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In this paper a comparison is made between the results of an individual 'clinical' examination of the methods of describing a picture and the data obtained from a (previously conducted) mass experiment of the same nature. The subjects were 43 children of both sexes between 8 and 12 years of age. As a result of the clinical examination four types are distinguished:—
1The subjective type, in which a vivid imagination predominates over, and often distorts, perception.
2The objective type, characterised by exact and detailed observation with very little imagination or interpretation.
3The intelligent type, which combines in a sense both of the positive attributes of the two previous types; accurate observation being accompanied by intelligently controlled imagination and interpretation and by an appreciation of the picture as a whole.
4The superficial type, characterised by the absence of both these positive attributes; the subjects in this class being interior as regards both observation and imagination.
The individuals falling into these classes remained true to type even when encouraged by special instructions to give descriptions characteristic of another type.
The grouping of individuals into these types as a result of the clinical examination corresponded fairly closely with the results of the mass experiments. But this correpondence was not quite sufficiently great to permit of confident diagnosis in any individual case by means of the mass experiment (correspondence in 33 out of 39 cases). But if types 1 and 4 and types 2 and 3 are amalgamated, such a diagnosis becomes possible (correspondence in 37 out of 39 cases). The