DIFFERENTIAL RELAXATION DURING READING, WRITING AND OTHER ACTIVITIES AS TESTED BY THE KNEE-JERK

Abstract

When an average individual is requested to relax, the knee jerk is commonly increased; with a trained subject complete muscular relaxation causes diminution of the jerk. The present experiments show that there is diminution in the jerk of untrained normal individuals while they are occupied in continuous writing, reading, etc Extraneous stimuli tend to prevent this diminution. Three out of 5 neurotic patients failed to exhibit diminishing jerks under similar conditions. Knee jerks of individuals trained to relax were taken during three periods, (1) before, (2) during, and (3) after instructions to relax. Diminution in jerks was seen before relaxation, was present to a greater degree during, and was even carried over into the period after relaxation[long dash]this last effect appeared in spite of attempts at reinforcement by pulling apart clenched hands. Instructing the trained individual not to relax was sufficient to prevent the diminution in jerk.