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Roheim, G. Primitive Man and Environment.
Stärcke, A. The Castration Complex.
Shorter Communications. Cole, E. M., Flute Playing Symbolism; Bryan, D., Word Play in Symptom Formation; Berkeley-Hill, O., Symbolic Use of Figures.
Collective Reviews: Normal Psychology; Mysticism and Occultism; Book Reviews; Society Proceedings.
Roheim, G. Primitive Man and Environment.—The author first discusses the phenomenology of totemism which is defined as “the belief in the existence of a specific magico-religious connection between a human group and a natural species.” This may be assumed to be an expression in the language of unconscious symbolism of the “unity which connects human life with Nature.” The biological connection, intellectually speaking, is quite evident, but the endopsychical knowledge of such a relationship is projected into the belief of a “magical bond.” The many imitative ceremonials of animal actions as adaptive-protective mechanisms, offer evidence of this subjectively felt kinship. Biologically conceived, in Semon's terminology, “the engramme of former ‘changes’ are handed down and survive as beliefs in the possibilities of further change,”
He then discusses Identification, in which the universe and a dwelling are made one, and then is dealt with in the unconscious of the primitive as the world surrounding him like a second womb. Thus the numerous rebirth ceremonials, and the rebirth symbolizations in psychic stereotypies and in dream activities. Roheim gives a number of illustrations and relates migrations with the home totems. Cave dwellings are extensively dealt with from the viewpoint as offering special analogies to antenatal experiences and the unconscious influence of such experiences with choice of dwellings. Many cave legends are dealt with in the elucidation of the theme. Similarly the tree dwellings of certain tribes need more study and if Pithecanthropus was a tree dweller, Roheim allows himself the suggestion: “As the Pi