General psychology from the personalistic standpoint / by William Stern ; translated by Howard Davis Spoerl.

  • Stern, William, 1871-1938.
Date:
1938
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: General psychology from the personalistic standpoint / by William Stern ; translated by Howard Davis Spoerl. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    441/620 (page 415)
    Not only before and at the commencement of the act, but also at many points during its course, does the competence of the person who wills become questionable to him; he does not have merely a simple and naive belief in his competence, but asks himself Can I do it? and the question involves both the purpose (“Can I will it?”) and the control over the means (“Can I carry it through?^). This is illustrated by the desire to learn a trade. Genuine “willing” occurs only when the conviction is attained that the goal will be persist- ently upheld during the several years training period and when there is also the belief that the individual’s abilities and competence, together with the available financial, technical, and other resources, can make success possible. Thus a complete and serious act of will presupposes the subordina- tion of a positive belief in one’s competence to the goal of willing. If this relationship is disturbed, willing loses its serious quality. Disturb- ance may consist in either a weakening or an overpointing of the sense of competence. 2. THE UNDERVALUING OF COMPETENCE Since with more highly developed objectives the sense of competence is built up by questions that the individual who is about to will puts to himself and the world, considerable intellect is required. The in- dividual who is uncertain of his competence must estimate the per- severing force of his purpose and his personal powers; but he must also judge the conditions of the external situation, in order to see plainly whether or not he can attain his goal. Here again is one of the points at which we discern the close connection between thinking and willing. Reflection upon one’s competence may under certain circumstances make competence, and therewith will, uncertain, and ultimately disable it. Critical self-analysis and the thinking over of things always tend to emphasize especially the factors opposing the action—lack of ability, possibility of failure, external obstacles—; and very gen- erally, a purely deliberative demeanor is in itself harmful to the activity of willing. Some people never achieve force of will or the execution of acts of will because of strong misgivings. They are “sickbed o’er with the pale cast of thought.” 1 The conviction of incompetence does not always prevent action, but there is nevertheless no act of will. This appears very plainly in compulsions; the slave being flogged by the overseer tries to drag his heavy burden further although he knows that he can no longer do it. Much the same thing occurs, however, when more delicate impul- 1 Von des Gedankens Blässe angekränkelt. (Schiller.)