Psychic Activity

PSYCHIC ACTIVITY, denotes the dynamic basis of any psycho-physiological process. Subjectively, psychic activity can be experienced in relatively simple processes as a state of tension; in more complex processes, however, as volitional effort, often accompanied by consciousness of the tasks and goals of this effort. Individual mental processes, insofar as their dynamic aspect is considered, are called mental acts. The diversity of manifestations of psychic activity allows for the differentiation of voluntary, involuntary, counter-voluntary, and automatic acts. Since psychic activity, according to the views of modern psychology, is inextricably linked, among other mental processes, with intellectual activity, the opposition of psychic activity to intellectual processes (proposed by some psychologists) is unacceptable. Modern views on the role of psychic activity have been particularly clearly reflected in the field of pedagogy (methods of active assimilation of educational material). See also Apperception, Active Attention.