Citation

Goddard HH. J. Abnorm. Psychol. Soc. Psychology 1921; 16(1): 47-54.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1921, R.G. Badger)

DOI

10.1037/h0070902

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Goddard gives statistics which clearly indicate the falsity of a definition of feeblemindedness based solely on mental age. He then defines feeblemindedness as the lack of ability to get along in the world, manage one's own affairs with ordinary prudence and compete with one's normal fellows, together with a consideration of mental age. He defines the moron as one of that group of feebleminded with a mentality ranging from eight to twelve years and the psychopath as the individual of a low mentality resulting from mental disease, not mental arrest. Under the category of subnormal he would include the feebleminded and such others as have a mentality below whatever age might be agreed upon as the lower limit of normality, i.e., the group that has not developed to the required level. He stresses the idea that quantitative study of mind must be followed by qualitative analysis, qualitative study of mental functioning, determination of degree of abnormality and significance as found in different mental processes, and concludes with the definition of the subnormal mind as a mind of incomplete structure contrasted with the abnormal mind as a mind of imperfect function. His final emphasis is on the necessity of examination for functional peculiarities before any classification into groups. From Psych Bulletin 18:10:00604. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved)