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ferred candidates from the total interviewed did not differ from chance. The results are discussed in terms of the quality of the candidates applying for training and of the reliabiliry and validity of the selection procedure. The literature on reliability and/or validity of the selection interview is extensive. However, the evidence remains mixed and difficult to assess (UIrich & Trumbo, 1965) but the topic continues to be of great importance because it affects the careers of the chosen (and the rejected) and because of the economics of the operation. There is evidence for the effectiveness of interviewing as a means of assessing career motivation (Ridand, 1960) and in selection where personal relationships form an important aspect of ultimate career success (Bomeau, 1957 ) . Since both of these aspects appear relevant in the selection of postgraduate students 04 clinical psychology the selection interview has traditionally been used in most universities offering training in this area. Nevertheless, the interview is clearly so costly a procedure, that it is still necessary from time to time to investigate its effectiveness in terms of reliability and validity. Such an investigation of reliability and validity of selection interviewing is being undertaken in the University of Birmingham Department of Psychology on the basis of applications for the 1972 intake to the 2-yr. MSc. course in Clinical Psychology. Reliability of interviewing is reported here. A report on the validity, involving long-term follow-up of both selected and rejected candidates, will follow later.

Twenty-four normal and twenty-four chronic schizophrenic male subjects estimated duration of elapsed time at two simple motor tasks. Personality and cognitive correlates of these estimates were calculated. Cognitive speed was related to time estimation only in the normal group. As predicted from Eysenck's (22) work, there is a positive relationship between time estimation and extraversion.

It has been clinically observed that psychiatric patients in general (6, 11) and schizophrenic patients in particular (1, 4) show abnormalities of mental speed, being “retarded” or slower than normals on many measures. Confirmatory evidence on this point is to be found but much of the early work on speed of schizophrenic reactivity used measures of speed of motor performance (12, 13) or of reaction time under various conditions (6), ignoring more fundamental slowness of thought processes. The present studies are concentrated on the recent finding that schizophrenics show abnormally slow mental speed measured in a problem-solving situation (4, 18, 19). The aim of the investigation was to discover the exact conditions under which this abnormality appears, and, thence, by manipulating the experimental conditions, to be able to bring speed of mental functioning under experimental control. This paper describes the attempt to bring speed under control by means of drugs. A second paper (2) deals with the effect of practice upon mental speed.

A sample of forty-two chronic schizophrenics were randomly assigned to one of two groups given three sessions of either massed or spaced practice on a pursuit rotor, and a group of sixteen depressives were given massed practice only. The results suggest that there are differences between the learning curves of these groups when compared with those of normals. Notable among these differences is the absence of reminiscence after massed practice, and the failure of spaced practice to give the usual distinct superiority over massed. Statistical analysis of the data confirms the inferiority of the psychotics in respect of level of learning, but fails to show any other marked differences in the nature of the learning curves. The results are discussed primarily in the context of Hullian learning theory.

Normal and schizophrenic Ss (N=24 each) performed a simple tapping task. The prediction that more involuntary rest pauses would be produced by schizophrenics than by normals was borne out. A discussion is given of the relation of these results to the interpretation of schizophrenia in terms of "arousal".

Studies have shown that subjects are not random in their responses, even when attempting to achieve randomness. In this study, normal and schizophrenic subjects were asked to give numbers from one to nine at random and paced. They were given an interpolated task, and then retested. Some statistical tests of degree of randomness were devised and it was shown that no subject was random, but that stereotypy decreased within and over test—retest. The results are discussed in terms of learning and extinction of stereotypy. Differences between introverts and extraverts were almost significant in the opposite direction from that predicted. Schizophrenics were significantly more stereotyped than normals. Finally, it was shown that for a normal subject, his test could be identified from other subjects' tests on the basis of retest protocol, the test protocol providing a kind of psychological ‘fingerprint’.

Summary In an attempt to improve the speed of mental functioning of schizophrenics, a group of eight patients was given practice in tests of intellectual speed and level for five consecutive days. Significant improvements attributable to practice were noted, particularly in the speed tests. A similarly marked improvement in mental speed scores was observed in a comparable group of seven normal subjects also tested on five consecutive days. A comparison of the two groups showed that the improvement in mental speed of the schizophrenics was superior to that of the normals, but this was not true in the level test. An experiment on the ldtransfer” of the found improvability of the schizophrenic subjects indicated that the improvement can be generalized, at least to similar tests of mental speed. The results are examined in terms of the concept of reactive inhibition, and the implications of the findings for the treatment of schizophrenics briefly noted.

A representative sample of Birmingham school children was given the Bender-Gestalt test at age 11 + along with cognitive and achievement tests. The Bender-Gestalt test was scored by four independent judges using the Koppitz (1964) system and the results examined for evidence of its inter-scorer reliability and its validity. Results indicate that the test can only be used with extreme caution.

SUMMARY The performance of samples of English children at five and eleven years on the Draw-a-Man test is assessed by the scoring methods of Goodenough and Harris. Proposals are made for improving definitions of some scoring instructions. Inters-corer reliabilities are reported. Average scores of the samples are compared to American norms. Relationships between scores on this test and other cognitive and educational tests arc interpreted.

Exact repetition of P etrie's (1967) method of determining kinaesthetic figural after-effect did not allow a reliable categorisation as Augmenter or Reducer to be made for members of a group of 20 normal women. Doubt is consequently thrown on the value of this measure for personality typing.

In this combined behavioural and electrophysiological study of 51 normal young subjects, introverts and extraverts differed in per cent. time alpha and alpha amplitude. In contrast to earlier findings, introverts were higher in both. High and low scorers on neuroticism also differed in per cent. time alpha. Statistically significant associations were demonstrated between rate of change of potential (r.c.p) of the EEG and extraversion, and also between the frequency of the alpha rhythm and neuroticism. Thus relationships have been found between EEG parameters and behavioural measures of personality. The conflict with other findings and the relevance of this work to attempts to identity introversion– extraversion with "strength of the nervous system" or with "equilibrium in dynamism" are discussed.