REPRESENTATION
Sensation and Perception, as considered in the preceding chapter, are
what are called by psychologists "Processes of Presentation." By
Presentation is meant the direct offering to the consciousness of mental
images or objects of thought. If there were no faculty of the mind
capable of retaining and _re_-presenting to the consciousness the
impression or record of Perception, we could never progress in
knowledge, for each percept would be new each time it was presented and
there would be no recognition of it as having been previously perceived,
nor would there be any power to voluntarily recall any percept
previously acquired. In short, we would be without that power of the
mind called Memory.
But, fortunately for us as thinkers, we possess the power of
Representation; that is, of reproducing past perceptions and experiences
in the shape of _mental images_ or pictures, "in the mind's eye," so to
speak, which relieves us of the necessity of directly and immediately
perceiving an object each time we desire or are required to think of it.
The processes whereby this becomes possible are called the processes of
Representation, for the reason that by them past experiences of
Perception are _re_-presented to the consciousness.
The subject of Representation is closely bound up with that of Memory.
Strictly speaking, Representation may be said to be one phase of Memory;
Association of Ideas another; and the authorities prefer to treat the
whole subject under the general head of Memory. We have written a work
on "Memory" which forms one of the volumes of the present series, and we
have no intention, or desire, to repeat here the information given in
that work. But we must consider the subject of Representation at this
point in order to maintain the logical unity of the present general
subject of Thought-Culture. The student will also notice, of course, the
close relation between the processes of Representation and those of the
Imagination, which we shall consider in other chapters of this work.
Memory has several phases, the usual classification of which is as
follows: (1) Impression; (2) Retention; (3) Recollection; (4)
Representation, and (5) Recognition. Each phase requires the operation
of special mental processes. _Impression_ is the process whereby the
impressions of Perception are recorded or stamped upon the subconscious
field of mentality, as the impress of the die upon the wax. _Retention_
is the process whereby the subconsciousness _retains_ or holds the
impressions so received. _Recollection_ is the process by which the mind
_re-collects_ the impressions retained in the subconsciousness, bringing
them again into consciousness as objects of knowledge. _Representation_
is the process whereby the impressions so re-collected are _pictured or
imaged_ in the mind. _Recognition_ is the process whereby the mind
_recognizes_ the mental image or picture so re-presented to it as
connected with its past experience.
As we have stated, we have considered the general subject of Memory in
another volume of this series and, therefore, shall not attempt to enter
into a discussion of its general subject at this place. We shall,
accordingly, limit ourselves here to a brief consideration of the phase
of Representation and its cultivation.
Representation, of course, depends upon the preceding phases of Memory
known as Impression, Retention and Recollection. Unless the Impression
is clear; unless the Retention is normal, there can be no
Representation. And unless one _recollects_ there can be no
Representation. Recollection (which is really a re-collection of
percepts) must precede Representation in the shape of mental images or
pictures. Recollection re-collects the mental materials out of which the
image is to be constructed. But, as Brooks says: "It is not to be
assumed that knowledge is retained as a picture; but that it is
_recreated_ in the form of a picture or some other mental product when
it is recalled." The process is analogous to the transmutation of the
sound-waves entering the receiver of a telephone, into electrical-waves
which are transmitted to the receiver, where they are in turn
re-transmuted to sound-waves which enter the ear of the listener. It
will be seen at once that there is the closest possible relation between
the processes of Representation and those of Memory--in fact, it is
quite difficult to draw a clear line of division between them. Some make
the distinction that Representation furnishes us with an exact
reproduction of _the past_; while Imagination combines our mental images
into _new products_. That is, Representation merely _reproduces_; while
Imagination _creates_ by forming new combinations; or Representation
deals with a reproduction of the Actual; while Imagination deals with
the Ideal.
