Our minds and our motives; a dictionary of human behavior

Preface

The object of this book is to present in one volume, arranged for instant reference, in language as simple as is consistent with accuracy, the facts and theories of human behavior, together with such notions of philosophy as may be necessary for their understanding.

To know oneself has ever been the criterion of wisdom; to know others is the criterion of utility. There are few unmixed motives in a complex civilization; each individual has the qualities of his faults and the faults of his qualities. «To weigh oneself and others in the balance, a pastime to the idle, is a necessity to the thousands whose success depends on such understanding.

If this book succeeds in clarifying not only the varieties of behavior, but the fundamental principles on which all study of life depends, it will have done as much as its author expects.

Pau. D. HuGon,

BEFORE USING THIS BOOK FOR REFERENCE IT WOULD BE DESIRABLE TO READ THE ENTRIES LISTED HERE

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Scientific Method Evolution Mind Unconscious Thought Language Expression Gesture Graphology Mental Healing Destiny Heredity

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OUR MINDS AND OUR MOTIVES A

Aberration, a mild form of insanity on a particular subject; poor judgment due to an exaggerated notion. See Delusion.

Abhorrence, a feeling of extreme disapproval of a practice considered highly reprehensible, especially of one that goes counter to one’s religious ideas; a mental form of the loathing instinct (Disgust). It is expressed facially by a slight frown, with eyes fixed, and the lips formed in a reproachful ‘Oh!”’

Ability in general, intelligence, one’s mental level as compared with that of one’s contemporaries; readiness to see new elements in situations, to form new mental combinations. Intelligence is congenital (found at birth, and usually inherited) and is associated with high tonicity and the number of cells in the brain; it runs in families and is not noticeably increased by education. Specific native power is properly called, in modern psychology, one’s ‘‘capacity”’ (musical, linguistic capacity), while the term “‘ability’’ is properly reserved to designate acquired skillin the use of a capacity. Thus the popular phrase “‘musical ability’’ would include

Ability (Cont.)

the native capacity to perceive pitch, rhythm, etc., and the acquired ability which utilizes that capacity. A capacity may, through education, develop into an ability; deprived of opportunity for development, it willusually remain asa vague longing for the specific form of activity. See Intelligence, Faculty.

Abiogenesis, see Spontaneous generation.

Abnegation or Self-Sacrifice, the fundamental Christian virtue; a sentiment combining humility with tenderness (love, charity); the sacrifice of oneself in favor of others for the sole reason that such sacrifice is considered intrinsically meritorious. Cf. Effort.

Abnormal psychology, a phrase formerly used to describe the study of the phenomena of sleep, dreams, hypnotism, etc., now included in general psychology; also the study of mental defects, now studied under the name of psychiatry. See Mental deficiency.

Absolution, in Roman Catholic and Episcopalian practice, the forgiveness of sin by the priest. In the R. C. Church, the absolution is part of the sacrament of penance, and is administered to the individual sinner after he has personally confessed his sins and expressed his repentance. It is conditional upon the performance of a given penance.

Abstract idea, an idea which relates to no particular object. ‘Advertising pays”’ is an abstract idea; ‘‘I see a blue and white flower”’ is a concrete idea. According to Boris Sidis, an abstract general idea in the consciousness of the waking self has a particular idea as its basis in the sub-waking self (i.e. abstract ideas are the result of thinking upon certain facts of observation). See full discussion under Thought.

Abundance, plentiful supply. The term is used by psychological metaphysicians to refer to the inexhaustible supply “in the absolute’”’ of whatever man needs, which supply may be “brought forth into visibility’? by unwavering faith, stimulated by affirmations and denials (q.v.), such as, “There is no shortage in the universe. God is abundance here and now, and I thank him for his abundant supply.’”’ See Supply.

Accuracy, the acquired ability to make correct and exact calculations or statements. Accuracy is the result of habits of attention, analysis, deliberation and judgment. It is defeated by laziness, precipitation, and often by imagination (jumping at conclusions). The accurate or scientific mind often lacks imagination (vision), and attaches equal importance to all details.

Accurate persons (bookkeepers, lawyers, etc.)

often betray that habit by characteristic gestures, .— such as gathering papers in neat piles, folding 5

Accuracy (Cont.)

things neatly, looking around to see that they have not forgotten or dropped anything. That same habit is expressed in handwriting by the correct placing of 2 dots and ¢ bars, of punctuation and apostrophes, and by broad spacing between the lines, as in an endeavor to secure higher legibility.

Acquiescence, a more or less passive way of allowing another to do as he intended; tacit assent, different from. positive agreement or enthusiastic support. Acquiescence usually implies a doubt as to expediency.

Acquired characteristics (as opposed to inherited or congenital), the characteristics (q.v.) which are due to one’s environment, those which appear for the first time during one’s lifetime and which have not been previously expressed in one’s forbears. Acquired characteristics are not transmitted to one’s offspring: thus a man who becomes deaf through a blow on the ear will not transmit deafness to his children. See Heredity.

Acquisitiveness, the propensity to attract, or take, and use things that are considered of value— one of the fundamental instincts (q.v.). A normal amount of acquisitiveness is necessary to every individual; without it, generosity is impossible, for one must first have before one can give; a good

ress

Acquisitiveness (Cont.)

provider must get the things that his family is to use. A shortage of that instinct is a form of disinterestedness which amounts to improvidence; an excess degenerates into greed (avarice, miserliness, accumulation of wealth for its own sake). See Quality. See example under Independence.

