The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1874-01-09
The Expression Of Emotion in Man and
Animals.

! From a review In the iadepeadcnt Of Mr.
Darwin's new work under the above title
we make the following extracts
Mr.. Darwin's objects in this discussion
are several. One of these j. the demon
strition of the fact that the emotional tx
prcsslons of man are similar 90 those %
some animals. differing only in their great
or variety and cOmplcxity. Another OBJ
ject j. 10 show how the modes of eNDre~
sion have originated ia man or his anima
prcgcnitors. Ina order To do this, he am
alyzes them. tracing the movements {,
which expressions Of the taco and body ar,
due, TO their appropriate muscles. nerves
and ganglia. The larger portion Of IN,
work Is occupied in showing that all ex
1 preston of emotion. bodily ard facial. ha,
had is origin in two ways in accordance
with which he claSsiies them a follows
Il The principle Of serriceabie ascot.
ated habits.-Certain complex actions an,
OF direct or Indirect service under certain
states of the mind in order 10 relieve or
crafty certain sensations. desires. etc. and
whenever the same state ofmind i induced.
however feebly. there is tendency.
through the force Of habit and association.
for the same movements 10 be- performed.
though they may not then be OF the least
use. Some actions ordinarily associated
through habit with certain states of the
mind may be partially reprcssed through
the Will. and In such cases the muscles
which are least under the separate control
of the will are the most liable still To act.
causing movements which we recognize as
expressive. In certain other cases the
checking of one habitual movement re-
quires other slight movements; and these
are likewise expressive.
I'll. The principle Of antitssis.-Cer-
tain states of the mind lead To certain hab-
itual actions. which are of service a I'M
der our first principle. Now. when di-
rectly opposite state Of mind j. induced
there is a strong and involuntary tendency
TO the performance Of movements of di-
rcctly opposite nature, though these are Of
no use. and such movements are in some
eases highly expressive" This is simply
a part of principle |.
Iii. The principle Of actions due 10 the
constitution Of the NERVOUS system. indie
peadentiy from the first. Of TIE will. and
Independently 10 a certain erfeat Of habit
When the sensOrium is strongly excited
nerye-forcc is generated in excess. and is
transmitted in certain definite directions.
depending on the connection of the nerve
cells and partly on habit; or the supply Of
nerve-force may. "a il appears. be- inter-
rupted. Effects are thus produced which
we recognize as expressive. This third
principle may. for the sake of brevity. be
called that OF the direct action of the nerv-
Gus system"
As the simple example OF the first mode
Of expression certain movements of the
eyes are noticed. Thus we naturally raise
the eyebrows when endeavoring 10 remem-
Der something, "a we do when looking all
a II. -.
turn the face partly away. and often close
the eyes more or less. when rejecting a
proposition. as though we DO not wish To
see an object. Persons sometimes close
their eyes from similar canse. when de-
cribing painful or horrid sight.
Among lower animals few points illus
trate the proposition very clearly. Thus.
every one knows how "A eat pushes with
its expanded fore feet when pleased by CT
rcsses. This i evidently the persistent
habit Of the kitten which presses the
mothers breast when sucking. A dog
In creeping on its prey liils it, feet
slowly for the purpose of avoiding
noise: and when listening attentiyely
TO any sound or observing an object
Of mere curiosity a dog will often from
mere habit. stand with foot elevated
In the air. Dogs scratch themselves with
their hind legs IL is familiar To everyone
that the mOtionis repeated in the air when
the back j. being scratched by a man.
+" Dogs. when they wish Ia go to sleep on
a carpet or other hard surface. generally
turn round and round. and scratch with
their fore paws in senseless manner. as il
they intended to trample down the gras.
and scoop out hollow. rs no doubt their
wild parents did when they lived on open.
grassy plains or in the woods. .Iackals
fences. and other allied animals in the
geological gardens treat their straw in this
The second class OF expressions. or the
antithetc. j. illustrated as follows: the
dog. when approaching an enemy or when
filled with a hostile intent. depresse~ the
head. erects the ears and the hair Of the
back. carries the tail stiiily elevated. and
maintains a rigid position a he walks
slowly toward the object of his dislike.
When. on the other hand. he meets his
master his movements and attitudes are
the reverse. Thus the whole
body is thrown into ilcxuous movements.
the tail is lowered and wagged from side
to side. the hair is no longer erect. and the
ears are depr, sscd. The cOunicnancc dis
plays plainly the qualification which he
feels. This isa ease OF true antithcsis. the
ilcxuous movements having no meaning
Of themselves. in relation 10 the occasion
of displaying affection and friendship. but
being apparently adopted ~ the extreme
reverse OF the expression Of hostility. The
latter are readily explained In accordance
with principle first. the positions assumed
by the dog being a consequence Of muScu-
lar contractions. preparatory to an attack
on the enemy.
The expressions Of the higher animals
Ander emotion are shown by Mr.. Darwin
10 be identical with those Of man. In the
expression OF hostility the object is 70 strike
terror into the enemy by harsh sounds or
looks in all animals. In the
cndeavor to attract the opposite sex the
voice and manners assume A. much OF
beauty a possible. In the extremity Of
suffering the sounds are particularly vio-
lent aud piercing.