296 LINUS WARD KLINE 



ing introspection occurs "The work makes a heavy draft on the nerves! 

 on the coordinating centers. The memory does not always readily 

 supply the movement. The whole performance may become blurred 

 for the lack of movement." J's curve beginning from 9P and extend- 

 ing to the end of the practice shows unusual fluctuations. This fact, 

 the characteristic of the individual's habits of work on this problem, 

 tends to obscure the second break. He sustains an actual loss in per- 

 centage of improvement at 10P and at 12P of 2.36 per cent and 1.81 

 per cent respectively. To select either 9P or 11 P as the breaking 

 point appears arbitrary, so it seems best to take the entire region from 

 9 to 12 and to give the accompanying introspections. 10P. "There 

 was no feeling of relaxation today. I was tense throughout. The 

 body swayed to and fro and from side to side. The prophetic feeling 

 for the movements was completely absent. I broke down completely 

 during the 5P which was probably due to accumulation of effects (a) 

 I had resolved all the week to make a good record before the holidays, 

 (b) The preholiday stir-up, perhaps, (c) I heard other subjects talk 

 about the higher records, (d) Errors of the preceding trials had un- 

 nerved me." IIP. "If I had a new case to learn I would go at it 

 systematically, for I now find the need of knowledge as well as practice 

 to make any headway." 12P "Dreaded to begin. I have reached a 

 plateau and to go on I must bring both the position of the boxes and 

 the order of the cards to consciousness. I seem unable to eliminate 

 superfluous movements of hand and body." Concerning K, the second 

 break occurs unmistakably at 12P, which suggests an examination of 

 the next record. 13P. "The movements were not allowed full freedom. 

 Held myself in check for fear I should lose control? of movements. If 

 I try to hurry I go wrong. There is over muscle tension and too much 

 nervous energy used up in the distribution." My own notes record 

 "Cards thrown with excessive force, hear them strike the box. Sub- 

 jects shuffle feet. Rebuke themselves half audibly for mistakes. As 

 the last card is thrown the signal 'up' is shouted. 



These introspections and observations make it appear that 

 the habits have developed just beyond the level of safe con- 

 scious supervision and yet were not sufficiently stable to stand 

 the strain incident to the rate of speed at this stage. The break, 

 then, is due in part to a direct effect of the conditions inherent 

 at the initial stages of the inverse relation between consciousness 

 and habit. When the habit, for any reason, failed, conscious- 



