When a baby learns that there are some people who may hurt him, such as a physician who has a need to take some corrective action on the child's disability, then the child is sensitive to the approach of the physician. As the physician gets closer and closer the child's terror increases and the child's sensitivity sends a message to the child about the man who is going to cause pain or hurt.

A person who was bitten or possibly even barked at by a dog might develop a sensitivity to all dogs. They will say that they are afraid of the dog which may well be true, but the real affect is a sensitivity towards the affect of the dog or the potential affect of the dog. They are sensitive to what the dog does and as the dog comes closer and closer the person will have more and more of a tendency to cross the street to avoid that dog.