This section is from the book "Human Vitality And Efficiency Under Prolonged Restricted Diet", by Francis G.BENEDICT, Walter R. Miles, Paul Roth, And H. Monmouth Smith. Also available from Amazon: Human Vitality and Efficiency Under Prolonged Restricted Diet.
The total time required to find and point out the numbers 1 to 50 in proper order and without skipping any is shown for both squads in tables 173 and 174. Each squad began this test at their second experimental session, i. e., the second time they came to Boston. There is thus no normal for Squad A. Many of the individual differences between the members of Squad A which were found in the other measurements are also observable here. Obviously, the best scores are those which represent the shortest time. The best averages for A are for Bro, Tom, and Vea, with scores of 127, 122, and 132 seconds, respectively. Men who required a conspicuously long time to perform the test were Spe, Mon, and Pec, who have averages of 183, 168, and 167, respectively. Spe did not have so much opportunity for practice as the others. Thus the test brings out the usual individual differences. It required 2 to 3 minutes, the average for all subjects being 147 seconds. Squad B, as shown in table 174, was definitely slower in this test than A, both in the normal and the low-diet averages. Several of the men have average scores of 200 seconds or longer. The normal average is 194 seconds, the low-diet average 178 seconds. While the average of 194 might be considered slow because of the fewer practice occasions and the longer intervals which separated them, this condition does not apply in the three reduction dates, January 13, 19, and 27, which were preceded by ample opportunity for practice.
It is therefore clear that the men of Squad B were slower in this test than the subjects in Squad A.
The averages for both squads on the different dates are compared in figure 114. Squad B is definitely below Squad A; there is somewhat of a practice effect with both groups. Squad A shows a lengthening of time on October 27, also a depression on December 8 and 19, and a marked drop on January 26. Squad B shows a depression in the curve on their first reduction date of January 13. This decline may be a mere coincidence as there is continued improvement on the two following dates, January 19 and 27. In general the curve for Squad B is more regular than that for A, but it can not be stated that there is any definite indication of an effect due to the reduction in diet.
Fig. 114. - Average discriminatory reaction time for finding and pointing to serial numbers.
Solid line curve represents Squad A, and broken curve Squad B.
[Values in seconds].
Date. | Bro. | Can. | Kon. | Gar. | Gul. | Mon. | Moy | Pea. | Pec. | Spe. | Tom. | Vea. | Fre. | Av. |
1917. | ||||||||||||||
Oct. 13............ | Ill | 128 | 124 | 162 | 153 | 182 | 155 | 202 | 215 | 146 | 108 | 160 | 147 | |
Oct. 27............ | 154 | 139 | 201 | 185 | 187 | 185 | 240 | 196 | 154 | 211 | 119 | 150 | ... | 171 |
Nov. 10............ | 121 | 172 | 202 | 154 | 105 | 140 | 178 | 131 | 183 | 168 | 124 | 129 | • • • • | 144 |
Nov. 24............ | 116 | 139 | 154 | 146 | 132 | 163 | 191 | 166 | 140 | 162 | 96 | 116 | .. | 141 |
Dec. 8............ | 151 | 145 | 147 | 137 | 155 | 205 | 156 | 106 | 177 | 158 | 132 | 132 | .. | 150 |
Dec. 19............ | 135 | 154 | 148 | 179 | 134 | 131 | 106 | 167 | 14ft | .. | 150 | 157 | .. | 155 |
1918. | ||||||||||||||
Jan. 12............ | 109 | 120 | 146 | 137 | 145 | 117 | 125 | 150 | 173 | .. | 106 | 116 | . | 130 |
Jan. 26............ | 147 | 161 | 162 | 142 | 155 | 234 | 146 | 220 | 186 | .. | 131 | 126 | ... | 165 |
Feb. 2............ | 101 | 122 | 148 | 133 | 96 | 184 | 112 | 88 | 142 | .. | 95 | 150 | .. | 122 |
Low-diet average.. | 127 | 142 | 164 | 149 | 141 | 168 | 158 | 153 | 167 | 183 | 122 | 132 | 160 | 147 |
[Values in seconds].
Date. | Fis. | Har. | How. | Ham. | McM. | Kim. | Lon. | Mac. | Sch. | Liv. | Sne. | Tho. | Van. | Wil. | Av. |
1917 | |||||||||||||||
Nov. 3........ | 204 | 191 | 306 | 175 | 205 | .. | 218 | 226 | .. | 186 | 168 | 312 | 118 | 178 | 206 |
Nov. 17........ | 214 | 192 | 222 | 158 | 152 | .. | 236 | 221 | • • | 198 | 240 | 196 | 162 | 239 | 206 |
Dec. 15........ | 179 | 269 | 188 | 171 | 175 | 248 | 149 | 173 | 206 | 142 | 175 | 184 | |||
jan 5 ........ | 206 | 172 | 284 | 129 | 188 | 207 | 264 | 193 | 162 | 150 | 134 | 173 | 178 | ||
Normal average. | 208 | 184 | 270 | 163 | 179 | 207 | 210 | 232 | 264 | 182 | 186 | 216 | 139 | 191 | 194 |
1918 | |||||||||||||||
Jan. 13........ | 192 | 138 | 392 | 98 | .. | 210 | 155 | .. | 268 | 219 | 180 | 236 | 162 | 137 | 191 |
Jan 19........ | 186 | 110 | 216 | 139 | .. | 192 | 190 | .. | 251 | 193 | 206 | 213 | 154 | 147 | 175 |
Jan. 27........ | 181 | 144 | 249 | 161 | .. | 209 | 155 | .. | 278 | 133 | 164 | 215 | 144 | 143 | 169 |
Low-diet average | 186 | 131 | 286 | 133 | .. | 204 | 167 | .. | 266 | 182 | 183 | 221 | 153 | 142 | 178 |
 
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