“Flowers for Algernon” Pre-reading Discussion ELA 8: Exploring the Unknown D. Riley, 2013

Standardized Tests Identify standardized tests that are used at school:  What do they measure?  How are they administered?  What do the scores mean?  Are they reliable?

Flowers for Algernon In “Flowers for Algernon,” the main character Charlie has to take several tests to measure his intelligence and personality. Let’s take a look at a few of those tests…

Thematic Apperception Test

Definition The Thematic Apperception Test (TAT), often referred to as a picture interpretation, is a personality test that uses a series of ambiguous pictures about which the subject is asked to tell a story. This test is used to evaluate a person’s patterns of thought and observational capacity.

History The TAT was first developed in 1935 by Henry Murray and his colleagues at the Harvard Psychological Clinic. It was originally used as a method of therapy and to tap into the nature of a patient’s thoughts.

Method of Administration The complete version of the test contains 32 picture cards. Although Murray recommended using 20 cards, most practitioners choose a set of between 8 and 12 selected cards. The test is administered in two one-hour sessions in a quiet room with no distractions.

Method of Administration The subject is asked to tell as dramatic a story as they can for each picture presented, including the following:  what has led up to the event shown  what is happening at the moment  what the characters are feeling and thinking  what the outcome of the story was The examiner is to avoid interjecting and should not answer questions about the content of the pictures.  The examiner may ask/answer questions if working with a child or person with low cognitive abilities. The subject’s stories are tape-recorded.

Let’s Try!

Purpose This test is often administered to someone who has already been diagnosed with a mental disorder in order to match him or her with the correct type of therapy. This test is intended to evaluate a person’s:  view of the world  attitude toward self  attitude toward others  expectations of relationships

Problems The results are not scientific. A person’s gender, ethnicity, and socio-economic class may affect the type of story created. Since the stories are recorded and later evaluated, patients’ facial expressions, body language, etc are not a part of the evaluation.

Rorschach Test

Definition The Rorschach test is a psychological test in which subjects’ perceptions of inkblots are recorded and then analyzed.

History The interpretation of inkblots goes back to the 19 th century in art and literature. Swiss psychologist, Hermann Rorschach was the first to use these inkblots in a systematic way to “test” his patients.

Method of Administration The tester and the subject typically sit next to each other at a table with the tester slightly behind the subject. Procedure:  The tester hands the subject a card with an inkblot.  The subject may rotate the card if desired.  The subject is asked to identify what he/she sees  The subject is asked, “What makes it look like that.”

Method of Administration There are ten official inkblots, each printed on a separate 18x24 cm white card:  Five inkblots are black ink  Two are red and black ink  Three are multicolored

Let’s try a few! Identify the image you see in each inkblot. Be prepared to share what details make the ink look like that image.

1 Common Responses: bat, butterfly, moth

2 Common Responses: two humans, dancing

3 Common Responses: animal hide/skin, rug, monster

4 Common Responses: dragon, human mask

4 Common Responses: crab, spider, worms, snakes

Purpose Psychologists use this test to examine a person’s personality characteristics and emotional functioning. The test helps to detect underlying thought disorders, especially in patients who are unwilling to describe their thinking processes openly.

Problems The images used for this test are public domain. Since people have access to the images and popular responses, the results can be manipulated by the subject.

Anticipation Guide As each statement is read aloud, raise your right hand if you agree and raise your left hand if you disagree. If you are undecided, raise both hands. 1. Intelligence makes a person more likeable. 2. A real friend is someone who would never make fun of you. 3. Mice are smart animals. 4. The more you read the smarter you become. 5. A person’s IQ tells how much knowledge a person has. 6. The more intelligence a person has the less worries they have. 7. Surgery can fix almost any problem these days. 8. Animal testing is okay as long as the animal does not die.

Measured Intelligence and Education IQ Score Educational Equivalent Mean of persons receiving Ph.D. and M.D. degrees Mean of college graduates Mean of high school graduates Average for total population About chance of reaching ninth grade At the beginning of “Flowers for Algernon,” Charlie, the main character, has an IQ of 68. What does this mean according to this scale?

Examine the diagram. What parts of the brain might a doctor operate on to increase the intelligence of an individual? How would operating on that portion of the brain would help accomplish this goal.