467 



1. The subjective acoeiUeti stinuilns is perceived sooner. 



2. It is perceived willi greater iiiteiisitj'. 



3. It is of longer diiralion. 



Psychologically these three characteristics are easy to understand 

 and may be explained npoii the basis ihat a keener attention is 

 given to one stininlns than to another, for we know that onr per- 

 ceptions are aronsed sooner, (hat they become more intense, and 

 that iheir after-effect lasts longer, according as onr atleniion is more 

 closely concentrated n|)On the stimulus. 



This, in our judgment, is the nature of "subjective rhylhmi.sation": 

 ive attend more keenly to one stimulus than the other. 



Some points still require further elucidation. Fiist of all the 

 so-called "Innerliche zusainiaenfassuny", I he rnnning-iogelher of the 

 impressions to form gi'onps, which generally start with (he subjective 

 accented stimulns. This is also a temporal gi'ouping, in such a sense 

 that the elements of the group seem lo follow each other at a 

 quickei' rate, Avhile at evei'y time there is a longer pause betweeji 

 two groups (Meumann (2)). We believe this grouping lo be of a 

 secondary nature and to result fiom the fact that the after-effect 

 of the subjective accented stimulus is prolonged. This causes tlie 

 pause between the termination of the accented stimulus and (he 

 beginning of the non-accented stimulus to be shorter than in (he 

 opposite case. This also accounts for the fact that rhylhmisation 

 always occurs in the sense of a falling rhythm, the shorter pause 

 then falling within the group, or rather in consequence of the short 

 pause it seems to us as if the stimuli by which it is bounded, 

 belong together; conversely the long pause causes a separation 

 between two groups. Another question that arises concerns the 

 cause of subjective rhythmisation -. why do we attend lo one 

 stimulus more keeidy than to (he other, and why is this alternation 

 regular? 



Our capacity of receiving outside impressions is limited. Of a 

 large number of simultaneous stimidi lo which we are exposed, we 

 perceive only a part. Some attain a high state of consciousness, 

 others are driven into the background of consciousness. When the 

 stimuli are weak and affect us only for a short time, the quantity 

 need not be large for a selection. 



Experiment: two, three or more lines or points, perfectly equal inter se, are 

 presented to the observer for a very briel period of time. When the lines or 

 Points are not very clear, and the exposure is short enough, only a few will be 

 perceived^ well, the others appear to us much less distinct, or we do not see 

 them at all. 



