THE KAHN TEST OF SYMBOL ARRANGEMENT (KTSA) IS A TEST OF ABSTRACT THINKING THAT MEASURES COGNITIVE STYLES. THE ORIGINAL VERSION OF THE TEST REQUIRES THE SUBJECT TO ARRANGE SMALL PLASTIC OBJECTS FIVE TIMES: THREE TIMES IN A FREELY CHOSEN ORDER, ONCE ACCORDING TO THE SUBJECT'S PREFERENCE AND LIKING FOR THE OBJECTS, AND ONCE AS A TEST OF MEMORY. THE SUBJECT MUST ALSO GIVE REASONS FOR THE ARRANGEMENTS AND STATE WHAT EACH OBJECT SYMBOLIZES. IN THE MODIFIED VERSION, THE OBJECTS ARE PREARRANGED BY THE TESTER AND THE SUBJECT MUST CHOOSE HIS RESPONSE TO THE ARRANGEMENTS AND TO THE SYMBOLISM OF THE OBJECTS FROM A LIST OF POSSIBLE RESPONSES. BOTH VERSIONS OF THE TEST WERE ADMINISTERED TO 33 YOUNG ADULT MALE INMATES WITH RECORDS OF PREVIOUS CONVICTIONS AND TO 33 NONOFFENDERS. THE SUBJECTS WERE OF COMPARABLE AGE, SOCIOCULTURAL STATUS, AND INTELLIGENCE. THE RECIDIVISTS SCORED LOWER THAN CONTROLS ON THE ORIGINAL KTSA AND HAD A SYMBOL PATTERN CHARACTERIZED BY REPETITIVE, CONCRETE RESPONSES. THE GROUPS DID NOT DIFFER ON THE MODIFIED KTSA. THE RESULTS SHOW THAT THE FREE-RESPONDING VERSION OF THE KTSA HAS GREATER DISCRIMINATIVE POWER IN IDENTIFYING HABITUAL OFFENDERS THAN THE FORCED-CHOICE VERSION. THE RESULTS ALSO INDICATE THAT HABITUAL OFFENDERS ARE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND ABSTRACT CONCEPTS BUT NOT TO PRODUCE THEIR OWN ABSTRACTIONS. SUPPORTING DATA AND A LIST OF REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (LKM)