Living in a complex civilization makes many of
our original reaction tendencies inappropriate. Our
proneness to anger toward telephone operators, or
toward the automobile that resists our efforts to
start it, is often of no use to us. Our natural equip-
ment does not include appropriate responses to these
situations. Loudness of voice and violent action
are the innate responses to situations not wholly dis-
similar to an irritating operator or to a recalcitrant
machine, so these are the responses given by the un-
regenerate. When a man steps in front of us in the
line waiting for theater tickets, our adrenal re-
sponse, promoting as it does the clotting of the
blood, prepares us for actual bloodshed, although
this is usually needless as we may never come to
blows.
Oeientation, Locomotion, and Inteevention

A response to stimulation is often a turning
toward or away from certain objects. These objects
are usually themselves the source of the stimulus
that causes the turning. The altered position gen-
erally serves one of two purposes. It may put the
animal in a position to employ mouth or legs to ad-
vantage, as when a startled animal takes up an atti-



34 GENERAL PSYCHOLOGY

tude of defense or prepares for flight. It may
change the direction of the animal's sense organs
with reference to the provoking stimulus or with
reference to other stimuli usually associated with
this. For example, the horse cocks his ear toward
the unusual sound, thus bringing the sense organ
further into play. The herd wheel in the direction
from which danger may be expected in response to
the danger cry of the leader. Taking up a posture
that permits the appropriate action of receptors or
effectors, or that withdraws receptors from stimu-
lation, is called orientation.
