Dear Tipsters, Chris wrote:
Goddard, among other > things, invented the word "moron," which he intended as a diagnostic > term for children of slightly-below-average intelligence. I am not sure that this is entirely correct. According to Edward (1971), the terms "idiot","imbecile", and "moron" were used historidally before Binet to indicate the lowest grade of intelligence, very low and subnormal just below normal respectively. Binet and Simon argued that the defining behaviours for these labels were not standard. They tried to correct this problem by defining the degrees of retardation in terms performance on their 1905 scale. We may object to these terms today (and rightly so), but at the time, Binet and Simon clarified matters by at least attempting to standardize their meaning. By Edwards' account, this would mean that Goddard did not invent the term. Of course, he may have used it and may have given another specitic operational definition for it. I am not sure exactly what he did. Sincerely, Stuart Edward, A. J. (1971). Individual mental testing: Part I: History and Theories. Scranton: Intext Educational Publishers. See chapter 2: Alfred Binet: The early work (1895-1905). Stuart J. McKelvie, Ph.D., Phone: (819)822-9600 Chairperson, Extension 2402 Department of Psychology, Bishop's University, Fax: (819)822-9661 3 Route 108 East, Borough of Lennoxville, E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sherbrooke, Quebec J1M 1Z7, Canada. Bishop's University Psychology Department Web Page: http://www.ubishops.ca/ccc/div/soc/psy --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To unsubscribe send a blank email to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
