A first book in psychology / by Mary Whiton Calkins.

  • Mary Whiton Calkins
Date:
1910
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A first book in psychology / by Mary Whiton Calkins. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    128/446 page 110
    starting-point of the association is very narrow, either a single element or — as we shall see — a group of elements, but never a concrete total. This first term (X) of the as¬ sociation is, in the second place, a part both of the first and of the second of the successive, concrete experiences (the hyacinth-percept, I., and the image of the bell, II.) and the association is, thus, entirely within the second of these experiences, the image of the bell. It follows, also, that only this second one (II.) of the concrete totals of consciousness need be regarded as identical with any former experience; in the present case, for example, Shelley need never before have seen a hyacinth, but he must already have seen and heard a pealing bell, in order to have the association. Finally, it is evident that, in cases of successive association, the first of the associated elements or groups of elements (X) neces¬ sarily persists in consciousness, whereas the elements com¬ bined with it in the earlier complex (I.) fade gradually away; and that the persisting element is then surrounded by the added elements (m, n, o) of the second concrete (II.). This persistence of the earlier experience, though occurring in concrete association, is especially characteristic of the ‘par¬ tial’ type. The connecting term of a partial association (the X) may include more than a single element. We have then an instance of what may be named ‘multiple association.’ When Wordsworth, for example, says of Milton: — “Thy soul was like a star and dwelt apart,” the star reminds him of Milton’s soul, not merely by its aloofness but by its light. Or, to take a more prosaic illustration, if the sight of an Italian salt ship calls up an
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