RECORD'^ OF MEETINGS 391 



Function of Emotional Reaction. — Psychological research shows that 

 emotional reactions have a valuable positive as well as an apparently 

 negative function. They are more important than to serve merely as 

 symptoms or psychic effects of sensory and motor excitation. They have 

 a causative function as recent investigation shows. The fimction may 

 be summarized as follows: 



1). Emotions of the more intense kind signalize the compresence of 

 several motor tendencies which evoked by the perception of the situation 

 are incoordinate, mutually conflicting and inhibitory in their struggle 

 for expression. They are moreover inhibitory of immediate overt ac- 

 tion, in very large measure at all events, by the organism. Such imme- 

 diate emotive responses as usually occur may be means of protection or 

 communication or mere vestiges of acts that have survived the period of 

 their utility. Among these acts may be mentioned convulsive move- 

 ments, "freezing," cries or growls, trembling, facial contortions and flush- 

 ing or pallor of face, hair standing on end, parched mouth and throat, 

 and so on; many more or less prophylactic or communicative, but some 

 certainly belonging to levels of behavior not adapted to the present. 



2). Emotional reactions make possible and necessary novel and more 

 satisfactory mode of behavior. Momentary inhibition of gross organic 

 response by emotion allows a rapid survey of the situation and incited 

 motor tendencies, both old and new, and a selective organization of these 

 tendencies into a fit plan of action. This clarification of the situation as 

 a whole is accompanied by a gradual subsidence of intense emotion into 

 a vigorous emotional tinge that reinforces and "moves" the whole organ- 

 ism to action. The outcome of the plan reflexly qualifies the remem- 

 bered experience as "emotional meaning"" which is utilized in future ex- 

 perience. 



3). Emotion not only reinforces and gives ultimate directness and 

 quickness to the plan of behavioi- adopted ; but it also sets free energy 

 and makes it available for immediate consimiption. Old accounts say 

 that emotion animates and invigorates with the heat and flush of swiftly- 

 flowing blood, "anger sweetens the blood," reveals a sense of new and 

 greater powers and a faith and zeal that carry one to successful issue. 

 Experimental researches support this popular idea. See among othere 

 the accounts of physiological expei'imentation of Benedict and Oathcart, 

 F. S. Locke, Vincent, Sherrington, Schafer, Bickel, Bickel and Sasaki, 

 Cannon, Pawlow. It is fairly to bo inferred from data available that 

 "big" emotions as fear, anger and possibly love, stimulate through sym- 

 pathetic connections certain organs as the thyroid and the adrenal glands. 

 The stimulation of the adrenals effects secretion of .adrenalin into the 



