consciousness and the mind expectant, passively waiting for an association to turn up. The hesitant period seemed marked by an attempt at a synthesis of these two words in some way."
SUBJECT XIX
Lamp—Justice.
| | | chimney | lamp. |
| | | white | lamp chimney. |
| | | yellow | white chimney. |
| | | flame | yellow. |
| | | nickel | lamp plus the other words. |
| – | scales | justice. |
| – | purple robe | justice. |
As the tables indicate, there was frequently a strong tendency here for the abstract terms to fuse. As H. noticed, "It does not tend to call up associations of its own stripe, but in some way becomes concrete."
Time—15 seconds.
Characters—same as Table I.
| (I) Desert—Hate | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A. | | | | | | | + | + | + | |||
| M. | | | | | | | | | – | – | |||
| F. | + | + | + | ||||||
| H. | | | – | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Ro. | | | | | – | – | | | | | | | | | |
| Bl. | + | + | + | + | + | + | + | ||
| By. | | | | | | | + | + | + | + | + | + |
| Bs. | – | | | | | | | | | | | |||
| Br. | | | | | | | + | + | ||||
| | | – | + | α | β | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A. | { | 10 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| 55.5% | 11.2% | 33.3% | ||||
| M. | { | 7 | 8 | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| 28.0% | 32.0% | 40.0% | ||||
| F. | { | 3 | 8 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| 18.7% | 50.1% | 31.2% | ||||
| H. | { | 17 | 16 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 50.0% | 47.1% | 2.9% | ||||
| Ro. | { | 15 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 57.7% | 42.3% | |||||
| Bl. | { | 4 | 15 | 7 | 2 | 0 |
| 14.2% | 53.5% | 25.1% | 7.2% | |||
| By. | { | 4 | 21 | 8 | 0 | 1 |
| 11.8% | 61.8% | 23.5% | 2.9% | |||
| Bs. | { | 5 | 1 | 15 | 0 | 2 |
| 21.8% | 4.3% | 65.2% | 8.7% | |||
| Br. | { | 11 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 52.3% | 38.1% | 9.6% | ||||
| Totals | { | 76 | 90 | 54 | 2 | 3 |
| 33.8% | 40.0% | 24.0% | .8% | 1.4% |
Number of subjects, 9; number of sections, 4; number of experiments, 34; number of associations, 225.
Reversing the order by placing the concrete noun second, it gains in influence. We are told by the subjects at this point, "The choice seems to be determined by the concreteness of the word." (H.) "The abstract soon exhausted itself as a word-suggester." (Ro.) There was fusion in 24% of the associations of the first group, and 22.2% in the second. There are six cases where the second alone prevails, two for the first starting-point and four for the second. There are eleven cases of fusion beginning before the sixth word and continuing throughout the series. There is much partial fusion, with the second predominating in influence.
The results again emphasize the fact that the influence is transferable, also that normally the second has the advantage; furthermore, they illustrate the preponderance of the concrete word as a starter of associations, and that the abstract term when it exerts an influence tends to fuse rather than persist in having separate associations; all of which shows that concrete terms produce more vivid impressions than abstract ones, and would, when it is possible to use them, be of direct aid to the learner.
Time—15 seconds.
Characters—same as Table I.