This article describes the application of three psychometric methods to the problem of measurement of the friendly or hostile relations among states of the world today. To secure judgments, schedules were sent to students of international affairs at several times during the last five years. The method of equal-appearing intervals was used to determine the relative probability of war for 88 pairs of states in January, 1937; the method of “triadic combinations” to determine relative friendliness among the Great Powers in November, 1938; and the method of “multidimensional” or group rank order to measure the attitudes of important states toward the Great Powers in March and April, 1939; June, 1940; and June, 1941. A chart of scale values for the pairs of Great Powers shows the changing trends since 1937. The last two methods were used to depict the Great Powers in multidimensional space according to their mutual friendliness, thus permitting the application of a type of factor analysis. The reliability of the methods employed was high, and various types of evidence support the general validity of the results.

In a recent number of this Journal (June, 1941), Professor Guilford has interestingly called into question the assertion of several authors that Thurstone’s method of analysis (by maximal frequency of zero loadings).

To settle the point, Guilford has submitted to the said analysis a fictitious factor matrix which was expressly devised to contain g. The result was that this factor — in opposition to the assertion mentioned above — did duly make its appearance. Thereupon he fairly enough proceeds to conclude that:

Not so acceptable, however, is his wide generalization that:

This presentation deals with the evaluation and transformation of linear forms. Especial emphasis is given to implicit methods in which it is not necessary to find the explicit values, xi. The relation of the Aitken triple product matrix CA−1B to the result of a linear transformation of linear forms is noted, and the numerical computation of this triple product matrix is indicated with the use of the simple Abbreviated Doolittle solution. Application is also made to the evaluation of A−1 and of A−1C.

It is pointed out that the scoring weights for test items should be approximations to regression-equation weights. For this reason any estimate of reliability of the weight should not be permitted to influence the size of the weight but should be used in determining the limit of acceptability of an item. A simple approximation weight is recommended for general use, and an abac is provided for the estimation of it when the correlation between item and criterion is the phi coefficient. A formula for the standard error of this weight is derived and tables of significant and very significant weights are presented in terms of deviations from the median weight.

Bi-factor and multiple-factor analyses of the same data are compared in two respects. First, two criteria are suggested for determining when the factorization is adequate. This problem being more acute for the centroid method than for the bi-factor method, the latter is used primarily for comparison only. It is shown also that the omission from the simple structure of entries smaller than .10 yields a pattern which is a poorer fit to the original correlations than is the bi-factor pattern. Second, the second-order general factor obtained from the intercorrelations of the primaries is found to be highly correlated with the general factor of the bi-factor pattern.

The IBM card counting sorter may be readily used for a number of statistical operations independent of the tabulating unit. In this article, use of the counting sorter in computing the mean and standard deviation with 2-digit variables and the coefficient of correlation with scores coded in a single column will be described. Both processes involve machine work which is essentially the same. A method for finding the correlation between 2-digit variables will also be given.

This paper questions the oft-repeated statement that clinical psychology is an art by examining the main functions of clinical psychologists, i.e., diagnosis and treatment. In examining the concept of diagnosis, evidence is presented which supports the notion that a diagnostic statement has meaning only when it has a referent in the future—when it provides a prediction. A prediction (probability-statement) is determined empirically and may be stated in terms of a regression equation or in terms of a crude generalization from clinical experience. Treatment likewise is determined by tacit or expressed predictions of behavior under alternative conditions. The various conceptions of art as applied to clinical psychology are examined and the conclusion is drawn that clinical psychology is a scientific as opposed to an artistic or intuitive enterprise.

The instrument to be described was developed from apparatus the original design of which, by Landahl and Bechtoldt, was unpublished. Its function is to measure the times of simple reaction, choice, perception of projected patterns, and perception of dim patterns after light adaptation. It may also be used to time verbal response to multiple-choice material when combined with the response relay described by Libby elsewhere in the present journal.

The complete instrument, including chronoscope, subject keys, and experimenter keys, may be carried in a case ll"x6.5"x6.5". The chronoscope, M, occupies the left half of the case. The upper half of the right-hand section serves for carrying the subject key (H) or, as shown in the accompanying cut, the microfilm container and projector slides. All remaining apparatus is in the lower half of this compartment.