Smyrna times. [volume] (Smyrna, Del.) 1854-1987, 1942-03-05
Hearing Helps
Blind to See
Psychologists Test Ability
Of the Sightless to
Avoid Obstacles.

IIdACA, ~. 1.-COrnel pSycnOlO-
gists announce that they have found
the solution of what constitutes the
so-called sixth sense" in the blind
which enables them to avoid obsta-
Giles. The blind avoid obstacles
through the sense Of hearing. ac-
cording to the psychologists.
1t is believed that the discovery
will not only bring hope and conf
dence to the newly blind, but also
will provide techniques for those who
have been blind for many years and
enable them to obtain a freedom of
movement now denied them. The
Cornell findings are said by the sci
entists to have implications also for
persons moving about during black
outs, which already have resulted in
many accidents in England. AS a
result of the new findings. those
blinded by accidents, or by war,
need not resign themselves to utter
dependence upon their sighted neigh
bors. the psychologists say.
The reported solution Of the prob
lem resulted from the collaboration
of two-man team, one Of whom is
blind, working under the direction of
DR.. Karl M. Dallenbach, professor
of psychology at Cornell. The work
ers are Michael Supa, blind gradu-
ate student from Binghamton,
graduate of Colgate in 1910, and Mil
ton Coffin, graduate assistant, a ma
tive of Worcester, Mass, A. B. Clark
university in 1888 and M. A., Univer-
sity Of Nebraska, 1899.
A Puzzle for Centuries.
The peculiar ability of the blind
to avoid obstacles has baffled man.
ind for centuries. Casual observ-
and amateur experimenters
ave been responsible for highly
fanciful explanations of a ''power"
supposedly possessed only by the
blind themselves.
Many vague descriptive terms
were used to label this special abil-
ity-terms ranging from facial vi
sion," warning sense" and dis
lance sense" to ''telesthesia, par
optic vision" and the so-called sixth
sense Of the blind" The halo of mys-
ticism and supernaturalness attend
ing this ability of the blind is I'M
doubtedly due to the misunderstood
ing created by the term sixth
sense" according to the expert
mentors.
In a series Of carefully controlled
experiments consisting of more than
500 trials, the three psychologists
used four subjects, two totally blind
and two with normal vision. The
latter believed beforehand that they
would be incapable of perceiving
the presence of objects without vi
sion. But, from the very outset,
these subjects, who were now COM
pletely blindfolded, were able to de-
tect the presence of an artificial wall
which was placed in their path.
Test Subjects Reactions.
Throughout the series the subjects
were asked to state how they
thought it was possible for them to
distinguish the presence Of the OBJ
stacle. AT first, none was able to
give a definite reason but said that
they 'just knew it was there" Then,
some thought that sounds aided in
their determinations. The others
said that an indefinite pressure ex-
perience on the forehead served as
their cue. Tests were now devised
to determine effectively which of
these subjective reports was cor
rect.
A mask of heavy felt was con-
structed so as to cover the entire
head and face without touching any
parts of the face or forehead. This
eliminated the possibility of any
sources of stimulation of pressure
upon the covered parts. Despite
this heavy veil, hearing was not i'm
peded. AS in the preceding series,
all subjects were able to detect the
pressure of the wall.