Why Are We Afraid of the Dark?

Summary

This video script delves into the psychology of fear, particularly the common fear of the dark and how it's developed through classical conditioning. It explains the role of the amygdala in conditioned responses and discusses the concept of biological preparedness, suggesting an evolutionary reason for certain fears. The script also highlights the effectiveness of exposure therapy in treating phobias, offering a reverse-conditioning approach to diminish fear responses.

Takeaways

• 🌑 Fear of the dark is common among both children and adults and can be associated with fears of ghosts, monsters, and other spooky entities.
• 🧠 The development of fears is largely attributed to classical conditioning, where a neutral stimulus becomes associated with a fear-inducing stimulus.
• 🐶 An example of classical conditioning is a person who becomes afraid of dogs after being bitten and having to visit the hospital.
• 🧬 The amygdala, a region in the brain, is believed to be linked to conditioned responses and is active during high-arousal emotions such as fear.
• 👶 Surveys indicate that many children's phobias are based on bad experiences with the object of their fear, like spiders or darkness.
• 🦸‍♂️ Phobias can also arise from modeling behaviors, where observing someone else's fear response to a stimulus can instill fear in an observer.
• 📺 Instructional fear acquisition is another way phobias develop, often through warnings from others or media portrayals that emphasize danger.
• 🔢 The availability heuristic influences fear acquisition, where people are more likely to fear things that are readily available in their minds, like recent news stories.
• 🐍 Biological preparedness suggests that certain phobias, like fear of snakes, might be easier to develop due to evolutionary reasons.
• 🌕 An ecological study from Tanzania suggests a possible evolutionary reason for fearing the dark, linking it to increased risk of predator attacks after sunset and during full moons.
• 🛡 Exposure therapy is an effective treatment for phobias, involving gradual and controlled exposure to the feared object or situation to reduce fear responses.
• 🎥 The script invites viewers interested in fear and related psychological topics to explore more through SciShow Psych's YouTube channel.

Q & A

What is the commonality between fears of the dark and other fears during childhood?

During childhood, the fear of the dark often goes hand in hand with other fears such as ghosts, monsters, or other spooky things, as these fears are typically developed through classical conditioning.

How does classical conditioning contribute to the development of fears?

Classical conditioning contributes to the development of fears by pairing a neutral stimulus with a stimulus that elicits an automatic reaction. Over time, the neutral stimulus becomes a conditioned stimulus that triggers the same automatic response, such as fear.

What role does the amygdala play in conditioned responses?

The amygdala is a brain region that becomes active during fear or high-arousal emotions. It is likely linked to conditioned responses, helping to process and react to stimuli that have been associated with fear through conditioning.

Why do some children develop fears of things they have never experienced, like spiders?

Some children may develop fears of things they have never experienced through modeling, where they observe and imitate the fearful reactions of others, such as an older sibling reacting to a spider.

How does instructional fear acquisition work?

Instructional fear acquisition occurs when someone is told to be afraid of something, often based on warnings or information from others. This can lead to the development of fears even without direct experience with the feared stimulus.

What is the availability heuristic, and how does it influence fear?

The availability heuristic is a mental shortcut where people use information that is readily available in their minds to make judgments. This can lead to an overestimation of the likelihood of rare but highly publicized events, such as terrorist attacks, contributing to fears even without personal experience.

What is biological preparedness, and how does it relate to the development of certain phobias?

Biological preparedness is a phenomenon where certain phobias are easier to develop in specific species, such as primates developing a fear of snakes or spiders. It suggests that some fears may be ingrained from our ancestors' behaviors due to evolutionary pressures.

How might the risk from predators have influenced the development of a fear of the dark?

The risk from predators, such as the increased likelihood of lion attacks after sunset and during the period following a full moon, might have contributed to the evolution of a fear of the dark in early humans, as a survival mechanism to avoid predation.

What is exposure therapy, and how is it used to treat phobias?

Exposure therapy is a psychological treatment method that involves gradually and systematically exposing a person to the source of their fear in small, manageable doses. This process helps to reduce the intensity of the fear response over time, effectively treating the phobia.

Why do some people enjoy being scared by horror movies, and where can they learn more about it?

The enjoyment of being scared by horror movies can be attributed to various psychological factors, including the thrill of experiencing fear in a controlled environment. More information on this topic can be found in SciShow Psych's video about why people enjoy being scared.

Outlines

00:00

🌑 Understanding Fears and Phobias

The first paragraph introduces the commonality of fear, particularly the fear of the dark, and its persistence from childhood into adulthood. It explains that fears often develop through classical conditioning, where a neutral stimulus becomes associated with a fear-inducing event, leading to an automatic response. The role of the amygdala in conditioned responses is highlighted, as well as the influence of modeling and instructional fear acquisition on fear development. The concept of biological preparedness is introduced to explain why certain phobias, like fear of snakes or spiders, may be more easily acquired than others. The paragraph concludes with a discussion of an ecological study suggesting a possible evolutionary reason for the fear of the dark, linked to increased risk of predator attacks after sunset and particularly during full moons.