Acrimony, a mood of bitter resentment which finds ever-ready expression in word or deed. It comes from nursing a grudge—thinking in unchanging terms of an injury, real or imaginary, which one is unable to avenge. See Resentment.

Action, doing. There are different kinds and modes of action: |

(1) voluntary action, which may be either (a) volitional, produced by an act of will: I go for a walk (i.e., I deliberately set out to do this); or (b) spontaneous, implying the mere consent of the will: I eat the next mouthful (i.e., having started deliberately to do one thing, I continue in accordance with acquired habits, without a new decision, but with full consent).

(2) non-voluntary action: I breathe (a reflex or automatic movement governed by the unconscious mechanism of the body). |

(3) ¢tnvoluntary, opposed by the will: I am pushed from my seat. (This may not be considered action at all, since the constituents of the movement are reflexes (non-voluntary action), set

Action (Cont.)

to work by a series of stimuli (the feeling that I am falling off my seat.) Cf. the Behavioristic classification under Response.

Actions as a guide to character; see Expression, Gesture, Appearance.

Activity, muscular, the degree to which one needs to use one’s muscles, this being greater in some, perhaps owing to abundant endocrine secretion (see Glands). They are said to have a muscular or executive temperament.

Adaptation to Environment, in Biology (Evolution), the changes of character which individuals and species have to undergo in order to survive (struggle for life, survival of the fittest). Adaptation to Environment may take place through variation (see Mutation), i.e., before birth; or it may be acquired by the individual in his own lifetime, but in the latter case it is not directly transmissible to offspring. See Evolution, Heredity. “Complete adaptation to environment” is the biological definition of “Success”. As all the laws of Evolution apply equally to ideas, systems, ethics, etc., as they do to individuals and to species, it should be borne in mind that the phrase is capable of greater significance than it has generally received. Cf. Protective mimicry, Lying. .

Adept or Master, in Occultism, Hinduism, Theosophy, etc., one who has, through selfdevelopment and renunciation of appetites, reached the highest point of spirituality of which man is capable, and who can therefore, it is claimed, transcend material limitations of Time and Space. It is asserted by believers in this theory that Buddha and Jesus were Adepts, and that they still live in imperishable bodies. The Adepts or Masters of Wisdom are also called Mahatmas (i.e., Great Spirits), or the Great White Brotherhood.

Admiration, a combination of curiosity plus negative self-feeling (humility). A conceited person is usually unable to admire the deeds of others; ~ one who knows a great deal (1.e., who lacks further curiosity) is unlikely to find many objects of admiration. According to Darwin, “‘Admiration apparently consists of surprise associated with some pleasure or a sense of approval. When it is vividly felt, the eyes are opened and the eyebrows raised; the eyes become bright instead of remaining blank, as under simple astonishment; and the mouth, instead of gaping, expands into a smile.’’

Adolescence, the period of life between childhood and maturity. In adolescence, childish instincts become sublimated into adult tendencies; failure of this process results in some definite weakness in the character later in life. Adolescence is

Adolescence (Cozt.)

the age of longings, idealism, adventure, ambition, enthusiasm, hero-worship, religious zeal. Hero-worship leads to various affectations in imitation of the hero: affectation of strength, toughness, will power (in boys) ; of womanly charm, polish, mature beauty (in girls). See Affectation, Age, Sublimation.

Adventure, spirit of, a compound of curiosity (inquisitiveness, scientific spirit, desire to know), physical activity (without which the spirit of adventure may turn to day-dreaming and lying), love of form (shapes), color (which seeks gratification in new sights, new climates), imagination, absence of the gregarious instinct. ‘The six attributes of the adventurer’ are described by Thornton Wilder in “The Bridge of San Luis Rey’’, in the character of Uncle Pio: “A memory for names and faces, with the aptitude for altering his own; the gift of tongues; inexhaustible invention; secrecy; the talent for falling into conversation with strangers; and that freedom from conscience that springs from a contempt for the dozing rich that he preyed upon.” Cf. Independence.

Advertising, deferred selling, in which the elements of favorable attention, interest, and desire are present, but the element of action (closing the sale) is absent. According to Thorstein ie)

Advertising (Cont.)

Veblen, “The Theory of Business Enterprise” (Scribner, 1910), “the psychological principles of advertising may be formulated somewhat as follows: A declaration of fact, made in the form and with the incidents of taste and expression to which a person is accustomed, will be accepted as authentic and will be acted upon if occasion arises, in so far as it does not conflict with opinions already accepted. The acceptance of an opinion seems to be almost entirely a passive matter. The presumption remains in favor of an opinion that has once been accepted, and an appreciable burden of proof falls on the negative. A competent formulation of opinion on a given point is the chief factor in gaining adherents to that opinion, and a reiteration of the statement is the chief factor in carrying conviction. The truth of such a formulation is a matter of secondary consequence, but a wide and patent departure from known fact generally weakens its persuasive effect. The aim of the advertiser is to arrest attention and then present his statement in such a manner that it is easily assimilated into the habits of thought of the person whose conviction is to be influenced. When this is effectually done, a reversal of the conviction so established is a matter of considerable difficulty. The tenacity of a view once accepted in this way is evidenced, for instance, by the endless number and variety of testimonials to the merits of well-