Evening star., 1936-09-01
STARS, MEN AND ATOMS
Notebook of Science Progress in Field,
Laboratory and Study.
BY THOMAS r. HENRY.

Pugnacity, accumulation and compass
sion-three Of the basic elements in the
pattern Of human nature" which have
steered the course of history since man
appeared in the world-come into exist
ence only during the second six months
Of life.
Even the most significant of the So
called sex differences" in personality
are not born with the individual, but
can be shown definitely to evolve out Of
an infants experiences.
Such Is the conclusion of DR.. Kath-
arine M. Bridges, assistant professor OF
psychology at McGill University, as a
result of minute observations of two
groups of infants at Montreal founding
homes. DR.. Bridges has just reported
her observations to the Child Delevop-
ment Committee of the National Re-
search Council here. She came to the
conclusion that the basic instincts" or
elements of human nature, all arise as
differentiations out of an undifferenti-
ated urge for existence with which all
children come into the world.
As the infants capacities for seeing,
hearing and feeling increase, it is emerg-
ing continually into larger and larger
world with greater and greater number
of sensory stimulations. At the time it is
about months old, DR.. Bridges found,
there appear for the first time those fight
ing reactions which often have been pic
tured as Unborn in human nature to
such an extent that men always will
do battle with one another.
The Montreal professor shows that
war starts in the cradle and that the
instinct" back of it is altogether earthly
in origin-but suggests no technique for
doing anything about it. 1t is refine
ment Of reactions essential to survival
during the earliest months of life.
The child continually must be explor-
ing the larger world whose vistas are
opening before him. Says DR.. Bridges in
her report to the National Research
Council:
In exploring, expanding and search
ing, a child may pass over or crush
things in his way. A successful knock
out blow releases more neuro-muscular
energy which he spends in further ex-
ploration or in repetition OF the destruc-
tive behavior. In the case of the dull
child this quickly achieved simple sat
isfaction becomes an end in itself, and
over an indefinite period.
1.-THE intelligent child Is less easily
satisfied. The destruction for him was
merely q way of overcoming an obstacle
to his perceptual growth. It may have
been only partially successful because
the loss or destruction of the object Of
interest brought disappointment and a
further check to his endeavors. Or it
may have created new problems to be
solved. Bed clothes, for instance, are
first fingered curiously and pulled by
the 3-month-old, kicked by the 5-month-
old, and pushed away by the 7-month-
old that he may examine his toes"
The habit built up by the necessity
Of overcoming inert obstacles soon Is
transferred to persons who stand in the
way. Pugnacity or aggressiveness ap-
pears as strongly developed tendency
toward social opposition, based largely
on early Illustration. of activity which
enabled the habit, or instinct" strongly
to be developed.
Similarly, DR.. Bridges found among the
Montreal foundlings, arises the instinct
Of accumulation" from the life expert
ences of early infancy. There are pauses
in the struggle for existence-the more
or less massive expression Of the urge
to live. In order that these brief rests
may be safe, the child must hold what
Il has gained.
'This," says DR.. Bridges. may be just
q stopping place. such a. one step In .