53 

 to give the greatest tonicity to the muscles and the 



movements are far more natural than those evoked by pun- 

 ishment or any other stimulus. Any stronger stimulus 

 than hunger, such as punishment f has an unfavorable effect 

 on the animal. A stimulus, as an electric shock, has a 

 decided effect on antagonistic muscles; there is an in- 

 hibition of these muscles and since these play an im- 

 portant role in the process of the organisation of move- 

 ments the learning process must be interferred with. 

 Harmful results in the long run must ensue. Learning, 

 no doubt, does take place ^but not naturally. Ho better 

 evidence for this statement can be had than that any 

 strong stimulus, as it is usually found necessary to em- 

 ploy, causes a spread or irridiation of reflexes and 

 movements, which are unnecessary to learning. Punish- 

 ment appears to be far from being as natural a stinulus 

 as hunger. 



