ABSTRACT
Magic action lies between two opposite poles, viz. a more or less playful attitude on the one hand and on the other one that is really religious. A chief distinguishing feature of such a primitive structure, the essential preliminary condition of every magic attitude and action, is the lesser degree of differentiation in the psychic expressions in childhood. One result of the "diffuse", that is the undifferentiated, indissoluble, totality of the child's form of action is that the customary succession of the details of an action is often maintained by the child with the most meticulous exactitude. The rite-like actions of early childhood form a lower stage of magical performances; in individual cases it will always be difficult to decide whether we are dealing with a simple ceremonial desire or with an influence of magical tendency.
