What Is Meant by Habit 155 



ing at our paper illustrates a habit. The ease with 

 which the pianist plays a piece, the learning of which 

 cost so much detailed attention and control, illus- 

 trates habituation. A habit is an individually ac- 

 quired capacity for giving a certain answer without 

 hesitation, or for pursuing a chain of actions without 

 needing to attend to or control each step. It always 

 implies some degree of automatization. The clever 

 shunting-horse steps off the line at the appropriate 

 moment and lets the truck it was pulling sweep past. 

 It is said that some van-horses have continued to go 

 their rounds quite effectively even after they became 

 blind. 



A habit is well illustrated by trained animals which 

 learn to go through a performance or through a 

 routine of work. In the course of time their activity 

 becomes more and more facile — a habit has been 

 established. We read of a famous performing chim- 

 panzee that when at his best he went through a series 

 of fifty-six separate acts without hesitation or mis- 

 take, and without visible direction. Even if there was 

 some direction which the audience did not detect, and 

 even if we allow for some degree of intelligent control 

 on the performer's part, we are safe in concluding 

 that the key to a considerable part of the remarkable 

 exhibition was habit. 



It is a pity that the word "habit" has been badly 

 over-used. We speak of a mistaken habit of thought, 

 of the apprentice's industrious habits, of the habit of 

 getting up early (even when it does not become any 

 easier), of the habit of cigarette-smoking, and so on. 



