The Mind of the Child Part 1

The Mind of the Child.

by W. Preyer.

PREFACE.

This second volume contains the further investigations of Professor Preyer on the mind of the child. The former volume contained the first and second portions, devoted respectively to the development of the senses and of the will. The present volume contains the third part, treating of the development of the intellect; and three appendixes are added containing supplementary matter.

Professor Preyer considers that the development of the power of using language is the most prominent index to the unfolding of the intellect.

He differs with Professor Max Muller, however, on the question whether the operation of thinking can be carried on without the use of words (see the recent elaborate work of the latter on "The Science of Thought").

At my suggestion, the painstaking translator of this book has prepared a full conspectus, showing the results of Professor Preyer's careful observations in a chronological order, arranged by months. This considerable labor will render the book more practical, inasmuch as it will enable each reader to see at a glance the items of development of the child in the several departments brought together in epochs. This makes it possible to inst.i.tute comparative observations under the guidance of Professor Preyer's method. I think that I do not exaggerate the value of this conspectus when I say that it doubles the value of the work to the reader.

WILLIAM T. HARRIS.

CONCORD, Ma.s.s., _November, 1888_.

A CONSPECTUS OF THE OBSERVATIONS OF PROFESSOR PREYER ON THE MIND OF THE CHILD.

ARRANGED CHRONOLOGICALLY BY MONTHS, FOR THE CONVENIENCE OF THOSE WHO WISH TO VERIFY THESE OBSERVATIONS, OR TO USE THEM AS A GUIDE IN THEIR OWN INVESTIGATIONS.

BY H. W. BROWN.

FIRST MONTH.

SENSES.[A]

SIGHT.--_Light._--Five minutes after birth, slight sensibility to light (2). Second day, sensitiveness to light of candle (3). Sixth and seventh days, pleasure in moderately bright daylight (3, 4). Ninth and tenth days, sensitiveness greater at waking than soon afterward (3). Sleeping babes close the eyes more tightly when light falls on the eyes (4).

Eleventh day, pleasure in light of candle and in bright object (3).

_Discrimination of Colors._--Twenty-third day, pleasure in sight of rose-colored curtain (6).

_Movements of Eyelids._--First to eleventh day, shutting and opening of eyes (22). Irregular movements (23). Lid closed at touch of lashes from sixth day on (26). Twenty-fifth day, eyes opened and shut when child is spoken to or nodded to (30).

Pleasure shown by opening eyes wide, displeasure by shutting them tightly; third, sixteenth, and twenty-first days (31).

_Movements of Eyes._--First day, to right and left (35). Tenth day, non-coordinated movements (36). Third week, irregularity prevails (37).

_Direction of Look._--Eleventh day, to father's face and to the light (43). Upward look (43). Twenty-third day, active looking begins (44).

Twenty-third and thirtieth days, a moving light followed (44).

_Seeing Near and Distant Objects._--Twelfth day, hypermetropia (60).

HEARING.--First days, all children deaf (72). Fourth day, child hears noises like clapping of hands (81). Eleventh and twelfth days, child quieted by father's voice: hears whistling. Twenty-fifth day, pulsation of lids at sound of low voice. Twenty-sixth day, starting at noise of dish. Thirtieth day, fright at loud voice (82).

FEELING.--_Sensitiveness to Contact._--At birth (97-105). Second and third days, starting at gentle touches. Seventh day, waked by touch on face (105). Eleventh day, lid closed at touch of conjunctiva more slowly than in adults (103).

_Perception of Touch._--First gained in nursing (110).

_Sensibility to Temperature._--At birth, cooling unpleasant. Warm bath agreeable. Seventh day, eyes opened wide with pleasure from bath (112).

First two or three years, cold water disagreeable (114). Mucous membrane of mouth, tongue, lips, very sensitive to cold and warmth (115).

TASTE.--_Sensibility._--At birth (116-118). First day, sugar licked (118). Second day, milk licked (119). Differences among newly-born (120). Sensation not merely general (122).

_Comparison of Impressions._--During nursing period child prefers sweet taste (123). Second day, child accepts food that on the fourth he refuses (124).

SMELL.--_Faculty at Birth._--Strong-smelling substances produce mimetic movements (130).

_Discrimination._--Eighth day, groping about for nipple (134).

ORGANIC SENSATIONS AND EMOTIONS.--_Pleasure._--First day, in nursing; in the bath; in the sight of objects; in the light (141).

_Discomfort._--First days, from cold, wet, hunger, tight clothing, etc.

(147).

_Hunger._--First days, manifested in sucking movements, crying, restlessness (152). Cry differs from that of pain or of satisfaction.

Other signs of hunger (153).

_Satiety._--Third to fifth week, the nipple pushed away with the lips: mouth-piece of bottle ditto. Tenth day, smile after eating. Fourth week, signs of satisfaction; laughing, opening and half shutting eyes; inarticulate sounds (157).

_Fatigue._--From crying and nursing (159). Second and third weeks, from use of senses (160). First month, sleep lasts two hours; sixteen of the twenty-four hours spent in sleep (162).

WILL.

_Impulsive Movements._--Outstretching and bending of arms and legs just after birth; contractions, spreading and bending of fingers (205).

Grimaces (207). Wrinkling of forehead (309). First day, arms and legs take same position as before birth (206). Second week, stretching of limbs after waking (205).

_Reflex Movements._--In case of light-impressions (34-42). First cry (213). Sneezing of newly-born (214). Coughing, ditto. (216). Seventh day, yawning (215). First day, spreading of toes when sole of foot is touched (224). First day, hiccough (219). First five days, choking (218). Wheezing, yawning (215). Seventh day, respiration irregular (217). Ninth day, clasping (243). Tenth day, lips protruded (283).

Fourteenth day, movement of left hand toward left temple (220).

Twenty-fourth day, snoring (215).

_Instinctive Movements._--First to third day, hands to face. Fifth day, fingers clasp firmly; toes do not. Sixth day, hands go into eye (244).

Seventh day, pencil held with toes, but no seizing. Ninth day, no clasping by sleeping child (245). Sucking (257-261). At end of first week, lateral movements of head (264). Third week, clasping with fingers, not with thumb (245).

_Expressive Movements._--Twenty-sixth day, smile of contentment (296).

Twenty-third day, tears flow (307). Crying, with tears, and whimpering, become signs of mental states (308).

INTELLECT.[B]

Memory first active in the departments of taste and of smell; then in touch, sight, hearing (5). Comparison of tastes (I, 123). Vowel-sounds in first month (67). Sounds in first six months (74). Sounds made in crying and screaming, _u-a_ (101). Twenty-second day, a.s.sociation of the breast with nursing (I, 260).

FOOTNOTES:

[A] Under "Senses" and "Will" the numbers in parentheses indicate pages in Vol. I.

[B] Under "Intellect" the numbers in parentheses indicate pages from Vol. II, unless otherwise stated.