2o6 Habit and Instinct. 



activities so that they arise whenever these activities are 

 evoked. Nay, more ; so close is the association that the 

 same stimulus evokes not only the instinctive response hut 

 also the visceral reaction which is the primary genetic 

 basis of the emotion as such. This is obviously in line 

 with our whole interpretation of the phenomena. Our 

 interpretation of instinct is that a stimulus gives rise to a 

 co-ordinated group of outgoing nerve-currents to the motor 

 organs concerned in the congenital response ; that this is 

 purely organic ; but that the automatic performance of the 

 activity gives origin to a group of ingoing currents which 

 evoke activity-feelings and afford primary data to con- 

 sciousness. Our interpretation of emotion in its primary 

 genesis is that a stimulus gives rise to a co-ordinated 

 group of outgoing nerve-currents to the viscera, heart, 

 lungs, digestive organs, skin, and so forth ; that this, too, 

 is purely organic ; but that the automatic reaction of these 

 visceral organs gives origin to a group of ingoing currents 

 which evoke emotional states and afford the primary 

 emotional data to consciousness. Our present point is 

 that the same stimulus may give rise at the same time 

 both to the co-ordinated motor group and to the co- 

 ordinated visceral group ; both to instinctive reaction and 

 to the visceral reaction essential to emotion. The two 

 are in fact in such cases inseparably connected in origin, 

 though they are distinguishable both physiologically and 

 in their effects in consciousness. The result of their 

 common origin is that instinctive data and emotional 

 data are simultaneously presented to consciousness, and 

 that their association in consciousness is of the closest 

 possible nature. With the growth of experience this 

 constant association is yet further strengthened, and the 

 motor and visceral effects are yet further consolidated, so 

 that each tends to supplement and reinforce the other. 



