Loyola Language Study
Loyola Language Study test booklet
Word association tests have been used for over 100 years to explore different aspects of language and thought, and are still a popular research tool. In the 1950s, following on from a pilot study by Loyola colleague Louis B. Snider, S.J. and Olof Johnson at Boston State Hospital, Herr developed a novel form of word association test called the Loyola Language Study.
Examples of most common responses
Loyola Language Test norms
This new test had innovative instructions. Instead of saying the first word that came to mind, participants had to give the word they thought most other people would say. The objective was to assess individuals' awareness of what others knew, or what Henry Stack Sullivan's (1892-1949) called "communality of thought". Herr also viewed the task as a measure of empathy. He used it to explore psychological processes in different groups of individuals. Thousands of test responses were collected to validate and standardize the test. Herr also explored its potential as a screening tool in psychiatric settings and in seminaries.