Children Above 180 IQ Stanford-Binet: Origin and DevelopmentHollingworth, Leta Stetter
Science
Children Above 180 IQ Stanford-Binet: Origin and Development
Hollingworth, Leta Stetter
Gifted children; Stanford-Binet Test
He was given thirty minutes in which to put together the pieces
in the Stenquist Construction Box II, and was not able to put any
of the pieces together. He began at one end of the box, examined
each set of materials in turn, tried to put them together in an
indiscriminate way, put them back, and went on to the next set
of materials. He remarked, "I don't seem to be able to put any
of them together. It seems that all I can do is found out what
each of the things is for." He recognized that various sets of
pieces were "a mousetrap," "a lock," "a bell," etc., but made a
zero score from the point of view of construction. At the end of
twenty minutes he gave up and turned away from the materials.
It is interesting to compare the child's record in construction
tests and his comments regarding these tests, with his school
record in industrial arts and fine arts. E receives the best
possible rating in industrial arts because he has keen insight
into processes and can explain how to construct a mechanism or
perform an operation clearly and minutely, though he is unable
to carry out his own instructions. For instance, he can tell
exactly how to make a boat, but he cannot make the boat himself.
There is thus an interesting distinction here between "constructive
ability" and "manual dexterity." Similarly, in fine arts E has many
ideas for decorative schemes, but he is unable to execute these
ideas with his hands.
SOCIAL HABITS, TASTES, ETC.
E does not care to play, and would never do so unless forced.
He is very impersonal and agreeable in his attitude toward other
children. His chief diversion is reading and his favorite book
at the age of 8 is _Ivanhoe_. He has no hobbies at this age. In
the spring of 1916, after careful and thoughtful preparation, he
was confirmed in the Episcopal church. His desire is to be a
clergyman and to become a missionary. When asked what he would
consider the most fun in life, he replied "To have statistics
of my imaginary country." This country is on Venus. It is inhabited
by people and has a navy like ours. E does not volunteer much
information about his interests. All these items had to be elicited
by questioning.
LATER MENTAL MEASUREMENTS
In the spring of 1920 E took the Thorndike Mental Tests for
Freshmen, for entrance to Columbia College. An official letter
from the Director of Admissions at Columbia College states that,
"In the Freshmen Tests he was number two, out of 483 entering
Columbia College." He was at this time 12 years 0 months old;
the median age of his competitors was about 18 years.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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