Alternative Test: Repeating Three Digits
PROCEDURE. Use the following digits: 6-4-1, 3-5-2, 8-3-7. Begin with two
digits, as follows: "_Listen; say 4-2_." "_Now, say 6-4-1_." "_Now, say
3-5-2_," etc. Pronounce the digits in a distinct voice and with
perfectly uniform emphasis at a rate just a little faster than one per
second. Two per second, as recommended by Binet, is too rapid.
Young subjects, because of their natural timidity in the presence of
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strangers, sometimes refuse to respond to this test. With subjects under
5 or 6 years of age it is sometimes necessary in such cases to re-read
the first series of digits several times in order to secure a response.
The response thus secured, however, is not counted in scoring, the
purpose of the re-reading being merely to break the child's silence. The
second and third series may be read but once. With the digits tests
above year IV the re-reading of a series is never permissible.
SCORING. Passed if the child repeats correctly, _after a single reading,
one series out of the three_ series given. Not only must the correct
digits be given, but the order also must be correct.
REMARKS. Others, on the basis of rather scanty data, have usually
located this test at the 4-year level. Our results show that with the
procedure described above it is fully as easy as the test of repeating
sentences of 6 to 7 syllables.