Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-09-10

TIE a NNF,
or more of the regular words were el,mi-
mated and III their places were put such
words * pocketbook. theft, clothes
closet. or similar words that would re-
call the theft to any one having s HEowl-
edge OF il.
Tie first nurse showed 10 reaction
whatever at these critical words The
second nurse showed qtite 4 strong re-
action on some Of them hut not al.
and the third nurse reacted violently on
every one of them. The first WAS. ac-
cordingly. Of further interest. but the
Other two were pat through the process
again with a number OF words de-,
signed TO suggest even more strongly the
theft.
Again the second nurse reacted IN al
the words connected with the theft. but
showed no emotion after tile words Nhich
would have suggested the hid nI Mace or
tho recovery of the poc,eihoNl Tho third
reacted more violently than ever. and
was especially strong in her emotion after
the words that would tend ia show that
she knew where the pockethooA had been
found.
DR. Jung was 50 We'll satisfied thar he
accused the third nurse. and she made a
fuu confession that she was the thief,
tina; the second one knew of the theft.
bar did not know where the pochetbool
had been hidden. and that the first nurse
knew nothing whatever about The matter.
I.
VAS given two opportunities to test the
instrument in this way:
\ lady visited the institution. and after
her return to her home wrote that ten
dollar bin had been taken from her peck
ethoon while She inspecting the
school. There were three boys who
might have had chance to take the
money. so Or. Goddard put each one in
turn under the scrutiny of he psychom-
cter inserting in the word LIST number
Of critical words designed 10 suggest the
theft.
Not one of the boys showed the slight
est excess Of emotion at these words. ana
DR.. Goddard was about to lose fa-th IN
the instrument when he received ietteT
of apology from the lacy saying that she
had not had the ten-dolar bill with ner
after all, and mat she had later reGcm-
bered where she had LEFT il at home.
Again Ave boys we're suspected OF MAX
ing petty thefts of money TO buy tobacco.
An article of which the weak minded are
particularly fond, but which is forbidden
them Each Of the boys in turn was
put to the psychometar test, and one of
them reacted slightly on the critical
words.
He was a hoy of very low grade of
intelligence. so that DR.. Goddard could
not determine whether the slight reac-
tion was the result of innocence or Of
lack Of any emotional capacity. The re-
DR. Goddard to believe that the boy
knew something of the thefts. strict
supervision was exercised over him
and the peculations ceased
The great difficulty with the use of
this instrument in criminal cases. said
DR. Goddard. is that in its present stage
Of development We are unable to tell
from the record whether the emotion
aroused is pleasure or pain. shame or
triumph, guilt or mere nervousness. If /
We're to examine a stock gambler with
the psychometer and mention stocks he
would record a strong emotion. but |
should be unable to determine whether
he had won lost.
Take the Beattie murder ease. for in
stance. | might ] might not learn a
great deal about the accused by eXamin-
ing him in this way Every critical word
would undoubtedly register a strong emo
ton, but that might he caused by nerv-
BUSINESS. by the knowledge that he was
suspected of the crime. by knowledge
that the crime had been committed by
another and that he wrongly accused
of it or il might be an indication of guilt
The record would be the same from any
of these causes. \ shrewd examiner
mis- ht arrange his words and his data
as to point very strongly one way or the
other. and so be of great assistance lr
the case even With the instrument dS u
is now but here the personal equation
would enter SO strongly that there would
have to be other proof.
DO YOU think that the instrument, Oh
one along the same lines, will ever b.
so developed as to make a definite record
of each phase of emotion and record diff
ferently for each one?
Il see no reason why that should not
be done. Indeed, | personally believe
that it is only matter of time when the
records of the instruments to be used by
psychologists will be unmistakable and
will eliminate the doubtful personal equa
ton entirely.
In other words, YOU believe that tht
time will come when the prisoner in sucl
a case the Beattie murder Will b,
conclusiyely proved guilty or innocen
t merely by subjecting him to teh tests o
scientific Instruments"
u do.
J. You must understand. however,. con
[ tinued DR.. Goddard, that Prof John
: stone and | are not at present using TIL
psychometer with a view to its applica
ton in ,crmina cases. Our business i
with the feeble minded. Already we ar