On the other hand, an unequivocal complicated act of deliberation
occurred in the seventeenth month. The child could not reach his
playthings in the cupboard, because it was too high for him; he ran
about, brought a traveling-bag, got upon it, and took what he wanted.
In this case he could not possibly think in words, since he did not
yet know words.
My child tries further (in the nineteenth and twentieth months) in a
twofold fashion to make known his eager wish to leave the room, not
being as yet able to speak. He takes any cloth he fancies and brings
it to me. I put it about him, he wraps himself in it, and, climbing
beseechingly on my knee, makes longing, pitiful sounds, which do not
cease until after I have opened a door through which he goes into
another room. Then he immediately throws away the cloth and runs about
exulting.
The other performance is this: When the child feels the need of
relieving his bowels, he is accustomed to make peculiar grunting
sounds, by means of a strain of the abdomen, shutting the mouth and
breathing loud, by jerks, through the nose. He is then taken away.
Now, if he is not suited with the place where he happens to be, at any
time, he begins to make just such sounds. If he is taken away, no such
need appears at all, but he is in high glee. Here is the expectation,
"I shall be taken away if I make that sound."
Whether we are to admit, in addition, an intentional _deception_ in this
case, or whether only a logical process takes place, I can not decide.
Pages:
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73