A clinical method for investigating higher nervous function tests for generalizing ability

Summary

The method which is described in this paper gives the opportunity not only to trace the formation of conditioned reflexes in man but also to measure the rapidity of transfer of a correct reaction formed to several stimulants of a definite series to all stimulatns of this series (generalization, extrapolation of reactions). A subject under investigation should press knob A_i when the lamp a_i is lit (look at the scheme). Then after several associations of switching on b_i and a_i lamps, a healthy individual who is examined presses the knob A_i, when lamp b_i is lit (conditioned reflex). He presses knob A_m when the lamp b_m, which was never lit before is switched on (extrapolation of reactions). The latter type of reaction could not be formed in oligophrenics.