OUTLINE OF A STUDY OF THE SELF 13 



(f) Habits of special importance. What important habits, good or bad, 

 did you acquire at this time ? Is there a particular habit which stands out as 

 responsible for anything unsatisfactory in your life ? If so, how did you happen 

 to acquire it ? 



Consider especially habits of honesty, truthfulness, fairness, conscientiousness, 

 thoroughness, persistence, patience, and self-control. 



Did either your father or your mother give you any instruction during child- 

 hood concerning sex ? When ? In what manner and to what extent ? What 

 was the effect of this instruction ? Describe fully and frankly the development 

 of your sex instincts, and the habits which have grown up about them. In case 

 your parents gave you no sex instruction in childhood, how did you obtain such 

 information, and what was its nature ? Do you feel that your parents, brothers, 

 sisters, or teachers did you any injustice by faihng properly to enlighten and 

 instruct you in matters of sex or by deceiving you ? What do you think they 

 should have done ? 



(g) Social relations and tendencies. Describe briefly your relations with your 

 parents, brothers and sisters, other members of the household, during childhood. 

 What can you say concerning the religious, moral, economic, social and political 

 conditions and influences in your home ? Was the spirit of that home harmonious 

 or discordant ? Were you on intimate, confidential, affectionate terms with 

 your father, mother, brothers, sisters, teachers, — anyone ? If so, how did the 

 relation develop, and what was the result ? Did your parents understand you ? 

 Did they sympathize with you ? Did you naturally seek companions in child- 

 hood ? Did you have few or many ? Did you enjoy school ? Why ? Give 

 a Hst of your teachers with an estimate of the influence of each upon you. Did 

 you take to social gatherings or entertainments at this age ? Were you natu- 

 rally and generally a leader or a follower in games, school, clubs ? Why ? Were 

 you easily influenced, suggestible, weak-willed, vaciUating, or the opposite ? 

 Did you prefer the society and pursuits of your own or the other sex ? Why ? 

 Had you any strong attachments or love affairs during chfldhood ? Were you 

 naturally religious ? 



