GROUP IX
The aim here was to see if it were possible to have the first starting-point such that the conditions would be similar to the results obtained by using preparatory marginal settings, but include rather than inhibit the second starting-point. A review of the tendency toward mental combination in the former experiments suggested that the words be in the relation of the whole and part. The "part" was given the position of predominating influence in order to see to just what extent it would persist in combining.
| | | – | / | \ | + | γ | δ | ς | η | θ | ☐ | ι | β | κ | λ | [ | ||
| F. | { | 29 | 19 | 11 | 19 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 30.3% | 19.8% | 11.4% | 19.8% | 3.1% | 4.2% | 11.4% | |||||||||||
| H. | { | 31 | 18 | 24 | 25 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 28.5% | 16.5% | 22.1% | 22.9% | 2.7% | 73% | ||||||||||||
| V. | { | 28 | 28 | 21 | 50 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 22.0% | 22.0% | 16.6% | 39.4% | ||||||||||||||
| Bl. | { | 18 | 17 | 17 | 29 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 21.6% | 20.5% | 20.5% | 34.9% | 2.5% | |||||||||||||
| By. | { | 36 | 22 | 9 | 24 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 32.1% | 19.6% | 8.0% | 21.4% | 1.8% | 3.7% | 2.6% | 5.3% | 1.8% | 3.7% | ||||||||
| Bs. | { | 22 | 13 | 17 | 18 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| 24.2% | 14.3% | 18.7% | 19.8% | 4.4% | 1.1% | 1.1% | 6.6% | 3.3% | 1.1% | 0 | 5.4% | ||||||
| Ht. | { | 30 | 18 | 10 | 21 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 34.4% | 20.6% | 11.4% | 24.2% | 3.4% | 2.4% | 1.2% | 2.4% | ||||||||||
| Ro. | { | 24 | 22 | 16 | 48 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 21.3% | 19.4% | 14.2% | 42.4% | 2.7% | |||||||||||||
| Totals | { | 218 | 157 | 125 | 234 | 15 | 5 | 10 | 1 | 8 | 28 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 2 |
| 26.6% | 19.2% | 15.2% | 28.5% | 1.9% | .6% | 1.3% | .2% | .9% | 3.4% | .4% | .3% | .2% | .3% | .7% | .3% |
Number of subjects, 8; number of sections, 7; number of experiments, 52; number of associations, 819.
In the light of the interpretation of previous facts and the subsequent results of this group of experiments, we are now in a position to conclude that, if the present content of consciousness on the reception of a new impression is such that the reactions are not antagonistic but reënforce each other, the second will not persist in independent influence, but will be rather included in and supplementary to the influence of the first, which otherwise would be less assertive. The results below show that while the first of the two starting-points has a decided disadvantage of position, and therefore has little influence in arousing associations, it here is responsible for 43.2% and the second for but 9.5%, while there is a combined influence of 47.3%, the first strongly predominating in partial fusion. There is but one case where the second was followed exclusively.
The explanation of this, extended to an hypothesis, would rest in the fact that each word has definite characteristic reactions and that the fusion of two words or lines of thought means that the motor accompaniments are such that they unite and reënforce each other, or that the one includes the other. There are few antagonistic impulses.