766 ABNORMAL PSYCHOLOGY 



of which she is completely oblivious when awake. This duality of 

 the mind in normal absentmindedness has been pointed out by 

 various observers. Its phenomena simulate those of artificial ab- 

 straction as they occur in automatic writing and hysterical states. 

 There is nothing surprising in this as the term "absentmindedness" 

 means dissociation of consciousness a failure to perceive that 

 which before was perceived, and a failure to be conscious of acts 

 intelligently performed. On the other hand, normal absentminded- 

 ness is a distinctly special condition. We don't go about in an absent- 

 minded state, or as if we had lost our heads, when we have work 

 to be done. Absentminded phenomena are manifestations of the 

 temporary disintegration of the personal self, and doubling of con- 

 sciousness, but not evidence of the persistence during the ordinary 

 waking life of subconscious states. It does not follow that on waking 

 from reverie complete synthesis does not take place. But here the 

 significant fact, the most significant of all, should not be lost sight 

 of, that in the normal process of abstraction we find evidence of 

 the existence of a normal prearranged mechanism for dissociating 

 consciousness and producing subconscious states. Dissociation is 

 plainly a function of the mind or brain. 



Now, the nub of the problem is, in healthy persons are these 

 subconscious states limited to absentmindedness? and, if not, what 

 part do they play in the mental economy? Indeed, whether so 

 limited or not, what is their extent? i. e. (a) are they purely isolated 

 phenomena, isolated sensations and perceptions? or (6) are they 

 synthesized, as imagined by Professor Stout, into logical subconscious 

 processes of thought, capable of sustained action, and as imagined 

 by some sufficiently complex to form a personality something that 

 we are justified in calling a subconscious self? or (c) are subcon- 

 scious states when synthesized always either artifacts or patholog- 

 ical? 



The question is at the root of many important problems in ab- 

 normal psychology, but is difficult to answer by experimental 

 methods, owing to the danger of artifacts. In illustration of this 

 danger I may point to the phenomena of subconscious solution of 

 arithmetical problems which are sometimes cited in evidence. In 

 favorable subjects, as in an instance under my own observation, it is 

 not difficult by means of suggestion in hypnosis to obtain the solution 

 of arithmetical problems during the waking state by some other 

 consciousness than that of the waking personality. For example, 

 while in hypnosis, two numbers are given to be added or multi- 

 plied, say 453 + 367, or 4326X3, to take actual examples, and 

 the subject waked instantaneously the moment the last figure is 

 given. The addition or multiplication is correctly solved subcon- 

 sciously, the subject not having any conscious knowledge that any 



