PSYCHOLOGICAL DIAGNOSTICS

Describes procedures for determining the presence vs. absence and sequential organization of cognitive processes involved in transitivity, conservation, and addition/subtraction of units. It is concluded that complex inferences are necessary to diagnose even fairly simple processes. Mental processes have the status of constructs and are frequently operationally anchored, not to physically defined stimulus and response categories, but to the meanings of the S's acts. The constructs and their anchorings are always tentative and subject to continuous revision. It is argued that valid diagnosis of the presence vs. absence and form of mental processes is a prerequisite to fruitful higher level theorizing. (16 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved). © 1969 American Psychological Association.