ccomplish an ulterior end which is imagined beforehand. The last
class of fully voluntary acts belongs under the general head of
manipulation, just as imagination does. We _imagine some change_ to be
produced in the existing situation and then proceed to put our
imagination into effect; and this is a typical voluntary act.

We seldom, however, picture a _complete_ act in imagination before
executing it. Even so simple an act as closing the fist cannot be
completely pictured beforehand; for if you try to imagine how the
closed fist is going to feel and then close it, you will find that you
left out of your image many details of the actual kinesthetic
sensations. What we imagine and intend is _some_ change in the
situation, and we then proceed to execute that change and other
changes incidentally.

Besides the simple reflexes, there is another sort of involuntary and
mechanical action. Through practice and repetition, an act may become
so habitual as to be done automatically, that is, without being
imagined beforehand, and even without conscious impulse. The practised
typist responds in this way to the words he is copying. We should
notice, however, that this does not mean that the total behavior and
state of mind of the typist is mechanical and devoid of impulse. The
typist may write the letters {526} mechanically, and if expert may
write even words in this way, but all the time he is consciously
aiming to copy the passage. His attention and impulse have deserted
the fully mastered details and attach themselves to the larger units.
In the same way, in signing your name you have no conscious intention
or impulse to write each successive letter; but you fully intend to
sign your name.

Development of Voluntary Control

The child's actions are at first impulsive but not voluntary in the
full sense, since obviously he cannot imagine and intend an act till
he has had experience of that act, and he must usually have
experienced doing the act himself before he can effectively imagine
it. At least, this is true of the simpler movements; compound
movements, made up of familiar elements, may be first observed in
other persons and then voluntarily imitated. The child's process of
acquiring voluntary control over a movement is illustrated by the
story of how the baby learned to put his hand in his mouth. He first
made this movement in the course of "aimless" throwing of his arms
about, liked the sensation of the hand in the m