HABIT FORMATION 225 



for the nerve impulse to go over this pathway a second time. 

 There is always the danger of an undesirable voluntary act be- 

 coming habitual. The years of childhood are the critical ones in 

 habit formation and, therefore, in character building; childhood 

 habits form the basis for later conduct. If the acquired habits 

 are later found to be undesirable, it is necessary to make substitu- 

 tions and this is a waste of mental energy. Consequently, it is of 

 the utmost importance to build correct habits by the proper con- 

 ditioning of reflexes in the beginning. 



To a large extent, mental growth results from acquiring a large 

 number of useful voluntary activities. Prpbably every one has 

 the same number of neurons. There is an infinite number of 

 possible connections among them. The same neuron may link 

 up with several others and this may result in a great many different 

 activities. As each new act is performed, a new combination of 

 neurons is connected by means of synapses. The more synapses 

 are made, the greater will be the growth in experience, judgment, 

 memory, and reasoning. If any voluntary act which is useful 

 can be relegated to the realm of habit, it will give greater oppor- 

 tunity for acquisition of new voluntary acts. 



Problem. The study of nervous activities. 



List twenty simple activities performed by you in one day. Next to each 

 activity put the class in which it belongs : inborn automatic, acquired auto- 

 matic, or voluntary. 



I. Which of the voluntary activities listed would be desirable as habitual 

 ones? Why? 



A. What prevents them from becoming habits? 



B. How may they be changed into habits? 



II. How can you improve the performance of any act in your life? 



QUESTIONS AND SUGGESTIONS 



1. What is a reflex arc? Make a labeled diagram of the reflex arc. 



2. Name three types of nervous activities. 



3. What is the value of reflexes to the organism ? 



