These conceptions of personal adequacy or inadequacy may be reinforced by his experiences with the exercise, and equally they may be negated or dispelled by those experiences. If he is able to perform the “ improving" patterns of movement easily and without distress, he may experience himself as being strong, flexible, agile, inexhaustible, and generally effective; and he may be gratified by this image of himself. Conversely, if he
has difficulty in executing the movement patterns, he may experience himself as being weak, clumsy, and generally ineffective; and his sense of inadequacy as a human being may
be reinforced by these distressing images.
As he interprets the movement patterns in terms of his conception of himself, his feelings of personal adequacy or inadequacy may be similarly enhanced or diminished. For example, if he recognizes the conception of gracefulness in certain movements, he may either welcome, resist, or be indifferentto the opportunity to perform those patterns; and as he performs them, either gracefully or dis-gracefully, he may find this self-knowledge either gratifying, uninteresting, or depressing.