Page:The International Journal of Psycho-Analysis III 1922 1.djvu/95

 BOOK REVIEWS 87

i are supposed to be present in a low degree, while in the latter they I

are both 'present in a high degree. •

For the psycho-anaiyst, Dr. Rorschach thinks the blot interpretation l

test, as employed by himself, may be useful in a variety of ways: j

(l) as a means of differential diagnosis as regards the presence of neurosis

or of schizophrenia, (2) as a means of prognosis (extension kmaesthesis "■";

being probably more favourable in this respect than flexion kinaesthesis) 1

(3) as affording clues with regard to the genesis of a neurosis or to \

possible paths of sublimation, (4} when applied before and after analysis, '

it may afford interesting experimental evidence as to the nature of the, ■'

mental changes produced by analysis (p. 115), ■ 1

Since the book thus contains much interesting material, it is greatly to be regretted that the presentation of the experimental results is in. certain important respects unsatisfactory. Although the author's con- clusions are based on 'statistics', no full numerical presentation or ' ' analysis of the records obtained is anywhere attempted; one of the great advantages of the experimental method being thereby sacrificed, and the reader being left with no opportunity of estimating for himself the validity of the inferences drawn from the experimental data. The numerous examples furnished at the end of the book should be of use to future experimenters on the same lines, but they in no way com- pensate for the lack of a more complete presentation of the results.

A reproduction, in exact colours, of the ten ink blots used in the experiments is supplied with each copy of the book. T C- F

PSYCHOPATHOLOGIE DKR AUSNAHMEZUSTANDEUNDPSYCHOPATHOLOGIE DES Alltags. By Professor Dr. Erwin Sb-ansky. (Ernst Bircher, Bern and Leipzig, J92I. Pp. 35.)

The author reviews a large number of 'exceptional states', ranging from trivial everyday lapses to severe pathological conditions. He endeavours to show that nothing is gamed by the assumption of a dissociation or splitting of the personality, and himself considers these conditions in the light of the general lability characteristic of all affective mental life. Though interesting in certain respects, tiie explanations offered would seem to be too general in nature, and— in tiieir present state— to take too littie regard of specific mechanisms to be of much assistance. I C F



Suggestion and Autosuggestion. A Psychological and Pedagogical Study based upon the Investigations made by M. Com6 at Nancy. By