Page:Jung - The psychology of dementia praecox.djvu/68

44 that the complex-associations are much less at the disposal of the ego-complex than the indifferent ones. From this it must be concluded that the complex takes a relatively independent position to the ego-complex, it is like a vassal who does not bow implicitly to the domination of the ego-complex. Experience also teaches that the stronger the feeling-tone of a complex, the stronger and more frequent will be the disturbances of the experiment. A person dominated by a complex of strong feeling is less able to react "smoothly," not only to association experiments but to all stimuli of daily life, for the uncontrollable influences of the complexes constantly exert hindrances and disturbances. His self-control (the control of his frame of mind, thought, words and actions) suffers in proportion to the strength of the complex. The purposefulness of his actions is more and more replaced by unintentional lapses, errors, and unaccountabilities for which he himself often can give no reason. A person with a strong complex shows, therefore, intensive disturbances during association experiments, for a great number of apparently innocent word stimuli excite the complex. The following two examples elucidate the aforesaid:

1. The stimulus word "white" has numerous intimate connections. The subject, however, could only hesitatingly react with "black." By way of explanation I obtained another series of reactions to "white." "The snow is white, so is the sheet covering the face of a dead person." The subject had recently lost a beloved relative. The intimate contrast "black" shows symbolically perhaps the same thing, that is, mourning.

2. "Paint" excites hesitatingly the reaction "landscapes." This peculiar reaction is explained by the following successive fancies. "One can paint landscapes, portraits and faces—as well as cheeks if one has wrinkles." The subject, an old maid who sorrows over the departure of an admirer, bestows a loving attention on her body (symbolic action), thinking that by painting she will become more attractive. She adds, "One paints the face when one takes part in a theatrical performance. I took part once." It is to be noted that she took part in a theatrical performance when she was still in possession of her lover.

The associations of persons with strong complexes swarm with