ABSTRACT
THE subject of ability is one that is only just beginning to be incorporated in the general study of psychology. Baldwin's Dictionary of Philosophy and Psychology, which was published in 1911, gives no definition of the term other than the theological, “The sinner's power, or want of it, to do what is good in the sight of God.” Under the word,” tests,” it gives an account of tests for a number of special capacities, but neither here nor elsewhere is there a discussion of the general problem of ability. At that date only a few psychologists were working on problems of ability, and even at the present time it cannot be said that there is a generally accepted body of doctrine with regard to it. The layman has a number of perfectly definite questions as to the nature of ability, its cultivation, its diverse forms and its relation to genius. The psychologist is only beginning to work upon these problems and it must be confessed that such partial answers as he has formulated have not given much satisfaction to the layman. The latter would exchange all the psychologist's measurements and analyses for one such suggestion as Sir James Barrie's, that ability is knowing how best to crack your walnuts. If only his prejudice could be overcome, he would soon realize that the psychologist's measuring and analysing is full of the fun of the chase, and that to find out how people crack their walnuts, why some do it better than others, and whether the same crackers will crack all walnuts is in itself an absorbing pursuit. The facts that are now available seem to suggest certain answers to these problems, but as psychologists are not agreed on these answers it becomes necessary to review the position and to attempt a discussion of certain theories that have been put forward.