05:01

🎬 Conclusion and Further Exploration

The second paragraph, serving as an outro, likely summarizes the main points discussed in the video and may encourage viewers to explore further topics related to fear and psychology. Although the content for this paragraph is not provided, it can be inferred that it would wrap up the discussion on phobias and possibly invite viewers to subscribe for more content on similar subjects.

Keywords

💡Fear of the dark

Fear of the dark, also known as nyctophobia, is a common fear that often begins in childhood and can persist into adulthood. It is related to the video's theme as it serves as a primary example of an irrational fear that people may develop. The script mentions this fear in the context of childhood fears that are often associated with ghosts and monsters, and how it can be learned through various psychological mechanisms.

💡Classical conditioning

Classical conditioning is a psychological concept where a neutral stimulus becomes associated with a stimulus that provokes a response, eventually eliciting the response without the original stimulus. In the video, it is explained as the primary way fears are developed, using the example of a person who becomes afraid of dogs after being bitten, illustrating how a once-neutral object (dogs) becomes a conditioned stimulus for fear.

💡Phobias

Phobias are extreme or irrational fears that are often debilitating. The script discusses phobias in the context of fears that can be developed through classical conditioning, such as a fear of the dark or spiders. It also distinguishes between phobias based on personal experiences and those that may be learned from others or societal influences.

💡Amygdala

The amygdala is an almond-shaped region of the brain involved in processing emotions, particularly those related to fear and high-arousal states like excitement and anger. The script explains that conditioned responses, such as fears, are likely linked to the amygdala's activity, emphasizing its role in the development and expression of fears.

💡Modeling

Modeling is a learning process where behaviors or responses are acquired by observing and imitating others. The video script uses the example of a child learning to fear spiders by observing an older sibling's reaction to them. This concept is integral to understanding how fears can be socially transmitted.

💡Instructional fear acquisition

Instructional fear acquisition is the process of learning to fear something based on warnings or instructions from others. The script cites examples such as a mother warning about snakes or news reports on terrorist attacks, which can instill fear despite the actual statistical likelihood of encountering such threats being low.

💡Availability heuristic

The availability heuristic is a mental shortcut where people make judgments based on the most readily available or recent information, rather than the most statistically accurate. The script explains how this heuristic can lead to the development of fears, as people are more likely to remember vivid news stories about rare events, like terrorist attacks, rather than more common but less sensational risks, like heart disease.

💡Biological preparedness

Biological preparedness refers to the idea that some fears may be more easily acquired due to evolutionary predispositions. The script discusses this concept in relation to certain phobias, such as fear of snakes or spiders, being more readily developed in primates, possibly due to ancestral experiences with these threats.

💡Evolutionary reasons

Evolutionary reasons are factors rooted in our species' history that may influence current behaviors or responses. The video script suggests that the fear of the dark might have an evolutionary basis, stemming from increased risk of predator attacks at night, as evidenced by a study on lion attacks in Tanzania.

💡Exposure therapy

Exposure therapy is a psychological treatment method used to address phobias and anxiety disorders. It involves gradually and systematically exposing an individual to the source of their fear in a controlled manner. The script describes exposure therapy as a reversal of classical conditioning, where individuals are helped to overcome their fears by incrementally facing them until the fear response diminishes.

💡Horror movies

Horror movies are a form of entertainment that intentionally evoke fear and suspense. The script briefly mentions horror movies in the context of people enjoying the sensation of being scared, which relates to the broader theme of understanding fear and its psychological aspects.

Highlights

Fear of the dark is common among both children and adults, often associated with fears of ghosts, monsters, or other spooky entities.

Irrational fears persist into adulthood, despite changes in the way they are rationalized.

Research indicates that there are methods to combat fears, offering hope for those who suffer from them.

Classical conditioning is a primary way in which fears are developed, linking neutral stimuli with automatic reactions.

The amygdala, a brain region, is likely involved in conditioned responses, becoming active during fear or high-arousal emotions.

Surveys suggest that children often develop fears based on bad experiences with the feared object, such as spiders or darkness.

Phobias can also arise from modeling, where observing others' reactions to a stimulus can instill fear in the observer.

Instructional fear acquisition is another way phobias develop, where being told to fear something can create a lasting impression.

The availability heuristic influences fear development, as people are more likely to remember and fear things that are readily available in their minds.

Biological preparedness suggests that some phobias are easier to develop due to ingrained behaviors from our ancestors.

