Motor, visual and applied rhythms : an experimental study and a revised explanation / by James Burt Miner.

  • Miner, J. B. (James Burt), 1873-
Date:
1903
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Motor, visual and applied rhythms : an experimental study and a revised explanation / by James Burt Miner. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    that there is a more or less regular rise and fall in the apparent intensity of a sensation which is continually attended to. We find this in the appearance and disappearance of sensations near the threshold. “This wave of attention would probably be ex- plained as correlating with a regular rhythm of the brain or sense organ, perhaps with fatigue and restoration. It would then be open to the objection I have raised to a constant bodily rhythm. Again, attention is apparently used to describe some- thing different from the ‘ wave of fatigue.’ Greater attention is used as a name for the fact that certain sensations in a series appear more distinct to us. This would be a correct use of the term, no doubt, but it would not provide any other factor than the original sensations themselves to produce the grouping efrect. Meumann refers the grouping to straining of the attention. «‘‘The general psychological facts,” he says, ‘‘to which the sensory rhythm field is referred for a basis of explanation, are certain relations of attention, strain periods and the changing extent of the same.” * Again, he says that the entire phenomenon may be regarded as ‘‘ an unlike energy division of the attention. * * * When the separate beats follow each other at the rapid- ity of .3 sec., it is impossible for us to employ the same energy of attention throughout. However, if we alternately heed and do not heed a like number of impressions, we attain the double purpose of being able to follow the progress and the temporal succession correctly, z. ¢., without losing an impression.” With Meumann accent is an expression of the greatest employment of attention. Rhythm may certainly be described as Meumann has here; but we must wonder if, in doing so, we are providing any factor for grouping except the name attention. Meumann surely does not hold that it is the straining of attention which is felt as codrdinate with the groups. Attention is not something psychical which we feel. That which Meumann means by attention seems to be brought out somewhat better when we consider his physiological correlate for this condition. He says that the facts of energy distribution of attention are ‘to be 1 Philos. Stud., X., 429. 20D, ctt., X., 304.
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