Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-06-18
NUNS STUDY SHOWS GROUPINGS
OF TRAITS AMONG CHILDREN
Analysis at Catholic University Reveals
Probability of Qualities Occur
ing In Sets.

! relationship to intelligence, while the
| highest relations are those between in
| telligence and contentment and re-
liability. Between such qualities as
quarrelsomeness and truthfulness there
is a very high negative relationship,
showing that they do not generally
occur in the same person.
Selected Group Observed.
The tables, it is emphasized, are built
up entirely on observations of school
children in a selected group and it can
not be stated positively that they are
applicable to the population at large.
The entire study is an attempt to ap-
proach from a scientific viewpoint n
problem that has puzzled philosophers
for centuries in their efforts to unravel
the mystery of human character and
may serve as basis for similar studies
with other groups to see If the same
relations hold good.
From this study" says Sister Rosa
tentative conclusions can be drawn as
to types of character. Types of charac-
ter may be thought of as groups OF
traits linked together by necessary
bonds. Which type a person belongs
to depends upon which set of traits
predominant and which bonds are the
stronger. According to the data OF
GI1lS nNSSIlSdtlOIl LIleIc dlC dlILOile
children the inhibited type, the sociable
and the uninhibited.
Those of the first type have large
measure of the general factor under
lying the will-cheerfulness set of
traits. They are reliable, generous,
stable, contented, refined, cheerful and
sympathetic. The strong will evidenced
in reliability, generosity, etc, plus the
tendency to restrain self seeking in
order to be considerable of others. dis
tinguish this type of child. The soci-
able type is fond of the company of
others, active expressive, gifted with
sense of humor and affectionate.
The uninhibited is distinguished by
quarrelSomeness, tendency to look for
sympathy. irritability forwardness
and, in general, want Of restraint OF
undesirable qualities. This type Sug-
geSts a lack of training, want of
proper guidance from earliest years. To
what external hereditary or environ
mental factors the operation Is due is
not clear from the statistical analysis
in this study Posting types as above
does not commit one to the position
that every individual can be readily
and correctly classified in one or the
other division. Extremes are easily
recognizable. but not the majority, who
are mixtures in varying proportions.
Practical Application.
"A practical application of the results
of this investigation to the study OF the
character of children, matter of the
utmost concern to every parent, teacher
and recreational leader, would be the
concentration of effort on the elemental
powers of the child. Instead of trying
to evaluate his character in terms of
large number of separate traits, would 1t
not be more economical to try to find
out how much he evidences of will,
Sociability and emotionality? A weight
ed average of the three would be bet
ter measure of character than the COM
bination of a number of perhaps unre-
lated superficial qualities
The ratings of the parochial school
teachers upon which Sister Rosa's OBJ
servationsS were based we're not snap
judgments, but were made up from OBJ
servations of specific behavior of each
child. There were from to ii specific
questions to be answered by the teachers
in connection with each trait, the pur-
pose being to get fairly distinct pic
ture of each child in relation to each
trait. This eliminated to large extent
the personal reactions of the teachers
toward individual children. Each child
was rated for each of the 35 traits by
three teachers and the ratings CORE
lated automatically. In cases where
the judges disagreed markedly the find
ings were thrown out.