The psychophysical functions differentiating artistically superior from artistically inferior children.

Abstract

J. Introduction. Artistic capacity may be interpreted psychologically as a resultant of the early and accelerated development of certain psychophysical functions which analysis indicates to be involved in expression through art media. To determine experimentally those functions in which superior development characterizes artistically superior as opposed to artistically inferior individuals was the problem of this study. In answering this question as to the distinguishing traits of the artist's equipment, the approach was made at the child level, beginning with the earliest age at which artistic capacity could be definitely detected and at which differences in the same are sufficiently marked to make possible the selection of two contrasted groups of artistic and non-artistic for purposes of comparison. By the use of the two highly selected groups it was planned to throw into relief the characteristics of the artistically superior child and at the same time to avoid confusion in the findings which would in all probability result from the inclusion of the undifferentiated middle range of artistic ability. The small number of subjects also made practicable the canvassing of a wide range of possible differentiating traits which was desirable in view of the exploratory nature of the study.Similar studies of the psychophysical traits correlated with success in art have been made with older subjects by Manuel (26) and more recently by Dreps (4). On the basis of scores made by 19 talented subjects on a battery of tests, Manuel concluded that there is no one psychophysical constitution for 108

The sensitivity of children and adults to color harmony.

“…Apparently at the child level there is little relationship between artistic ability and sensitivity to color harmony as measured by this test. This accords with the findings of Tiebout (7) on color sensitixnty of these same children. Using the Lewerens Color Recognition Test, she found that the averages were the same for each group.…”

A modern account of problem solving.

“…Meier and his students (30,99,102,146,147), working with older groups, have described several tests of artistic ability and have used these in comparing the artistically superior and inferior. Meier (103) summarized these studies in 1Q39 and listed the factors in artistic apti-tude.…”

The stability of artistic aptitude at the childhood level.

“…The field of this problem was restricted to school children within the age-range of five to nine years. Children of this age have been found by Tiebout (57), Grippen (22), Whorley (62), and others to be old enough to function artistically, and at the same time the responses of subjects of this age seem to be more naive and less conditioned by learned responses in the field of art.…”