Dynamic Stereotype

a type of integral activity performed by the cerebrum of higher animals and man and manifested by a fixed, or stereotyped, succession of conditioned reflexes.

The dynamic stereotype is influenced by external factors that are repeated in a certain order. If the conditions that engendered and maintained the stereotype are altered, the stereotype may change or disappear. The dynamic stereotype is the most vivid manifestation of the extremely subtle analyzing and synthesizing activity of the cerebral cortex and is the product of very complex interactions between the areas of the cortex. The dynamic stereotype is the physiological basis for the automation of skills. It aids in the efficient performance of tasks and in rapid adaptation to the conditions of existence. Human habits and simple labor skills are expressions of dynamic stereotyping.

The development of a dynamic stereotype places a significant burden on the central nervous system. However, once a stereotype is established, it becomes automatic and inert. Thus, the reconstruction of a dynamic stereotype places a great strain on the neural elements of the cerebral cortex. The strain sometimes overburdens the capacities of these elements and often leads to disturbances in higher nervous activity and to the development of neurotic states. The mental crises and emotional turmoil experienced by people upon changing their familiar way of life often have a physiological basis—the disruption of a former dynamic stereotype and the difficulty in establishing a new one. The degree of difficulty in reconstructing a dynamic stereotype depends on the nature of the stimuli and the specific characteristics of the nervous system, as well as on the age and condition of the organism.