4. Stereotypy.
By stereotypy in its broadest sense we understand the persistent and constant reproduction of certain activities, such as verbigeration, catalepsy, persistent phrases, perseverations, etc. These manifestations belong to the most characteristic symptoms of dementia præcox. Yet stereotypy in the form of automatization is also one of the most usual manifestations in the development of the normal psyche (Spencer). All our abilities and the whole progress of our personality rest on automatization. The process leading to it is the following: In order to perform a certain activity we direct all our attention on the appertaining ideas and through this markedly accentuated tone we engrave the phases of the process into memory. The effect of frequent repetitions causes a "smoother" path, upon which the activity finally moves automatically almost without our aid. Only a slight impulse is necessary to immediately put the mechanism in motion. The same thing may take place in us passively through strong affects. We can be forced to certain action by affects; at first there is great inhibition, but later, on account of numerous repetitions of the affect, the inhibition becomes less and finally the reaction succeeds promptly even on a very slight impulse. This can especially be observed in the bad habits of children.
The strong feeling-tone creates tracks, whereby we again express the same things that we have said of the complex: Every complex has a tendency to autonomy and to independent living; it has a greater tendency to persist and to reproduction than indifferent thought; it has therefore the best prospect for becoming automatic. Hence if anything becomes automatic in the mind an antecedent feeling-tone must always be postulated for it.[1] This is most clearly seen in hysteria, where we are able to trace all stereotypies (like convulsive attacks), absences, complaints and symptoms, to the underlying affects. In normal association experiments we find so-called perseverations regularly at complex-locations.[2]
- ↑ As previously stated attention belongs under the collective idea of Gefühlston (feeling tone).
- ↑ Occasionally the complex-content continues to persevere. In the majority of cases, however, there exists only one persevering disturbance which may perhaps be ascribed to the fact that the complex through dis-
