Psychological Investigations 235
up who might repeat my experiments. Therefore one sees clearly, and I may say one can see measurably bow impossible it is in a general way for two grown-up persons to lay their minds side by side together in perfect accord. The same sentence cannot produce precisely the same effect on both, and the first quick impressions that any given word in it may convey, will differ widely in the two minds." (p. 157.)
Galton was able in 124 cases of associatd ideas to determine the period of life at which they became associated with' the word. His results may be thus abstracted
Associations formed at following periods of Life.
No. |
Percentages | |||||
Total |
Four times |
Three times |
Twice |
Once | ||
Boyhood and Youth ... |
48 |
39 |
10 |
9 |
7 |
13 |
Subsequent Manhood ... |
57 |
46 |
8 |
7 |
5 |
26 |
Quite Recent Events ... |
19 |
15 |
0 |
3 |
1 |
11 |
Total ... |
124 |
100 |
18 |
19 |
13 |
50 |
The greater fixity of the earlier associations is clear as well as the fact that half the associations date from the period of life before leaving college. Associations are largely fixed in childhood and adolescence, but I do not think it necessarily follows as Galton seems to suggest that early education has a large effect in fixing our associations. The result may flow from mental plasticity, or the unstocked condition of the mental storehouse of youth.
Lastly Galton divides the original words into three classes, and the associated ideas into four.
The original words
(i) were capable of mental images, as `abbey,' `aborigines,' `abyss.' (ii) represented actions or states of mind as `abasement,' `abhorrence,' `ablution.'
(iii) formed more abstract notions as `aptness,' `ability,' `abnormal.'
N . |
Nature of Words |
Sense imagery |
Histrionic |
Verbal Associations |
Per cent. | |
Persons |
Phrases and Quotations | |||||
26 |
Capable of Mental Images |
43 |
11 |
30 |
16 |
100 |
20 |
Actions or States of Mind |
32 |
33 |
13 |
22 |
100 |
29 |
Abstract Notions |
22 |
25 |
16 |
37 |
100 |
The associated ideas were
(a) Sense imagery, chiefly visual.
(b) Histrionic, the mind visualised itself acting a part. (c) Merely verbal associations as names of persons. (d) Verbal associations as in phrases and quotations.
Galton gives the following analysis
Per cent. nature of Associated Ideas.
30-2