IV 



THE PROBLEM OF ORIENTATION 



TN treating of this subject one is compelled to en- 

 ■*-ter a field occupied by contesting parties. The 

 subject of orientation has long been a bone of con- 

 tention, but it is probable that, as has occurred in 

 so many other controversies, a deeper insight will 

 result from the conflict of opinion. Allusion has 

 been made in the previous chapter to the theory of 

 orientation to light and other forces, which has 

 been developed by Loeb and which has influencSed 

 so largely recent work in the behavior of lower or- 

 ganisms. This theory made the orientation of or- 

 ganisms to light, heat, chemicals, etc., and the migra- 

 tion of animals toward or away from the source of 

 stimulus an entirely involuntary response based upon 

 more or less simple reflex action. To construe be- 

 havior in terms of tropisms and to explain tro- 

 pisms as the inevitable effect of reflex action which 

 in turn was supposed to be determined by the me- 

 chanical and chemical constitution of the organism 

 formed the general scheme of attack upon problems 

 of behavior which Loeb and his adherents have at- 

 tempted to follow out. Many features of the be- 

 havior of lower organisms were found to receive ^ 



69 



