Also Quote by Eric Kandel
“In order to produce learned fear, you take a neutral stimulus like a tone, and you pair it with an electrical shock. Tone, shock. Tone, shock. So the animal learns that the tone is bad news. But you can also do the opposite - shock it at other times, but never when the tone comes on.”
About This Quote
Source Lecture: Principles of Neural Science, Eric Kandel, 2000
Pairing a neutral cue with an aversive event creates fear; reversing the pairing prevents fear learning.
In simple terms: Fear is learned by association; can be unlearned.
Key Takeaway
Use timing to shape responses.
Themes
learning
fear conditioning
behavior
psychology
neuroscience
Mood
cautious
analytical
Type
educational
scientific
When to use this quote
- therapy
- education
- animal training
- trauma treatment
Key Concepts
classical conditioning
extinction
neural plasticity
Questions to Reflect On
- How can timing be used to reduce anxiety?
- What limits extinction learning?
A Different Perspective
Fear learning can be context‑dependent and may not fully erase prior associations.
![“I learned this [ that fear doesn't have to stop me] when my world came apart. I was living a life-long dream of a family life combined with an organization to promote living democracy - all on a gorgeous 45-acre compound in rural Vermont. I'd spent a decade building my dream, and then it started…” quote by Frances Moore Lappé](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/2e2/frances-moore-lapp-4271_acres_i-learned-this-that-fear-doesn-t-have-to_1514038.jpg)
