CHAPTER XI 

 CHARACTER 



IF the shock of non-adjustment arouses 

 emotions, and these emotions induce a devo- 

 lution which cuts the organism back to simpler 

 forms, the question arises whether there is not 

 a reverse process by which motives arising in 

 organisms may force changes in the environ- 

 ment. In short, does any shock of non-adjust- 

 ment arouse impulses which seek an outlet in 

 ways modifying present surroundings or com- 

 pelling a movement away from them ? If 

 there is no such impulse, we must assume that 

 all changes begin in the environment and end 

 in modifications of the adjustment-seeking 

 organisms. 



There is at least a strong popular belief in 

 such motives and their effects. We custom- 

 arily say that men " have character," when, 

 in distinguishing them from the mere passive 

 recipients of environmental pressure, we point 



K 129 



