Accidents Quote by Gordon Allport
![“The dog [in Pavlov's experiments] does not continue to salivate whenever it hears a bell unless sometimes at least an edible offering accompanies the bell. But there are innumerable instances in human life where a single association, never reinforced, results in the establishment of a life-long…” quote by Gordon Allport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/488/gordon-allport-29384_accidents_the-dog-in-pavlov-s-experiments-does-not_1383042.jpg)
“The dog [in Pavlov's experiments] does not continue to salivate whenever it hears a bell unless sometimes at least an edible offering accompanies the bell. But there are innumerable instances in human life where a single association, never reinforced, results in the establishment of a life-long dynamic system. An experience associated only once with a bereavement, an accident, or a battle, may become the center of a permanent phobia or complex, not in the least dependent on a recurrence of the original shock.”
About This Quote
Source Book: Personality: A Psychological Interpretation by Gordon Allport, 1937
A single powerful event can create a lasting mental pattern without repeated reinforcement.
In simple terms: One event can shape lasting reactions.
Key Takeaway
Recognize and address one‑off traumas.
Themes
psychology
memory
trauma
learning
Mood
reflective
somber
Type
analytical
insightful
When to use this quote
- therapy sessions
- grief counseling
- post‑traumatic stress treatment
- personal reflection
Key Concepts
Classical conditioning
long‑term potentiation
emotional imprinting
Questions to Reflect On
- What single experience has shaped your behavior?
- How can you reframe a one‑time trauma?
A Different Perspective
Such associations may be resistant to change without targeted intervention.
![“Signal learning (or classical or Pavlovian conditioning) is the simplest example [of learning without consciousness]. If a light signal immediately followed by a puff of air through a rubber tube is directed at a person's eye about ten times, the eyelid, which previously blinked only to the puff…” quote by Julian Jaynes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/b37/julian-jaynes-13804_1990_signal-learning-or-classical-or-pavlovia_1218249.jpg)
![“Since we think about ourselves so much of the time, it is comforting to assume ... that we really know the score… [But] this is not an easy assignment. [As] Santayana wrote, 'Nothing requires a rarer intellectual heroism than willingness to see one's equation written out.'” quote by Gordon Allport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/f3b/gordon-allport-29384_assignments_since-we-think-about-ourselves-so-much-o_1110919.jpg)
