Scanned by Charles Keller with OmniPage Professional OCR software

THE FOUNDATIONS OF PERSONALITY

BYABRAHAM MYERSON, M.D.

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

I. THE ORGANIC BASIS OF CHARACTER

II. THE ENVIRONMENTAL BASIS OF CHARACTER

III. MEMORY AND HABIT

IV. STIMULATION, INHIBITION, ORGANIZING ENERGY, CHOICE AND CONSCIOUSNESS

V. HYSTERIA, SUBCONSCIOUSNESS AND FREUDIANISM

VI. EMOTION, INSTINCT, INTELLIGENCE AND WILL

VII. EXCITEMENT, MONOTONY AND INTEREST

VIII. THE SENTIMENTS OF LOVE, FRIENDSHIP, HATE, PITY AND DUTY, COMPENSATION AND ESCAPE

IX. ENERGY RELEASE AND THE EMOTIONS

X. COURAGE, RESIGNATION, SUBLIMATION, PATIENCE, THE WISH AND ANHEDONIA

XI. THE EVOLUTION OF CHARACTER WITH ESPECIAL REFERENCE TO THE GROWTH OF PURPOSE AND PERSONALITY

XII. THE METHODS OF PURPOSE-WORK CHARACTERS

XIII. THE QUALITIES OF THE LEADER AND THE FOLLOWER

XIV. SEX CHARACTERS AND DOMESTICITY

XV. PLAY, RECREATION, HUMOR AND PLEASURE SEEKING

XVI. RELIGIOUS CHARACTERS. DISHARMONY IN CHARACTER

XVII. SOME CHARACTER TYPES

THE FOUNDATIONS OF PERSONALITY

INTRODUCTION

Man's interest in character is founded on an intensely practicalneed. In whatsoever relationship we deal with our fellows, webase our intercourse largely on our understanding of theircharacters. The trader asks concerning his customer, "Is hehonest?" and the teacher asks about the pupil, "Is he earnest?"The friend bases his friendship on his good opinion of hisfriend; the foe seeks to know the weak points in the hated one'smake-up; and the maiden yearning for her lover whispers to,herself, "Is he true?" Upon our success in reading the characterof others, upon our understanding of ourselves hangs a good dealof our life's success or failure.

Because the feelings are in part mirrored on the face and body,the experience of mankind has become crystallized in beliefs,opinions and systems of character reading which are based onphysiognomy, shape of head, lines of hand, gait and even themethod of dress and the handwriting. Some of these all menbelieve in, at least in part. For example, every one judgescharacter to a certain extent by facial expression, manner,carriage and dress. A few of the methods used have becomeorganized into specialties, such as the study of the head orphrenology, and the study of the hand or palmistry. All of thesesystems are really "materialistic" in that they postulate soclose a union of mind and body as to make them inseparable.

But there are grave difficulties in the way of character-judgingby these methods. Take, for example, the study of the physiognomyas a means to character understanding. All the physiognomists, aswell as the average man, look upon the high, wide brow as relatedto great intelligence. And so it is—sometimes. But it is alsofound in connection with disease of the brain, as inhydrocephalus, and in old cases of rickets. You may step intohospitals for the feeble-minded or for the insane and find hereand there a high, noble brow. Conversely you may attend ascientific convention and find that the finest paper of themeeting will be read not by some Olympian-browed member, but by aman with a low, receding forehead, who nevertheless possesses ahigh-grade intellect.

...