[Pierre Janet's conception of the subconscious]

Janet's conceptions of the subconscious are restrictively conceived but show important differentiations which are discussed in detail. First, an outline of Janet's conception of consciousness is presented, then the terms of psychic synthesis and the notion of field of consciousness which is defined as a system of elementary or relatively elementary psychic phenomena, which are in a given moment in connection with the personal ego. Herbart's conception of the relation of conscious and unconscious psychic phenomena are analysed. Concerning Janet's psychology of tendencies several kinds of subconsciousness are distinguished: Dissociative subconsciousness, habit formation, adaptation, and psychological automatism, dispositional subconsciousness and threshold related subconsciouness or subliminal consciousness. The problem of dissociative subconsciousness caused by fixed ideas is discussed; then adaptation, habitualisation and psychic automatism as notions which are important for a conception of dissociative subconsciousness are described. Janet's understanding of double personality is outlined. Finally, the problem of a threshold of consciousness is explained.