Wundt speaking of this difficult distinction says: "Psychologists are
accustomed to define _memory images_ as ideas which _exactly reproduce_
some previous perception, and _fancy images_ as ideas consisting of a
combination of elements taken from a whole number of perceptions. Now
memory images in the sense of this definition simply do not exist....
Try, for instance, to draw from memory some landscape picture which you
have only once seen, and then compare your copy with the original. You
will expect to find plenty of mistakes and omissions; but you will also
invariably find that you have put in a great deal which was not in the
original, but which comes from landscape pictures which you have seen
somewhere else."
While we generally speak of Representation _picturing_ the recollected
percepts, still, we must not make the mistake of supposing that it is
concerned with, or limited to, only mental pictures. We are able to
_represent_ not only visual percepts but also sounds, smells, tastes or
feelings, often so vividly that they appear as almost actually existent.
We may also even _represent_, symbolically the processes of reasoning,
mathematical operations, etc. In short nearly, if not all experiences
which are possible in Presentation are also possible in Representation.
The phase of Representation, in the processes of Memory, is of course
subject to the general laws of the Cultivation of Memory which we have
stated in detail in our previous volume on that subject. But there are
some special points of development and cultivation which may be
considered briefly in this place. In the first place the importance of
Attention and clear Perception, as necessary precedents for clear
Representation, may be emphasized. In order to form clear mental images
of a thing we must have perceived it clearly in the first place. The
advice regarding the use of the Attention and Perception given in
preceding chapters need not be repeated here, but special attention
should be directed toward them in connection with the processes of
Representation. If we wish to cultivate the Representative faculties, we
must begin by cultivating the Presentative faculties.
Then again we must remember what we have said elsewhere about the facts
of development through (1) Use; and (2) Nourishment, in all mental
faculties. We must begin to _use_ the faculties of Representation in
order to exercise them. We must give them _nourishment_ in the shape of
objects of mental food. That is to say we must furnish these faculties
with _materials_ with which they may grow and develop, and with exercise
in order to strengthen the mental-muscle and also to give the faculties
the opportunity to "acquire the knack." The exercises and methods
recommended in our chapter on Perception will furnish good _material_
for the Representative faculties' growing requirements. By _perceiving_
the details of things, one is able to reproduce clear mental images of
them. In studying an object, always carry in your mind the fact that you
wish to _reproduce_ it in your mind later. In fact, if you have the
opportunity, let your mind "repeat it to itself" as soon as possible
after the actual occurrence and experience. Just as you often murmur to
yourself, or else write down, the name of a person or place which you
have just heard, in order that you may recollect it the better
thereafter, so it will be well for you to "mentally repeat" to yourself
the experiences upon which you wish to exercise your Representative
faculties.
As to the matter of development and cultivation by Use, we would advise
that you begin gradually to train your mind to _reproduce_ the
experiences of the day or week or month, at intervals, until you feel
that you are developing a new power in that direction. Tonight, if you
try you will find that you can reproduce but a very small part of
today's happenings with any degree of clearness. How clearly can you
image the places you have been, the appearances of the people you have
met, the various details of persons and things which you perceived
during the experiences of the day? Not very clearly, we dare say. Try
again, and you will find that you will be able to add new details. Keep
it up until you feel tired or think that you have exhausted all the
possibilities of the task. Tomorrow, try it again, and you will find
that the second day's experiences are more clearly reproduced in your
mind. Each day should find you a little more advanced, until you get to
a place where the normal degree of power is attained, when the advance
will be slower.
Then, at the end of the week, review its experiences. Do the same the
following week. At the end of the month, take a hasty mental trip over
the month's experiences. And so on. Exercise, in moderation, along these
lines will work wonders for you. Not only will it develop the
Representation, but your powers of observation and your general memory
will be found to be improved. And, moreover, in "chewing the mental cud"
you will think of many things of interest and importance in connection
with your work, etc., and your general mental efficiency will be
increased for the faculties of the mind are interdependent and share
benefits with each other.