A Study of Emotional Conflict on Delinquent and Non-Delinquent Boys

This experiment dealt with the disorganization of responses in delinquent and non-delinquent boys by the use of the Luria Technique. This consists essentially of an instrumental and objective measurement of the affective state as it appears through disturbances in the smooth flow of a complex response to a controlled word association test. Thirty delinquent boys held by probation office and thirty non-delinquent boys with no record of court appearance were used as subjects. The age range was twelve to seventeen years. The boys were individually matched on the basis of C.A., M.A., school grade placement, school, and a rough index of socio-economic status. The results show a small quantitative difference between the groups in disorganization of response in the experimental situation, with large individual differences in both groups. The non-delinquent were slightly less variable and more rapid in reaction time, more normal in verbal responses, and showed a lower incidence of disturbed motor reactions. It appears that the greatest differentiation appears in a qualitative analysis of intensity and pattern of response