A person is born with a lot of fears. No animal fears germs, fears its own nakedness, or freezes in terror at the sight of a pregnant woman. The list of fears unique only for a person can be continued endlessly. In the list of all kinds of phobias more than a hundred fears of man. Why, unlike animals, do so many things frighten people?
All animals get scared. They feel fear when they see, hear or smell something that scares them. Fear is an emotional response to a frightening stimulus. Animals are frightened by real things-sticks, fire or predators. Fear helps animals avoid danger. And thereby preserve life. But man fears much more. And something that doesn't involve an immediate threat.
Man's fear is the flip side of the mind
The reason for the huge number of fears in humans are such useful things as memory, imagination and speech. This explosive mixture that some people tightly chained to the house, the other does not communicate, third deprives peace at night. In humans, the stimulus that triggers fear can be an Association that arose in response to a completely harmless event, invented image or memory.
The first cause of human fears is memory
Personal experience of each person consists of experienced situations. If you are attacked by a dog, then after that you will be afraid of dogs.
But man has yet to learn from the experience of others. If you see once attack dogs on neighbor, you forever will remember this. And you will be as frightened as if a dog had attacked you.
If animals can only see what happens in their environment, then the Internet, movies and television are also available to man. Never in the history of mankind has such a sea of experience been available to us. Every day on TV you can see the criminal chronicle. And even if you or your loved ones have never been bitten by a dog, then surely you have seen such attacks on TV. Of course, it becomes part of your experience.
Every day you are bombarded with horrific stories of tragic deaths. Both real and imagined. At your disposal horror movies with maniacs-murderers, ghosts and ghouls.
As a result, memory obligingly offers you a sea of memories of all sorts of existing and non-existent dangers.
The second cause of human fears – speech
What distinguishes humans from animals is the ability to transmit knowledge through speech. When you hear a story about someone being bitten by dogs, you will perceive it as if you were witnessing it. When you were told about how someone was bitten by a dog, the Association "dog-danger" develop in you the same way as the victim. Even if you've never seen a single angry dog.
In addition, parents and teachers are taught to be afraid of things that you have never encountered and may never encounter.
Internet, radio and Newspapers are available. It's another way to read and hear about what to fear.
Therefore, fear can arise in a person even when he has not witnessed any dangerous situations.
The third cause of human fears is imagination
Unlike an animal, you only need your imagination to be afraid. Imagination is a powerful tool. It helped man to create a variety of tools, come up with effective ways to get food and fight diseases.
Imagination is also a time machine that allows you to see your future. And foresee the dangers. Imagination protects you well. It would seem-a great ability! But sometimes your imagination plays tricks on you.
Striving for maximum security, imagination offers you the most nightmarish version of the future. Even if its probability is negligible.
Or you just have to think of a threat, imagine it. And deal done! You will become your enemy.
Man can imagine things that do not exist in nature. So, already a small child is afraid of Koshcheev the Immortal and the Dragon Gorynych. As we get older, we fear ghosts, vampires, werewolves, and aliens.
You can imagine your own personal monster. And you will be frightened sitting at home, surrounded by loved ones, wrapped in a blanket and with a Cup of tea in his hands. But the feeling of comfort will not come. The mere thought of this monster is enough to make you shudder with horror at what does not exist.
Your mind, memory and imagination can create an image of a non-existent threat even when you are completely safe. Fear and anxiety torment you when objectively you are not threatened and can not be threatened.
Man is able to be aware of abstract concepts. It is easy for him to be afraid of such things, which no animal can realize – responsibility, meaninglessness of existence, non-existence and infinity.
Humans have far more fears than animals. But this is what allowed humanity to survive. Fear contributed to the development of civilization and progress. So, because of the fear of hunger, man came up with the idea of planting plants and grazing cattle. Then he invented the plow and the tractor. To save food people came up with refrigerators and other technologies for long-term storage of products. Because of the fear of death and disease, man invented medicine. From – for fear of freeze-clothes.
But the imagination of man has created many dangerous and useful things at the same time. Cars, nuclear power plants and household chemicals serve man faithfully. But at the same time require caution. Civilized man is almost not threatened by predators and hunger. But the number of dangers in the life of civilized man has been increased by great inventions.