Figure 8E. Let this circle represent the mind. When we are born, we are
totally subconscious mind.Next, take a look at Figure 8F. Those plus and minus signs represent how
the developing child’s mind learns from positive and negative
identifications and associations that give rise to habits and behaviors.
Here’s an example of a positive identification: When an infant is hungry
or uncomfortable, she cries out, making an effort to communicate in order
to get her mother’s attention. As the nurturing parent responds by feeding
the child or changing her diaper, the infant makes an important connection
between her inner and outer worlds. It only takes a few repetitions before
she learns to associate crying out with being fed or becoming comfortable.
It becomes a behavior.
A good example of a negative association is when a two-year-old puts his
finger on a hot stove. He learns very quickly to identify the object he sees
externally—the stove—with the pain he is feeling internally, and after a few
tries, he learns a valuable lesson.