The Foundations of Personality

by Abraham Myerson

Overview

Abraham Myerson (1881-1948) was an American neurologist, psychiatrist, clinician, pathologist, and researcher. He had a special interest in the heredity of psychiatric and neurologic disease. Myerson maintained an active practice and served as Massachusetts state forensic examiner for eight years. He testified at the trial of Sacco and Vanzetti. He was a supporter of electric shock therapy and taught its use. He believed in the interdependence of mind and body and a physiological approach in psychiatry and neurology. Myerson introduced "total push" in treating patients with chronic schizophrenic patients and affected by the regressive and iatrogenic treatment patterns in state mental hospitals. The growth of psychoanalytic practices in the United States interested Myerson. He thought that psychoanalysis led to the examination of human beings more closely and stimulated better research in the areas of biology and physiology. Though he appreciated Sigmund Freud's contributions, Myerson opposed psychoanalysis.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781455420995
Publisher:	B&R Samizdat Express
Publication date:	10/20/2011
Sold by:	Smashwords
Format:	eBook
File size:	781 KB

About the Author

Abraham Myerson (1881-1948) was an American neurologist, psychiatrist, clinician, pathologist, and researcher. He had a special interest in the heredity of psychiatric and neurologic disease.

Myerson was born in Lithuania, the son of a school teacher. His father emigrated to the United States in 1885, and sent for his family in 1886, settling in New Britain, Connecticut. In 1892, the family moved to Boston, Massachusetts. He attended the Boston public schools, graduated from high school in 1898, and then worked for seven years to earn money to attend medical school. He attended the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University for one year and then left for financial reasons. He worked as a street car conductor for a year, and then returned to Columbia for his second year. He transferred to Tufts Medical School in Boston, and graduated in 1908 with a M.D. At Tufts, Myerson was a student of Dr. Morton Prince, and in his later years, Myerson held the chair in neurology which had been Prince's.

He opened his medical office in Boston, and also served as an assistant physician in neurology at Boston City Hospital for two years. He spent six months in the neuropathology laboratory of Dr. Elmer E. Southard at Harvard University. He moved to St. Louis, Missouri for his residency in neurology at the Alexian Brothers Hospital and an instructor in neurology at St. Louis University.
He returned to Boston in 1912 to join the first group of residents at the newly opened Boston Psychopathic Hospital. From 1914 to 1918, he served as the clinical director and pathologist at Taunton State Hospital. In 1927, Myerson became director of research at Boston State Hospital. In 1933, the Massachusetts legislature approved the building of a new laboratory for Myerson with funds provided by the Rockefeller Foundation. In 1935, he was appointed professor of clinical psychiatry at Harvard Medical School in recognition of the accomplishments in his research. He was also appointed assistant professor of neurology at Tufts Medical School in 1924, and from 1921 to 1940, he served as the Chair of neurology at Tufts. In 1940, Myerson became Professor Emeritus.

Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION

I. THE ORGANIC BASIS OF CHARACTER

II. THE ENVIRONMENTAL BASIS OF CHARACTER

III. MEMORY AND HABIT

IV. STIMULATION, INHIBITION, ORGANIZING ENERGY, CHOICE AND CONSCIOUSNESS

V. HYSTERIA, SUBCONSCIOUSNESS AND FREUDIANISM

VI. EMOTION, INSTINCT, INTELLIGENCE AND WILL

VII. EXCITEMENT, MONOTONY AND INTEREST

VIII. THE SENTIMENTS OF LOVE, FRIENDSHIP, HATE, PITY AND DUTY, COMPENSATION AND ESCAPE

IX. ENERGY RELEASE AND THE EMOTIONS

X. COURAGE, RESIGNATION, SUBLIMATION, PATIENCE, THE WISH AND ANHEDONIA

XI. THE EVOLUTION OF CHARACTER WITH ESPECIAL REFERENCE TO THE GROWTH OF PURPOSE AND PERSONALITY

XII. THE METHODS OF PURPOSE-WORK CHARACTERS

XIII. THE QUALITIES OF THE LEADER AND THE FOLLOWER

XIV. SEX CHARACTERS AND DOMESTICITY

XV. PLAY, RECREATION, HUMOR AND PLEASURE SEEKING

XVI. RELIGIOUS CHARACTERS. DISHARMONY IN CHARACTER

XVII. SOME CHARACTER TYPES