The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1919-05-25

likely to read a statement like this:
= Herbert bsheld Mabel with mixed
feelings Of joy and pain"
But the same conception is held much
more widely than In the MINDS of simple
story writers. The great majority of per.
sons are evidently under the impression
that they have mixed feelings" due to
conflicting states of mind and physical
conditions. 1t is almost a daily occurrence
to hear some one speak of his or her
mixed feelings" Statesmen and fnanciers
are supposed to have them. Indeed, an
old-time psychologist has declared that
mixed feelings" are the usual condition
among mature persons.
Now modern psychological science has
turned its piercing sesrchlight upon this
interesting matter and demonstrated that
there are, strictly speaking, no mixed
feelings" You cannot feel pleasure and
pain at the same moment
This investigation was conducted by
Professor Paul Thomas Young, Phi. D., of
the Psychological Laboratory of Cornell
University, who reports his observations
in the American Journal of Psychology.
It brought out many interesting facts.
Some intelligent persons thought they had
mixed feelings" but on inquiry it fire.
quently appeared that they experienced
rapid alterations of different feelings
Thus it was shown in this experiment, as
Ii so many others, that many people knew
very little about their own machinery for
registering sensations.
If the conventional novelist referred to
had written Herbert beheld Mabel with
rapidly alternating feelings of joy and
pain" he would have been nearer the
bounds of scientific accuracy.
The experiments were carried on during
five months at the university. The sub
jects tested we're nine workers in psychol
ogy or in educational lines, including men
and women. Each one underwent two
hours of experiment in a week.
One form Of experiment was to ask the
subject to put himself into definitely un-
pleasant state of feeling and then 10 ap-
ply some pleasant sensation to him. For
example they asked the subject to omit
breakfast and when hunger unpleasant
ness had been established they superin-
duced pleasure by the smell and taste Of
food.
In one situation pleasure was aroused by
stroking the forehead gently with velvet,
and then unpleasantness was excited by
sandpapering the tip of the nose or chin.
or by presenting the odor of stale cheese.
The answers described as psychology
CAL" that is, in the proper form, invariably
showed no mixed feelings" An unpleas-
ant and pleasant picture being exhibited,
this answer is typical of this class:
THE first was unpleasantness; the next
was pleasantness. A relaxed feeIing-re-
lief, no strain. There was no carrying
over; the transition was quick as a wink
This report. which was elected when
velvet was first applied to the face, then
sandpaper is another good example of the
psychological class:
First pleasure, there is no question
about it. 1t was followed by unpleasant
ness. There was surprise and resentment
Then alternating pleasure and unpleasant.
ness; then unpleasantness; then pleasure;
then neutral and just at the end it was
pleasure"
In some experiments different forms of
pleasure we're administered at the same
time. The professor caused a tune like the
exquisite, soothing "Barcarole" from Often
bach's "Tales of Hoffman" to be played TO
bis subject, while he gently tickled her.
Her report suggests a very complex state
OF feeling:
Both experiences were pleasant, and
one was a tickling pleasure, while the other
was soothing pleasure. You seem 20 get
the body divided. All down the central
core and on my left could feel the smooth,
swaying rhythm Of the movement, whereas
on the right Of the head and shoulder there
was this pleasant tickling feeling"
In another situation the professor and
his colleagues resorted to "a form Of tor
ture" in which water was made TO drip on
the subjects forehead and run down his
or her face. When unpleasantness had
been established they presented perfumes,
chocolate peppermint candies, chords upon
tuning forks, ETC.