trolley wheel on a tram wire in one case gave rise to terror instead of
its normal reaction, viz., that of satisfaction at getting to the
destination quickly and without effort. This terror was produced because
the sound on the wire resembled that of a shell which came over, blew in
a dugout, killed three men, and buried the patient. No memory of this
incident came into consciousness, only a terror similar to that
experienced at the time of the original incident was experienced. Or,
the time four o'clock in the afternoon could act as a stimulus to arouse
an emotional state of misery similar to that experienced at the same
time of day during an illness some years previously. Or, passing the
house of a doctor when on a bus could produce a sudden outburst of
anxiety, giddiness, and confusion; the patient had been taken into that
house at the time of an epileptic attack. Or, showing photographs of the
front could lead to an epileptic attack which was based on the memory of
the time when the patient was wounded in the head; this has occurred on
two separate occasions separated by an interval of some months. Or,
noticing a familiar critical tone in a remark made at a dinner-table
could lead to an acute change of feeling so that the subject who,
before dinner, had felt she would like to play a new composition on the
piano so as to obtain the opinion of the guest who had exhibited the
critical tone, after dinner felt incapable of doing so. Her feelings had
been hurt on many former occasions by critical remarks made by him in
that tone. The critical remarks were not called to memory but there
arose the feeling that under no circumstances could she play that piece
to him.

Of special importance also are the experiences of childhood. An unhappy
home or unjust treatment as a child may warp the development of the
personality, lead to a lack of self-confidence, to the predominance of
one emotional tendency, and so prevent that balanced equilibrium which
will allow a rapid and suitable emotional reaction such as we may
consider normal. This may lead to a failure of development or a loss of
the sense of value, because the existence of one dominating emotional
tendency so often produces a prejudiced view which may render a just
appreciation of our general experience almost impossible and may
seriously disturb our mental activity.

And if, as Bianchi suggests, all mental activity depends on a series of
reflex actions, or, as Bechterew