This becomes clearer when one notices how often habit facilitates very
complex action:--the habits of animals; the high steps of horses; the
pointing of pointers; the sucking of calves, etc. It is difficult for us
in falling to make opposite movements to stretching out the arms, even
in bed; we draw on our gloves unconsciously. Gratiolet says: “Whoever
energetically denies some point, etc., shuts his eyes; if he assents he
nods and opens his eyes wide. Whoever describes a terrible thing shuts
his eyes and shakes his head; whoever looks closely raises his
eye-brows. In the attempt to think the same thing is done or the
eye-brows are contracted--both make the glance keener. Thence follows
the reflex activity.”
With regard to the second. Dogs who are quarrelling with cats assume the
appearance of battle--if they are kindly-minded they do the opposite,
although this serves no purpose. M. Taylor[121] says, that the gesture
language of the Cistercians depends considerably on antithesis; e.g.,
shrugging the shoulders is the opposite of firmness, immovability.
With regard to the direct activity of the nervous system, examples are
paling, trembling (fear, terror, pain, cold, fever, horror, joy),
palpitation of the heart, blushing, perspiring, exertion of strength,
tears, pulling the hair, urinating, etc. With these subdivisions it will
be possible to find some thoroughfare and to classify every phenomenon.
We want to discuss a few more particulars in the light of Darwin’s
examples. He warns us, first of all, against seeing[122] certain muscle
movements as the result of emotional excitement, because they were
looked for. There are countless habits, especially among the movements
of the features, which happen accidentally or as the result of some
passing pain and which have no significance. Such movements are often of
the greatest clearness, and do not permit the unexperienced observer to
doubt that they have important meanings, although they have no relation
whatever to any emotional condition. Even if it is agreed only to depend
on changes of the whole face, already established as having a definite
meaning, there is still danger of making mistakes, because well
accredited facial conditions may occur in another way (as matters of
habit, nervous disturbances, wounds, etc.). Hence in this matter, too,
care and attention are required; for if we make use of any one of the
Darwinian norms, as, for example, that the eyes are closed when we do
not want to see a thing or when we dislike it, we still must grant that
there are people to whom it has become habitual to close their eyes
under other and even opposed conditions.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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