Experiments with Developing Volitional Abilities

Development of volitional abilities is of great importance in trying to attain educational goal, which is all-round and harmonious development of personality. Within the framework of general care for the mental development of our young generation an important part is therefore played by the development of volitional abilities and this includes endeavours to create, besides specifically educational methods, also psychological methods of developing this personality trait In the techniques we are reporting on verbal influence is multiplied by the use of a number of audio-visual and sensory aids influences (e. g. music, film, slides, drawings, scent, special massages and the like) in different combinations. But the persons taking part in the experiment gradually get rid of these sensory influences, the process of internalization begins, and emotions join the framework of volitional processes. Our experimental operation, briefly called „training of the will” had the following phases: relaxation in inactivity, relaxation in activity (experience of ease), expansion of the will (feeling of expansion of volitional power), activation (which gives rise to a feeling of enjoyable energy spending), auto-suggestion of good health. Among the techniques used were e. g. the technique of „expansion of the will” or activation, which uses mainly amorphous coloured luminous figures accompanied with music and recitation, or the technique of training the auto- suggestion of good health, in which pleasant bodily feelings are evoked by means by of massages under simultaneous verbal stimulation, etc. An important link in internalization is the use of natural influences, which one selects and adapts to one’s own development of volitional abilities. The form used with schoolchildren is that of fairy-tales, games and competitions. The techniques of „training the will" used with adolescents are similar to those used with adults. Persons taking part in the experiment were sportsmen, later on schoolchildren and young people. Results obtained according to the chosen criteria can be evaluated as follows: with one third of the persons taking part in the experiment as remarkable, with another third as satisfactory, and with the remaining third as barely noticeable or inconspicuous.