Psychology of Mental Arithmeticians and Blindfold Chess-Players

Abstract

WHOEVER may hereafter write about mental imagery will be imperfectly equipped for his task unless he has mastered the contents of this curious and instructive volume. It analyses the mental processes of two groups of remarkable men—those who possess extraordinary powers of mental arithmetic, and those who are capable of playing eight or more games of chess, blindfold and simultaneously. The idea of making the inquiry is due to the late Prof. Charcot; its prosecution has been conducted almost wholly by M. Binet, and principally at his laboratory in the Sorbonne. The prosecution of such an inquiry with the accuracy needed by modern psychology is exceedingly difficult, and it is also very difficult to express such results as may be obtained from it, in unambiguous language. The author has, however, succeeded in the latter as well as in the former, and he has framed many happy turns of expression which will contribute to the much desired evolution of psychological language.

Psychologie des Grands Calculateurs et Joueurs d'Échecs.

Par Alfred Binet. (Paris: Hachette and Cie., 1894.)