Evening star., 1935-07-21

phenomena are observed in a labora-
tory But he also wanted. not a series
of disconnected observations but a
picture of the continuous flow of men,
tai growth, week by week. month by
month, year by year.
A continuous picture is motion
picture. Perhaps some such idea led
him to think of the motion-picture
camera.
The camera is an indispensable tool
to the astronomer and the biologist,
and to scientists in other fields. Whole
sections of science have been built up
on the camera. Why would it not be
extremely useful in psychology, which
is so much concerned with the objec-
tive observation of conduct?
So Gesell started taking motion pic
lures of some of those infants who
streamed through his clinic day after
day.
Out of this he gradually developed
an unusual technique.
Today there is that famous astro-
nomical dome in a room on the
laboratory floor of the clinic. 1t looks
like the dome of an observatory, but
it is made Of transparent wire gauze on
a stout metal framework.
But these astronomers at the clinic
look from the outside in. like the scien-
fists in that topsy-turvy country Gul-
liver tells about in his travels. The star
they look at is not in the heavens, but
inside the dome, and it is live star,
being somebody's baby.
The procedure is like this:
Once every four weeks throughout
the first year of life. baby is put into
the dome. Inside there is simple, every
day equipment "a crib. a table,
steps and what not. The interior is
brightly but softly lighted by special
Cooper Hewitt lights. The baby is
given certain standard things to play
with "a pellet, small square blocks,
and other objects.
Two motion-picturec cameras, sound
deadened, on the outside, record every
move the baby makes, from different
angles. Observers, unseen by the baby
through the one-way- vision screen, are
also busy taking notes on this uncon-
ventional drama of babyhood, played
by lone actor.
Similarly. once every four weeks,
motion pictures are taken of baby in
the natural surroundings of its home,
in the usual situations involved in
baby care and activity.
Thus Gesell and his coworkers have
slowly built up an extraordinary rec
ord, living library. of the lives and
behavior patterning of more than one
hundred infants. 1t fills shelves stacked
to the ceiling in special film storage
room. And there are thousands of
cards filled with notes about the films.
The cream of this record is con-
tanned in the Yale Films of Child De-
velopment. 4 series of educational
talking pictures, produced in coopera-
ton with Erpi Picture Consultants.
New York. and that is used by groups
interested in child psychology; and in
the ATLAS of Infant Behavior" pub
lished at Yale - two thick volumes
containing $500 action photographs
of babies, arranged in sequence and
accompanied by commentary. Life
Begins" is the title of seven reel
feature sequence sound-scored with
spoken narration by DR.. Gesen.
What comes out of all this?
A definite picture of what Gesell
calls the pattern of growth - mental
and physical together. You see clearly
the successive stages in the develop
ment of the use of the hand, from a
fist at birth; on through the stage
where the whole hand is used hap
hazardly and awkwardly; then the in
quisitive forefnger definitely taking
the lead, poking at and into every
thing. trying everything; then the CO.
ordination of thumb and fOreflnger,