comes as an irresistible impulse or an inevitable consequence by the persistence of the idea.'

With six reagents in thirteen cases, where disturbances occurred or the attention was drawn to something else, the hand-movements were abnormal or there was no movement at all. When the reagents were tired, worried or confused, irregular results followed. In fact the experimenter could always tell by the irregularity of the lines when the attention of the reagent was distracted.

Figure 2 illustrates how the idea of motion is taken up. In seven trials Miss E. had given irregular movements three times and had followed the moving object four times. Between the third and fourth trial the cabman called for her. After finishing, the experimenter told her that she had not held her attention on the moving object in the first three trials. Somewhat surprised, Miss E. said such was the case; that the arrival of the cab had aroused her attention, so that she fixed it on the moving object during the last four trials.

Our investigations would indicate that the whole body moves when we think, though, of course, almost imperceptibly. Reagents often turn the head or sway the body so one can see them move at the same time and in the same direction as the hands and arms move. Especially is this often marked when they think of moving objects with the eyes closed. With children the head often nods and the face scowls. The tendency of the amateur bicycle rider to be "fascinated" by an obstacle is an illustration of this tendency in movements.

This view disagrees with Stricker when he states that the remembrance of motion of inanimate objects is mostly associated with the sensations in the muscles of the eyes. Yet we must remember that Stricker only observed the feeling by muscular effort, and had no delicate means of marking it. The view disagrees with Jastrow when he states that the hands tend to move toward stationary objects to which the attention is directed. The experiments tend to substantiate the views of Féré and Lehmann, as previously given.

To sum up:

1. There is a physiological tendency for the hands and arms resting in front of the body to move inward toward the median plane of the body.

2. There is no certainty that when we see an object we tend to move toward it. We may think of it simply as an object at rest, and the idea of motion is necessary to cause movement in that direction.

3. Involuntary muscular movements may be controlled by the influence of the sight or vivid visual remembrance of moving objects: and the imitation of the direction of moving stimuli is the result.

4. Children are govered by and subject to the same laws as adults, but to a less extent.

5. There is no sex or age difference in children, either in involuntary or controlled muscular movements.1

The writer is under many obligations to Dr. Frank Angell for valuable assistance and many suggestions, as well as to Mr. W. S. Libby; also to Mr. C. J. C. Bennett, and the many others who kindly and carefully assisted in the experimentation. For the opportunity of experimenting with the children, the writer is indebted to the courtesy of the teachers of Mayfield, California.

MINOR STUDIES FROM THE PSYCHOLOGICAL LABORATORY OF CORNELL UNIVERSITY.

COMMUNICATED BY E. B. TITCHENER.

XII.-A STUDY OF CERTAIN METHODS OF DISTRACTING THE ATTENTION.

I. ADDITION AND COGNATE EXERCISES: DISCRIMINATION OF ODORS.

BY F. E. MOYER, PH. B.

INTRODUCTION.

The experiments to be described in this paper were performed at the Cornell University during the academic year 1895-96. The ultimate purpose of the whole investigation, of which this is the first part, is to discover a reliable measure of the attention by means of some form of distraction which shall possess at least the qualities of (1) capability of gradation, (2) continuity and (3) possibility of general use with normal subjects. The present writer has tried only to accomplish the following: first, to examine the most commonly used form of mental distraction, addition, in order to find out if it affects all persons in the same way, and can therefore be considered a measure of the attention; and, secondly, if addition cannot be so considered, to examine other forms of mental distraction with the object of finding one which gives promise of possibility of use as such a meas

ure.

The problem is an important one in every investigation into which attention and inattention enter. If the form of distraction used does not affect all the subjects equally, evidently the investigator will be dealing with varying degrees of attention, and, indeed, may not reach the state of inattention. in any one of his subjects. To assume under such circum