Elmer A. Lemke

A Multivariate Study of Handwriting, Intelligence, and Personality Correlates

Summary Scores were obtained for 103 Subjects on the Sixteen Personality Factor test, Form C; the Edwards Personal Preference Schedule; the Otis Quick Scoring Test, Form G; Ravens Progressive Matrices, Sets A-E; and on 47 handwriting variables. First, personality and intelligence variables, then handwriting variables were factored and rotated, after which factor scores were obtained. Through a regression of handwriting from personality and intelligence factor scores, it was found that 6 of 16 handwriting factors could be predicted by 5 of 10 personality and intelligence factors. These results and their relation to graphology are discussed.

The Effect of Ability Grouping on Concept Learning

AbstractAn experiment was conducted to investigate effects upon training and transfer of: ability grouping, intelligence, sex, and temporal test. Ninety-six third-grade pupils were trained in homogeneous or heterogeneous groups on a thematic concept learning board. Subjects were subsequently tested individually under an immediate or delay transfer condition. Results indicate that (a) ability grouping has no significant effect on concept learning under any of the effects of the variables of the experiment, and (b) high ability Ss are better able to attain thematic concepts than medium ability or low ability Ss. The nonsignificant effect of ability grouping is seen as a significant finding in light of its present emphasis in the school setting. An effect found significant in the controlled setting may have an effect in the school, but we doubt that an effect that is not significant in the controlled setting will suddenly work in the school.

I-DOTS IN THE HANDWRITING OF A CLINICAL SAMPLE

Handwriting of 40 alcoholic and 32 schizophrenic hospital patients was examined for consistency or omission of i-dots. It was hypothesized that the hospital group would show the same personality characteristics on two scales of the 16 PF that occurred in previous research with 103 college students. Results were significant but in the opposite direction. Reasons for the differences in these findings were discussed.

Effects on Transfer of Training of Constant Versus Varied Training, Group Size, and Ability Level, in Elementary School Mathematics.

C ronbach (1957) has pointed to the gap between the experimental and psychometric traditions in contemporary American psychology and stressed the need for a rapprochement. Recently, Shulman (1970) has suggested that research in the area of aptitude-treatment interaction represents a coalescing of these traditions. Signs of a possible merger can be seen in papers by Ferguson (1956) and by Vernon (1965) which stress the influence of environment on human abilities.

Effects of Degree of Training, Group Size, and Inductive Ability on the Transfer of Conceptual Behavior.

A previous study indicated that for brief exposure to conceptual materials Ss of low general mental ability working as pairs performed as well, on training and transfer tasks combined, as high-ability Ss working alone. As a partial replication of that study, 192 Ss were stratified by inductive ability and assigned as individuals or homo geneous pairs to one of three degree of training conditions. Following training, each S participated individually on three transfer concepts. For the low degree of training condition, training as low-ability pairs facilitated indi vidual transfer performance.

Identification of Self-Concept Using the High School Personality Questionnaire.

This study investigated the relationship between level of self-concept and personality factors in 130 high school students, using as self-concept measures, subtests from the Index of Adjustment and Values, the Self-esteem Inventory, and the Tennessee Self-concept Scale, and using the High School Personality Questionnaire as a measure of personality factors. A general self-concept factor was derived, through factor analysis, from the self-concept subtests and then two groups of subjects were identified as high or low on this general factor. A sex by group by subtest analysis of variance indicated a significant group by subtest interaction, suggesting that the questionnaire can be used to identify students with high and low self-concepts. Low self-concept subjects were more anxious and introverted than high self-concept subjects, who were less anxious and more extroverted.

A validity study of the Neural Efficiency Analyzer in relation to selected measures of intelligence.

This study attempted to determine the validity of the Ertl Neural Efficiency Analyzer as a measure of intellectual ability by using NEA-Alpha and Neural Efficiency scores to predict college grade point average (GPA) both alone and in combination with paper-and-pencil measures of intelligence for 22 male and 64 female college students. Results indicate that NEA-Alpha scores can predict GPA with moderate success and also that NEA-Alpha scores account for variability in grade point average not associated with paper-and-pencil tests.

The Use of Generalized Learning Curves as a Means for Identifying Strategies in a Concept Attainment Task.

AbstractEighty-five male and female Ss were administered a battery of selected psychological measurements along with twelve conjunctive- type concepts. Concept time-to-criterion scores were factor analyzed to obtain generalized learning curves. Factor scores on these curves were then computed and studied to identify concept attainment strategies. Three such strategies-conservative focusing, hypothesis testing, and association learning-were so identified. The psychological measures could be seen to be differentially related to these concept attainment strategies.

TRAINING TASKS AND ABILITY JN ARITHMETIC PERFORMANCE

On the basis of laboratory research on learning sets (Harlow, 1959) it can be expected that increasing the variety of training tasks will aid in transfer. In the present research the hypothesis was tested in an educational setting. High (N = 24) and low (N = 24) mathematical ability fifth-grade students were pretested on 23 story problems involving addition and multiplication of fractions. The stratification into high and low ability was based on scores on three arithmetic subtests of the Stanford Achievement Test. The lowest composite of the stanine scores in the highability group was 15. Subjects were then randomly assigned to either one method, two methods or four methods of training for eight 25-min. classroom sessions. Pretest means and standard deviations (in parentheses) for the high-ability groups were 3.70 (1.79), 2.60 (2.33), 6.00 (3.97). for the one, two, and four variety of method groups, respectively; posttest means and standard deviations were 5.90 (4.64). 5.50 (5.12), 9.60 (6.04), respectively. For the low-ability groups, pretest means and standard deviations were 1.75 (1.50), 1.00 (1.22). 1.38 (1.93), respectively; posttest means were 2.50 (2.83), 1.63 (2.60), 3.38 (4.18), respectively. On rhe posttest, Ss gave morc correct responses than on the pretest, high-ability Ss gave more correct responses than low-ability Ss, and Ss with four methods performed more correct responses than Ss with one or two methods of training. Since the pretest performance was ordered as were postrest scores an analysis of covariance was performed. The variety of methods factor was nonsignificant. A 3 X 2 X 2 analysis of variance with variety of methods, pre-posttest, and ability as factors also yielded a nonsignificant methods factor (F2,.,B = 2.80). In addition, analysis yielded a significant pre-post factor (&.a = 16.83, p < .05) and a significant ability factor (F,,,s = 15.75, 9 < .05). The failure

Incentives Affecting Behavior Changes in the Retarded.

The effect of monetary incentives on (a) dependent-independent and (b) extroversion-introversion behavior of 24 retarded adolescents was investigated. Five ratings were obtained at 2 month intervals over a 10 month period. A trend analysis of the data indicated significant desirable increases in social behavior. Additionally, the increase was compared and found different from that of a randomly assigned control group. In the last 2 month treatment interval, the students were taken on excursions into the surrounding community to effect a decrease in institutional dependencies. The evidence suggests that this too was an effective treatment.