pathology of lying-第31节
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urg。 As a young child he was regarded as destructive。 The general statement concerning delinquency is that Adolf is the only one of the family who has given trouble and that the father was the first to complain of the boy to the authorities。 Before he reported it there had long been trouble on account of frequent changing of employment and misrepresentations。 The boy had forged letters to his family and others。 In the office of a certain newspaper he once represented himself to be an orphan； and there a fund was raised for him and he was outfitted。 The father insists that the boy； in general； is an excessive liar。
Further inquiry brought out that other people； too； regarded Adolf as an extreme falsifier。 The principal of a school thought the boy made such queer statements that he could not be right in his head。 In the office of a clerk of a court he represented himself to be employed by a certain legal institution and demanded file after file for reference。 Everybody there was friendly to him at first； but later they all changed their attitude on account of his unscrupulous and constant lying。
Physically we found a very well nourished boy； rather short for his age。 Weight 121 lbs。； height 5 ft。 1 in。 Musculature decidedly flabby； this was especially noticeable in his handshake。 Attitude heavy and slouchy for a boy。 Expression quite pleasant； features regular； complexion decidedly good。 A North European type。 Eyes differ slightly in the color of the irides。 Noticeable enlargement of breasts。 Well shaped head of quite normal measurements； circumference 54。5； length 18； breadth 15 cm。 No sensory defect； nor was anything else of particular interest found upon examination。
The mental study； particularly the testing for special abilities； has been of very great interest。 Fortunately for the scientific understandings of the problems involved we have been able to see Adolf many times at intervals and to check up previous findings。 Our first statement will be of the results obtained at the earliest study of the case。
When we first saw Adolf； although he talked so intelligently； we asked him to give us some evidence of his educational ability； and to our tremendous surprise he failed to be able to multiply simple numbers or even to do addition correctly。 There was no evidence of emotional upset； but we waited for further testing until we had seen the father； that we might be sure of the school history。 As mentioned above； we found that the boy had entirely misled us。
We then entered upon a systematic study of the boy's abilities and found some strange contrasts。 Perceptions of form and color were normal。 Given a very simple test which required some apperceptive ability； he did fairly well。 Given simple ‘‘Construction Tests'' which required the planful handling of concrete material； Adolf proceeded unintelligently。 He showed no foresight； was rather slow； but by following out a trial and error procedure and with some repetition of irrational placing of the pieces he finally succeeded。 Moderate ability to profit by trial and error was shown； but for his age the performance on this type of test was poor。 On our ‘‘Puzzle…Box；'' which calls for the analysis of a concrete situation； a test that is done by boys of his age nearly always in four minutes or less； Adolf failed in ten minutes。 He began in his typically aggressive fashion； but kept trying to solve the difficulty by the repetition of obviously futile movements。 On a ‘‘Learning Test；'' where numerals are associated in meaningless relation with symbols； Adolf did the work promptly and with much self…confidence； but made a thoroughly irrational error； inasmuch as he associated the same numeral with two different symbolsand did not see his error。 His ability to mentally represent and analyze a simple situation visually presented in our ‘‘Cross Line Tests'' was very poor。 In this he failed to analyze out the simple parts of a figure which he could well draw from memory。 This seemed significant； for the test is practically always done correctly by normal individuals； at least on the second trial； by the time they are 10 or 12 years of age。 A simple test for visual memory of form also brought poor results。
As an extreme contrast to the above results； the tests that had to do with language were remarkably well done。 A visual verbal memory passage was given with unusual accuracy； also an auditory verbal passage was rendered almost perfectly。 Considering that the former has 20 items and the latter 12 details； this performance was exceptionally good。 Also； the so…called Antonym Test； where one is asked to give as quickly as possible the opposite to a word； the result； considering his foreign education； was decidedly good。 Three out of twenty opposites were not given； apparently on account of the lack of knowledge。 The average time was 2。3 seconds。 If two of the other time…reactions were left out； which were probably slow from lack of knowledge； the average time would be 1。6 seconds for 15 opposites。 This shows evidence of some good mental control on the language side。 Motor control was fair。 He was able to tap 75 of our squares with 2 errors in 30 seconds； just a medium performance。 A letter written on this date contains quite a few mis…spelled short words： ‘‘My father Send me to This Court for The troubels I had with my sister；'' etc。
While awaiting trial Adolf； stating that he was desirous of doing so； was given ample opportunity to study arithmetic。 After a few days he told us unhesitatingly that he now could do long division； but he utterly failed； and； indeed； made many errors in a sum in addition。 He had acquired part of the multiplication table。
Study of his range of information brought out some curious points。 He told of some comparative merits of law schools； had some books on home…taught law； and was a great reader of the newspapers。 In the latter he chiefly perused reports of court cases。 He was quite familiar with the names of various attorneys and judges。 He could give the names in contemporary politics； and knew about sporting items。 His knowledge of the history of this country was absolutely deficient； but he does not hesitate to give such statements as the following： ‘‘The Fourth of July is to remember a great battle between President Lincoln and the English country。'' Again he makes a bluff to give scientific items； although he has the shallowest information。 When it comes to athletics； much to our surprise； we hear that our flabby boy is a champion。 Of course； he knows some of the rulers in Europe and by what route he came to New York； but he informs us that Paris is the largest country in Europe。
Adolf says he plays a very good game of checkers； that he had played much； but on trial he shows a very poor game； once moving backwards。 When purposely given chances to take men he did not perceive the opportunities。
We asked him to analyze out for us a couple of moral situations； one being about a man who stole to give to a starving family。 He tells us in one way the man did right and in another way wrong。 It never is right to steal； because if caught he would be sent to the penitentiary and would have to pay more than the things are worth； and； then； if he was not caught； a thief would never get along in the world。 The other was the story of Indians surrounding a settlement who asked the captain of a village to give up a man。 Adolf thought if he were a chief he would say to give battle if the man had done no wrong； but on further consideration states that he would rather give up one man than risk the lives of many； and if he were a captain he would surely rather give this man up than put his own life in it。 He thinks certainly this is the way the question should be answered。
On our ‘‘Aussage'' or Testimony Test Adolf gave volubly many details； dramatically expressing himself and putting in interpretations that were not warranted by the picture。 Indeed； he made the characters actually say things。 On the other hand； he did not recall at all one of the three persons present in the picture。 He accepted three out of six suggestions and was quite willing to fill in imaginary details； besides perverting some of the facts。 This was unusually unreliable testimony。
Our impressions as dictated at this time state that we had to do with a young man in good general physical condition； of unusually flabby musculature； who showed a couple of signs that might possibly be regarded as stigmata of inferiority。 Mentally； the main showing was irregularity of abilities； in some things he was distinctly subnormal； in others mediocre； but in language ability he was surprisingly good。 No evidence of mental aberration was discovered。 The diagnosis could be made； in short； that the boy was a subnormal verbalist。 His character traits might be enumerated in part by saying that he was aggressive； unscrupulous； boastful； ambitious； and a continual and excessive liar。 In the exercise of these he was strikingly lacking in foresight。 This latter characteristic also was shown in his test work。 The abilities in which he was overbalanced gave him special feelings of the possibility of his being a success and led him to bec
