The Psychology of Special Abilities and Disabilities

By Augusta F. Bronner, Fh.D. Boston: Little, Brown and Co., 1917. Pp. viii ?+? ^t>y. Dr. Bronner opens her preface with an amazing statement. She says* nowhere else have special defects been outlined and nowhere can one find even enumeration of the types of variation that are practically important." Leaving out of account the enormous literature on special defects of the language function aphasia?one has only to take down the files of the Psychological Index to find abundant proof that Dr. Bronner's view of the matter is uniquely limited. She attempts in her book "to discuss practical aspects of special abilities and disabilities, to offer in detail methods of attacking problem-cases, and to present various types, both (a) of particular disabilities in those who have normal general ability, and (b) of particular abilities in those who are below normal in general capacities." When she goes on the say that "the problems we are here concerned with are those that arise because of lack of recognition of special abilities and special disabilities?problems even outlined, so far as we know, only by Healy," we-find ourselves again in the presence of the serious limitations of the work.