THE AMERICAN
Journal of Psychology
Founded by G. Stanley Hall in 1887
VOLUNTARY MOVEMENT
By E. C. Rowe
This paper aims to describe the cognitive aspect of the psychic experience in voluntary movement. It is therefore limited in two respects: first, to the sensory and ideational processes without attempting a detailed account of the feeling processes in such movements; second, it is limited to controlled movement and does not attempt an account of what may be called 'inner volition. ' More specifically it is limited to the following four lines of discussion.
First. It aims to summarize critically the experimental and more important studies of voluntary movement, particularly such studies as bear upon the problem of the function of the "resident" and "remote" processes.
Second. To describe certain experiments undertaken for the purpose of a fuller description of the cognitive processes involved in voluntary movement and especially for the purpose of describing the gradual automatization of a highly volitional series of acts.
Third. To point out the bearing of certain anatomical, physiological and pathological data upon the r61e of (first) the centripetal impulse and (second) the sensation in voluntary movement.
Fourth. To point out the bearing of all these data upon the general theory of voluntary movement.
I. Literary Orientation
A cursory examination of current psychological text-books and literature reveals fundamental differences of opinion with reference to the universality of the image in mental processes.
