Psychological Automatism: Essay of Experimental Psychology on the Lower Forms of Human Activity

Doctorate of Science thesis of Pierre Janet. Pierre Janet is ranked alongside William James and Wilhelm Wundt as one of the founding fathers of psychology. Pierre Janet coined the terms “dissociation” and “subconscious”. Pierre Janet is recognized as one of the founding fathers of psychology, however his doctorate of science thesis “Psychological Automatism”, which was published 1889, still until today was never translated into English. The first public domain translation into English was done by neuroclusterbrain.com Table of Contents Preface from the third edition. 9 Preface of the second edition. 10 Introduction. 18 Part one. Total automation. 23 Chapter I. Isolated psychological phenomena. 23 I. Description of the phenomena caused during the cataleptic state. 24 II. Mechanical or physical interpretation of these phenomena. 28 III. Psychological interpretation. – The catalepsy equated with sleepwalking. 34 IV. A rudimentary form of consciousness. – The isolated sensation and image. 37 V. The nature of consciousness during catalepsy. 41 VI. Nature of consciousness during states analogous to catalepsy. 44 VII. Interpretation of the particular phenomena of catalepsy. 47 Conclusion. 53 Chapter II. Forgetting and the various successive psychological existences. 55 I. The different characteristics that have been proposed to recognize sleepwalking. 55 II. Essential characteristics of sleepwalking: forgetfulness upon awakening and alternating memory. 58 III. Varieties and complications of alternating memory. 64 IV. Study on a particular condition of memory and forgetting of images. 69 V. A condition of memory and forgetting for complex phenomena. 75 VI. Interpretation of forgetfulness upon awakening after sleepwalking. 78 VII. The various successive psychological existences spontaneous modifications of the personality. 83 VIII. The various successive psychological existences. – Personality changes in artificial somnambulisms. 88 Conclusion. 94 Chapter III. Suggestion and the narrowing of the field of consciousness. 96 I. Historical summary of suggestion theory. 97 II. Description of some psychological phenomena produced by suggestion. 99 III. Various psychological theories on suggestion. 112 IV. Amnesia and distraction. 123 V. The narrowing of the field of consciousness. 125 VI. Interpretation of the phenomena of suggestion. The reign of perceptions. 130 VII. The characteristic of suggestible individuals. 134 Conclusion. 141 Second part. Partial automation. 143 Chapter I. Subconscious acts. 143 I. Partial catalepsies. 143 II. Distraction and subconscious acts. 151 III. The posthynoptic suggestions. History and description. 155 IV. Performing suggestions during a new sleepwalking state. 158 V. Subconscious execution of post-hypnosis suggestions. 161 Conclusion. 169 Chapter II. Simultaneous anesthesias and psychological existences. 171 I. Systematized anesthesias. – History. 171 II. Persistence of sensation despite systematized anesthesia. 174 III. Systematized electivity or esthesia. 178 IV. Complete anesthesia or natural anesthesia of hysterics. 182 V. Different hypotheses relating to the phenomena of anesthesia. 187 VI. Psychological disintegration. 191 VII. Simultaneous psychological existences. 196 VIII. Simultaneous psychological existences compared to successive psychological existences. 202 IX. Relative importance of the various simultaneous existences. 208 X. Anesthesia and paralysis. 214 XI. Paralysis and contractures explained by psychological breakdown. 219 Conclusion. 225 Chapter III. Various forms of psychological breakdown. 227 I. The divination wand. – The explorer pendulum. – Reading thoughts. 227 II. Historical summary of spiritualism. 233 III. Hypotheses relating to spiritualism. 238 IV. Spiritism and psychological disintegration. 245 V. Comparison of psychics and sleepwalkers. 249 VI. Cerebral duality as an explanation of spiritualism. 255 VII. Impulsive madness. 258 VIII. Fixed ideas. – Hallucinations. 263 IX. Possessions. 267 Conclusion. 271 Chapter IV. Moral weakness and strength. 273 I. Psychological misery. 273 II. Lower forms of normal activity. 282 III. Judgment and will. 287 Conclusion. 292 Conclusion. 293 Appendix. 299