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Show "Social Competence" Can Be Measured; New Test Determines Fitness for Life The ability of a person to fit into a changing world may be measured by a new yardstick known as "social competence." It is the newest effort ef-fort of science to determine the mental and sociological level of human hu-man beings. It contemplates the day when the science of eugenics may be applied to breed a superior race and weed out the incompetent, feeble-minded and other social dependents. de-pendents. Dr. Edgar A. Doll of the Vineland. N. J., training school, originated the yardstick. He declared that when social competence is expressed mathematically as a "social quotient" quo-tient" it is similar to the long-familiar long-familiar "intelligence quotient" and is comparable to it in many ways in measuring the intangible factors of human behavior. Writing in the Journal of Heredity, Dr. Doll explained that the social quotient is not a measure of the intelligence in-telligence of a human being, but rather a rating of an individual's fitness for society and parenthood. A feeble-minded person of very low intelligence might be rated to live freely and independently instead of being confined to an institution. On the other hand a highly intelligent person might be found socially incompetent in-competent and unfit for society. Social competence under this yardstick is analyzed according to six valuations: Self-help, locomotion, locomo-tion, communication, occupation, self-direction and socialization. In a baby, "self-help" would include grasping objects or sitting up unsupported. un-supported. In an older child, it would mean going about alone or looking after his health. In an adult, self-direction self-direction would include using money providently, providing for the future, fu-ture, and assisting others. The social measurement of an individual in-dividual can be obtained by questioning ques-tioning a friend or relative. Dr. Doll said. Thus it is possible to analyze social competence of children yet unborn through their parents. |