120 VINNIE C HICKS AND II. A. CARE 



representation of the whole path traversed, it may not be remem- 

 bered upon the second trial on the following day. This descrip- 

 tion of a possible plan of procedure is designed merely to illus- 

 trate our general proposition that any systematic plan of action 

 must necessarily be effective upon the records of the trials, and 

 that its effectiveness is proportionate to the character of the 

 plan, to the mental ability of the subject, and to the persistency 

 with which the plan is prosecuted. 



This hypothesis is similar to the first in so far as the plan 

 of action is derived from previous knowledge of the maze. How- 

 ever, we desire to emphasize several points. Two groups might 

 be on a par so far as previous knowledge is concerned and differ 

 immensely in the ability to use it effectively. One group might 

 be unable to evolve an adequate plan, their judgment as to 

 its adequacy might be poor, and they might be weak as to 

 the virtues of persistency and pertinacity. Again, the develop- 

 ment and choice of plans or modes of attack may depend not 

 only upon the previous knowledge of the maze problem but 

 upon experiences derived from widely disparate sorts of situations. 



3. A third hypothesis assumes the efficacy of acquired habits 

 and innate tendencies. Practically, the hypothesis is the same 

 as that of purpose or plan, with the exception that the determin- 

 ing conditions are conceived as having no conscious correlate. 

 Children are characterized by sensorial attention and curiosity. 

 In popular terms they are all eyes and ears. Their nervous 

 system is highly responsive to all sorts of objective stimuli ; 

 their reactions are determined mainly by objective conditions; 

 relatively, they are creatures of the environment. Adults are 

 more "blase; they do not give themselves up to every chance 

 novel stimulus ; their reactions come to be more and more deter- 

 mined by acquired internal neural conditions; they are masters 

 of, rather than slaves to, their environment. Psychology is 

 accustomed to emphasize the positive phase of the selective 

 character of habit in apperceptive reactions to sensory stimuli. 

 Habit is also selective in a negative sense; it curbs or represses 

 many of the original tendencies to response; it results in the 

 neglect on the part of the organism of many seductive appeals 

 to reaction. The general point to be emphasized is the fact 

 that children are extremely sensitive to a wide range of stimuli, 

 With accumulated experiences, adults become neglectful of 



