ABSTRACT
In order to test out our theory of emotions an extended description and discussion of manic-depressive insanity have been given. Clinical material seems to justify the theory, so now we turn to normal phenomena in order to see if its applicability is also demonstrable there. Introspection deals essentially with the narrow range of highly specialized mental processes which are conscious. Emotional reactions are obtruded into consciousness, and do not seem to originate there. Hence introspection is apt to yield mere description of affective phenomena or, at most, rationalization of emotions. Nevertheless, Dewey was able from observation of such material to claim that inhibition was essential in the production. But, when he attempted to describe the processes which were inhibited, he lost himself in a maze of tautological physiology and psychology. Introspection alone cannot carry us very far in this quest. The behaviourist method compliments it, but, since it aims at the exclusion of consciousness, its material is also incomplete. Such a combination of these two methods as is represented in our psychopathological procedure would seem to be a better way of studying emotions. But with what material should we work? Our method seems to be applicable to study of the psychoses, but have we any analogous material in normal people?
