Significant Responses in Certain Memory Tests

Abstract

The experienced clinical psychologist sometimes reports that something is queer about a mental examination-even when a low rating is given the patient is not believed to be feeble-minded. An attempt is made to get a numerical statement for this "queerness" so that the psychologist may recognize certain cases as cases properly to be referred to a psychiatrist. Certain memory tests were used and the following conclusions drawn: there is no evidence that the insane give responses in the memory span for digits or sentences which are markedly different from those given by normal persons of the same mental and chronological ages. The responses given by the insane in the tests for memory drawings and memory for short paragraphs are less adequate than those given by the normal and feeble-minded of the same mental and chronological ages. In certain types of insanity there are significant responses not indicated in the score, such as extreme size and irrelevant details in the case of the memory drawings, and numerous errors and additions in the reports of the paragraph selections. From Psych Bulletin 18:01:00097. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)