Although the emotions are recognized as among the most important mental
phenomena, exerting a marked influence on other mental processes, they
have had comparatively little systematic investigation. We have our
casual descriptions of emotions in terms of feelings, sensations and
physiological effects. We have our theories, accounting for the
expression of the emotions, and our theories of the constituents of the
emotive consciousness. The functional side of emotions, emphasizing the
behavior of consciousness, has been for the most part neglected. In
looking over the literature on emotions, one is impressed by its
theoretical and opinionated trend. Much of it is based on casual
individual observations. Attention has for the most part been directed
to the most intense emotional experiences, neglecting the smaller
emotions, important as they are in the behavior of consciousness. Then
psychology has concerned itself with the exciting period of the emotion,
disregarding the consciousness preceding the emotion and that after the
emotion has disappeared. From the functional aspect of emotions, some of
the _questions_ which invite study are as follows: 1. the mental
situation, including the fore-period from which the emotion develops; 2.
the behavior of consciousness during the period the emotion exists; 3.
the manner of disappearance and diminution of the emotion; 4. the effect
in consciousness after the emotion has disappeared; 5. individual
differences in emotional life.
The statement of Wundt (21) and Külpe (14) concerning voluntary action,
that its mere period of duration is but a small part of its
psychological significance, may well be said of emotions. Wundt suggests
the close relation between the emotion and volitional action. A
volitional process that passes into an external act, he defines as an
emotion which closes with a “pantomimetic” movement. Ach (1), in his
experiments with the will, distinguishes in each experiment a fore, mid
and after period. In our emotional experiences, it is true to a marked
degree that we are predisposed and predetermined to a specific emotional
excitement by temporary or permanent dispositions and attitudes.
METHODS. The method in the present study has been to observe anger
introspectively as it appears in every-day life. Ten graduate students
of Clark University and two persons outside of the University
volunteered to observe their emotions for a period of at least three
months and report to the writer each day from the notes of their
introspections. These persons were asked to observe all instances of
anger and fear no matter how minute. Only anger will be used in the
present study. They were asked to observe the conscious fore-period
before the emotion begins, the development of the emotion, the
disappearance, the diminution and the consciousness after the emotion
has disappeared, which is recognized as having been influenced by the
emotion.
Historically, three methods have been used in studying the emotions.
Casual individual introspection is the earliest and is consequently the
basis for most of the literature. Bain (2) and Ribot (16) were among the
first to employ this method extensively. Observations of the behavior of
normal and abnormal persons have given some results. The questionnaire
method used by Dr. Hall (11) has shown the wide range of objective
reactions and objects of anger.
Both anger and fear are deep rooted psychic strata. Introspections
reveal motives of selfish, unsocial and unlawful character, springing
from a level lower than the social man. All observers have been quite
frank in giving the full introspections, even when their most private
and personal matters were concerned. Where illustrative material is used
it has been necessary to remove the personal element, as in many
instances, others besides the observer were concerned. This revision has
been the work of the writer. The essential psychological factor is
unchanged and the words of the observers are used as nearly as possible.
The twelve persons will be called by the first twelve letters of the
alphabet, and other persons named in the introspections will be called
X. Y. and Z. Ten of the observers were graduate men students of
psychology. Seven of these had had considerable experience in
introspection under controlled laboratory conditions. Most of the
illustrative data will be taken from the observations of A. B. C. D. E.
F. and G. who are the most experienced observers.
No apology is offered for this study because of the uncontrolled
conditions of introspection. Emotions are involuntary processes and
consequently do not lend themselves to voluntary control necessary for
laboratory technique. The emotion springs from an antecedent complex
combined with a present idea. The fact that anger does not develop from
a single experience but is a predetermined consciousness usually
cumulative in character, makes voluntary origin difficult. Even when the
individual is aware of the antecedent which tends to give rise to anger,
the voluntary combination with a present idea is unsuccessful. A further
difficulty in introspection is the tendency of the emotion to disappear
as a result of the act of introspection. It occurs frequently in the
data that a further development of the emotion is entirely cut off by
introspection. However, attention to the situation giving rise to anger
frequently reinstates the emotion, if the feeling background is intense
enough. It was necessary to instruct the observers to allow their
emotions to run their usual course and note the facts of behavior at
convenient times. The purpose of this study is to investigate the
behavior of consciousness in the development, expression and
disappearance of anger. The observers were asked to direct their
observation especially to the behavior side of consciousness. It is
believed, that regardless of the necessary uncontrolled conditions of
introspection, that a systematic observation of both mild and intense
experiences of anger by a number of observers over an extended period of
time will add to a better comprehension of the functional character of
this one of the fundamental emotions.
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