Experimental psychopathology

Reviews 21 publications (1913-1914) on experimentation with psychopathological cases. Psychophysical experiments were conducted to compare normal Ss with pathological cases on: response rate; metabolic rate; suggestibility; change in pupil size; respiratory and pulse rhythm; plathysmographs; psychogalvanic response; attention span; and memory. It was concluded that pathological Ss are more susceptible to suggestion, and in manic states there is higher arousal rate. A stimulus if unreacted to, lengthens the following reaction if it is similar and shortens it if it is dissimilar. A characteristic difference between anxious and retarded meloncholias is illustrated. In catatonic conditions, there is a diminished reaction in conformity with the general motor phenomenon. Retrograde amnesia has also been studied. Further experimentation is required to understand the deeper mechanisms of disorders.