- an engram of a very specific nature, being the effort of the parent or guardian to be kind to a child who is severely hurt. (DTOT, p. 95)
- a sympathy engram would go something like this: A small boy, much victimized by his parents, is extremely ill. His grandmother attends him and while he is delirious soothes him and tells him she will take care of him, that she will stay right there until he is well. This puts a high "survival" value on being sick. He does not feel safe around his parents; he wants his grandmother present (she is a winning valence because she orders the parents around), and he now has an engram. (DMSMH, p. 107)
- the sympathy engram is one which comes forward and stays chronic as a psychosomatic illness. (DMSMH, p. 107)