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A STUDY OF MOTOR AUTOMATISMS

A STUDY OF MOTOR AUTOMATISMS Abstract Human behavior, in a physiologic sense, may be defined as visceral and muscular activity. If one starts with the premise that activity of the central nervous system is expressed by muscular movements, then direct observation of such phenomena should be an important and valid method for the study of normal as well as abnormal human behavior. The investigation of muscular movements abounds with many difficulties and limitations. The various types of motor phenomena which come under this heading are so numerous and ambiguous as to kind and frequency that no two authors agree entirely in their designation. The definitions of these phenomena, referred to in medical and psychologic literature as tics, habit spasms, stereotyped acts or motor automatisms, vary with the school of thought. The most comprehensive definition was first propounded by Meige and Feindel in 1906: A tic is a coordinated purposive act, provoked in the first instance by References 1. Seham, Max, and Seham, Grete: The Relation Between Malnutrition and Nervousness , Am. J. Dis. Child. 37:1 ( (Jan.) ) 1929.Crossref 2. In order to determine the significance of the probable errors of the means, the following formulas were used, in which P E indicates probable error; S D, standard deviation; M, the mean; N, the number, and D, deviation: (1) P EM = 0.6745 N S D (2) P ED M1-M2 = P EM12 + P EM22 (3) DM1-M2 = Ratio P ED A ratio of 3 means that the probability that the estimated difference arose purely as a result of chance is 4.3 per cent, or, to put it in another way, in 100 trials a deviation of this size or greater would be expected as a result of chance alone 4.3 times. If this is expressed in still a more practical way, one could say that the odds against the estimated ratio occurring as a result of chance alone is 22.26:1. If the ratio is 4, the odds against such a deviation are 142.26:1. A difference is considered to be significant if the odds are about 100:1 or greater. This scheme will be used throughout this article and in the conclusions. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Archives of Neurology & Psychiatry American Medical Association

A STUDY OF MOTOR AUTOMATISMS

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References (2)

Publisher
American Medical Association
Copyright
Copyright © 1934 American Medical Association. All Rights Reserved.
ISSN
0096-6754
DOI
10.1001/archneurpsyc.1934.02250070160009
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

Abstract Human behavior, in a physiologic sense, may be defined as visceral and muscular activity. If one starts with the premise that activity of the central nervous system is expressed by muscular movements, then direct observation of such phenomena should be an important and valid method for the study of normal as well as abnormal human behavior. The investigation of muscular movements abounds with many difficulties and limitations. The various types of motor phenomena which come under this heading are so numerous and ambiguous as to kind and frequency that no two authors agree entirely in their designation. The definitions of these phenomena, referred to in medical and psychologic literature as tics, habit spasms, stereotyped acts or motor automatisms, vary with the school of thought. The most comprehensive definition was first propounded by Meige and Feindel in 1906: A tic is a coordinated purposive act, provoked in the first instance by References 1. Seham, Max, and Seham, Grete: The Relation Between Malnutrition and Nervousness , Am. J. Dis. Child. 37:1 ( (Jan.) ) 1929.Crossref 2. In order to determine the significance of the probable errors of the means, the following formulas were used, in which P E indicates probable error; S D, standard deviation; M, the mean; N, the number, and D, deviation: (1) P EM = 0.6745 N S D (2) P ED M1-M2 = P EM12 + P EM22 (3) DM1-M2 = Ratio P ED A ratio of 3 means that the probability that the estimated difference arose purely as a result of chance is 4.3 per cent, or, to put it in another way, in 100 trials a deviation of this size or greater would be expected as a result of chance alone 4.3 times. If this is expressed in still a more practical way, one could say that the odds against the estimated ratio occurring as a result of chance alone is 22.26:1. If the ratio is 4, the odds against such a deviation are 142.26:1. A difference is considered to be significant if the odds are about 100:1 or greater. This scheme will be used throughout this article and in the conclusions.

Journal

Archives of Neurology & Psychiatry – American Medical Association

Published: Jul 1, 1934

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