A new sense perception or perceptual series, \(W, w, \mathfrak{w}, \omega\) (“\(W\)” for Wahrnehmung, sense perception), always appears in an arena of consciousness already occupied by some older representation or representational group, \(R, r, \mathfrak{r}, \rho\) (SW VI: 143). At first, the “unarrested intensity” of \(W, w, \ldots\) gives it as it were the drop on the pre-existing representations, initially forcing them down against the threshold (Stout 1888b: 484; SW VI: 143). At the same time, in accordance with the psycho-mechanical laws of reproduction, elements of the new series (e.g., \(w, \mathfrak{w}\)) reawaken the subliminal similars amongst the older representations (e.g., \(r,\mathfrak{r}\)), and fuse with these, while simultaneously inhibiting the dissimilars (e.g., \(R, \rho\)). But the similars (\(r, \mathfrak{r}\)), being themselves more strongly bound to the dissimilars (\(R, \rho\)) (as members of the same mass), gradually draw up the latter, and so the whole mass \((R, r, \mathfrak{r}, \rho)\) returns more strongly to inhibit \(W, w, \ldots\) (cf. esp. Stout 1888b: 484). As Stout points out, the returning pre-formation \((R, r, \ldots)\) would seem likely to suppress \(W, w, \ldots\) except for their “points of affinity”: 