Review of Mental measurement

Abstract

Reviews the book, Mental measurement by Sohan Lall (1948). This little book presents results obtained from the administration of three tests to approximately 2000 Indian children in 58 government high schools. The children were 11+ years old and the tests were a group verbal intelligence test, an English language test, and an arithmetic test. No data are given on the construction of any of the tests; the author states simply that they were patterned after the Moray House tests of Godfrey Thomson. The tests in English and arithmetic were achievement examinations in these areas. Distributions of test scores in the entire sample are presented and the method used for removing the skewness which appeared in all three distributions is defended. It is concluded that on the whole, the monograph is somewhat amateurish and reminds one of publications in this country of some 25 years ago. This is a pioneer job, however, done under considerable difficulties, and the author deserves a great deal of credit. The references in the book are to Thomson, Spearman, and Burt, under whom the author apparently had his training. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)