Complete Record - Heirs of Hippocrates No. 2190

ALFRED BINET (1857-1911) L'étude expérimentale de l'intelligence. Librairie C. Reinwald; Schleicher Freres 1903 [6] 309 [3] pp. 22.3 cm.

One of Binet's many interests was to develop techniques to measure reasoning ability and other higher mental processes. The present work is one of his valuable studies on children's intelligence which played a role in his development of an intelligence test. Binet investigated the mental characteristics of his two daughters by analyzing their solutions to simple problems. He described his observations and experiments which ultimately led him to conclude that it was not possible to use tests of sensory-motor abilities to measure intelligence. The work was an excellent systematic study of the differences between two individuals. In 1904 he was appointed to a government commission charged with investigating methods of establishing classes for children who were not able to do regular school work. Based on studies such as the present work, and in collaboration with Théodore Simon (1837-1961), he developed a standard test that could be used to classify children according to their mental ability. The first version of their test was ready in 1905 and was adapted for use in America a few years later. Lewis M. Terman (1877-1956), of Stanford University popularized the test, called it the Stanford-Binet test, and introduced the term "IQ" (Intelligence Quotient).

Cited references: Waller 1077

Gift of John Martin, M.D.