A Study of Association in InsanityKent, Grace Helen
Science
A Study of Association in Insanity
Kent, Grace Helen
Association of ideas; Psychology, Pathological
M. Median per cent of all reactions.
N. Average per cent of all reactions.
O. Average per cent of individual reactions.
33 cases of paranoic conditions.
P. Median per cent of all reactions.
Q. Average per cent of all reactions.
R. Average per cent of individual reactions.
24 cases of epilepsy.
S. Median per cent of all reactions.
T. Average per cent of all reactions.
U. Average per cent of individual reactions.
32 cases of general paresis.
V. Median per cent of all reactions.
W. Average per cent of all reactions.
X. Average per cent of individual reactions.
32 cases of manic-depressive insanity.
Y. Median per cent of all reactions.
Z. Average per cent of all reactions.
AA. Average per cent of individual reactions.
While almost every type of individual reactions shows here an increase
over the normal averages, the most striking increases are shown by the
table to be in the groups of unclassified reactions, neologisms, sound
reactions, and some types of perseveration. A further examination of
the individual test records shows that there is no uniformity of
associational tendencies in this clinical group, but that several
tendencies are more or less frequently met with either alone or in
various combinations. Yet some of these tendencies, when appearing at
all prominently, are so highly characteristic of dementia præcox as to
be almost pathognomonic. Among these may be mentioned: (1) the
tendency to give _neologisms_, particularly those of the
senseless type; (2) the tendency to give unclassified reactions
largely of the _incoherent_ type; and (3) the tendency toward
_stereotypy_ manifested chiefly by abnormally frequent
repetitions of the same reaction. Fairly characteristic also is the
occasional tendency to give sound reactions. Again, occasionally one
encounters pronounced _perseveration_, and at least two of our
subjects gave a good many unclassified reactions obviously due to
_distraction_.
It must be noted that not infrequently cases of dementia præcox give
test records that cannot be distinguished from normal. It seems that
the pathological associational tendencies constitute merely a special
group of symptoms, some of which may be expected to be manifest in
cases which have reached a state of advanced mental deterioration, but
may not necessarily be present in the early stages of the disease. On
the other hand there is evidence to show that these tendencies may in
some cases appear among the earliest manifestations. This matter will
be referred to again.
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