The foundations of normal and abnormal psychology / [Boris Sidis].

  • Boris Sidis
Date:
[1914]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The foundations of normal and abnormal psychology / [Boris Sidis]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    is given by the qualitative aspect of the prominent ele¬ ments which seem to guide and form the organization of the percept. The general plan of the structure of the percept may be compared to that of the cell. A close examination of the cell reveals the presence of a central element, of a nucleus surrounded by cytoplasm with its meshwork, the cyto-reticulum. The nucleus forms the central and im¬ portant structure having the functions of assimilation and reproduction. The nucleus and cytoplasm, how¬ ever, are intimately related; the modification of one affects the other. Both nuclear and cytoplasmic struc¬ tures form one organized whole, one living cell. Sim¬ ilarly in the percept we find a group of sensory elements which constitute the nucleus, and a mass of other sensory elements, possibly the main mass, forming the tissue of the percept. The nuclear elements are more intense and appear to be predominant in the total mental state, —both however are intimately connected and go to form the living tissue of the percept. The nuclear elements of the percept have the lead and seem to possess the organizing, the fer¬ menting power to assimilate the mass of subordin¬ ate elements and have them transformed into one unified organic whole. The slightest modification in the structure and function of the nuclear ele¬ ments brings about a change in the total cytoplasmic mass of the percept, giving rise to a different structure, to a different percept; and again, modifications of the cytoplasmic mass, so to say, affect the formation of the nuclear elements often resulting in a different percept. It requires however quite a considerable change in the subordinate elements to bring about a change in the per-