Verbal Productivity and Adjective Usage

A survey of free verbal productions of ninth-grade males and females fails to reveal differential use of qualifiers (high frequency adjectives) by social class, but girls for the most part use more adjectives than boys. Consistent differences in productivity appear with girls more productive than boys, high IQ children more productive than low IQ children, and rural children less productive than members of urban or suburban groups. Productivity per se seems to be a fruitful variable to study in connection with social class, particularly since it relates to school performance. The role of specific situations in relation to verbal productivity needs more study.