INSTINCTIVE, EMOTIONAL AND REFLEX ACTION 315 



without our consciousness such as we call habitual, reflex 

 and automatic. Now it is clear that these actions are all 

 directed by someone. Who is this someone? In the sub- 

 marine or battleship it is man, the builder of these struc- 

 tures, who directs their movements ; so it is with organic 

 individuals we call plants or animals, it is the cell, their 

 builder, who directs their movements. 



It would be just as consistent to say when looking at 

 a battleship or submarine from a distance, not being able 

 to see the man in charge, that the battleship or submarine 

 had an instinct to shoot and hit a target at a distance, 

 without having had any previous training. The swallow 

 can fly the first time it makes the attempt. It makes no 

 attempt until it is fully developed and ready. So with 

 the aeroplane, which can fly the first time it makes the 

 attempt because as is evident and natural, those who 

 know how to build the machine also know how to oper- 

 ate it. Following are extracts from Hallock's Psychol- 

 ogy, defining the different kinds of actions : 



First "Unconscious, reflex action such as the uncon- 

 scious movement of the sleeper's hand when touched. 



Second "Conscious, reflex action such as winking 

 the eye, due to sensitiveness to light. This is illustrated 

 by a sensation which reaches the brain and hurriedly 

 passes out in motor action. 



Third "Impulsive action Here a hazy idea of a pur- 

 pose toward which the action tends makes its appearance. 



Fourth "Instinctive action This cannot always be 

 separated from impulsive action. 



Fifth "Deliberate action. Here a deliberate Will 

 chooses between alternative courses of action. Shall I 

 spend this money for books or several other things? 



"It is sometimes hard to believe that reflex actions are 

 not consciously willed. We have seen that a decapitated 



