f ' 



HABIT FORMATION AND FEELING QUALITIES 325 



6. Perhaps even stronger elements than feelings for facili- 

 tating and checking the factors involved in the growth of skill 

 are to be found, (1) In the direction of movements and (2) In 

 the time and space relations of movements to each other, e.g., 

 balanced and rhythmic movements. The latter condition un- 

 doubtedly affects the readiness with which movements integrate 

 into systems. The literature on the bilateral asymmetry of the 

 hands is indeed voluminous, but I fail to find any investigation 

 attempting to determine the respective spatial zones in which 

 each may achieve its maximum skill in accuracy, speed and 

 control. These zones are doubtless conditioned and limited in 

 the individual by his original neural capacity for making and 

 controlling a variety of movements. The present study showed 

 that the right hand is considerably handicapped in acquiring 

 and making skilful movements to the left of the median plane 

 of the body, and that the left hand, for the left handed (only one 

 in this study), is also disadv ant aged, although not seriously, in 

 the acquisition of skill to the right of the median plane. The 

 right hand sustained one third more inhibitions, dropped one 

 sixth more cards, and was nine tenths as accurate while operat- 

 ing in the field to the left of the median plane. The more ac- 

 curate studies of movements thus far have been limited to hori- 

 zontal and to back and forth movements; there is need for 

 determining the planes in which the movements of the arm, piv- 

 oting on the shoulder as a center, attain maximum skill. 



It may be strongly contended that the direction of the move- 

 ment is prior and fundamental to feeling and that both integra- 

 tion and feeling are results of reactions and that as results they do 

 not function in integrating processes. I would readily assent to 

 this view but for the evidence advanced in" (1)" and "(2) "of "5" 

 above and in addition to the fact that direction of a movement is 

 not the sole determiner of its feeling quality. To direction should 

 be added rate, extent, and relation to other movements, as bal- 

 listic rhythmic, and systemic. Seventeen per cent of the move- 

 ments to the left ranked high as pleasant and were easily learned, 

 while 26 per cent of the rightward movements ranked high as* 

 unpleasant and were difficult to learn. 



PSTCHOBIOLOGT, VOL. II, NO. 3 