An ecological study from Tanzania indicates a potential evolutionary reason for fearing the dark, based on increased risk from predators.

Exposure therapy, a form of reverse conditioning, has been proven effective in treating phobias by gradually desensitizing individuals to their fears.

Fear is a complex phenomenon, with psychological and evolutionary aspects contributing to its development and persistence.

SciShow Psych's YouTube channel offers further exploration into the brain and psychology for those interested in learning more.

The transcript discusses the psychological and evolutionary underpinnings of fears, offering insights into both their development and potential treatments.

Transcripts

[♩ INTRO]

Were you scared of the dark growing up?

Or maybe you still are!

It's not too uncommon for adults either.

When you're young, being afraid of the dark

goes hand in hand with some other fears, like of ghosts, monsters, or other spooky things.

And as you get older, you might not use that sort of explanation anymore.

But these irrational fears still stick around, because there are a lot of ways we learn to

be afraid.

The good news is: research has found out that there are ways to fight those fears, too.

The way we usually develop fears is a well-understood part of psychology.

Most of the time, it's through classical conditioning.

This is when you pair a neutral stimulus — something that doesn’t make you feel anything — with

something that you have an automatic reaction to.

Like, imagine a person who's generally cool with dogs.

But then, a dog bites her and she has to go to the hospital.

That’d make anybody freak out a bit.

Then, the neutral stimulus can become a conditioned stimulus, which gives you the same automatic

reaction.

In other words, after that experience, this person is more likely to be afraid when she

sees a dog.

Some phobias, which are extreme or irrational fears, can be caused by classical conditioning,

including a fear of the dark.

Research in animals and humans has found that conditioned responses are probably linked

with the amygdala.

That’s a brain region that becomes active when people are afraid, or have a lot of high-arousal

emotions, like excitement and anger.

So conditioned fears kind of make sense: they’re based on something that happened to you.

And some surveys have found that most children have had a bad experience with the thing they’re

scared of, like spiders or the dark.

But other phobias are of things that you’ve never actually experienced.

Like, arachnophobia is one of the top fears in the world, but most people haven’t actually

been attacked by spiders.

Some survey results, including one sample of over 1,000 children and teenagers, suggest

that we might learn these fears because of modeling.

Like, when your older brother sees a spider and freaks out, so you do too.

Or, where shark attacks are a huge threat, or a horror movie where the killer lurks in

the darkness.

Even more common in that survey was learning through instructional fear acquisition — when

someone tells you to be afraid of something.

This can happen if your mom warns you to watch out for snakes, or when news broadcasters

talk about terrorist attacks, even though the actual statistics say you're much more

likely to die of something like a heart attack.

This is because people tend to use an availability heuristic in their reasoning, meaning they

use what’s readily available to their mind.

It’s hard to remember the exact statistics about terrorism and heart disease, but boy,

that last story you saw on the news sticks with you.

And it probably wasn’t about a heart attack.

In fact, when researchers run studies and try to condition people to fear something

neutral — like associating a certain tone with a mild shock — they're more successful

if they tell people what to be afraid of beforehand.

Now, across all these studies, some psychologists noticed a weird pattern: some phobias are

easier to create than others in certain species.

For example, scientists have observed that it's easier for primates to develop a fear

of snakes or spiders — but not of something like rabbits.

They call this phenomenon biological preparedness.

We can't say for sure why it happens, but one idea is that these fears are somehow ingrained

from our ancestors’ behaviors.

Like, all mammals might be more wary around snakes and lizards, because the first mammals

could’ve been eaten by ancient reptiles.

Some ecologists looked into an evolutionary reason for fearing the dark, based on a risk

from predators, by studying some regions of Tanzania where lion attacks are a threat to

humans.

Using data from over two decades and over a thousand lion attacks, they found that most

attacks occurred right after sunset, when it’s dark but people are still wandering

around.

But they also found that attacks were up to four times more common in the ten days after

a full moon than the period before, which is when the darkest part of the night is also

right after sunset.

So if that pattern of lions attacking humans in the dark was also true millennia ago, it's

possible that some early humans became conditioned to fear the dark or the full moon.

Scientists have guessed that people might be predisposed to be afraid of the dark because

we adapted to a risk of predator attacks.

But this is one of the first studies suggesting that darkness actually increased that risk.

But it's worth taking these evolutionary hypotheses with a grain of salt.

It’s not like anyone’s run a study where they assigned some people to a lion-risk condition

and others to a no-lion condition, and then waited for generations to see what fears develop.

So we’ve got a couple good ideas about where phobias come from.

And if you have a phobia, psychologists have found ways to treat them.

Many randomized trials show that one of the most effective treatments is called exposure

therapy, which is essentially just conditioning in reverse.

You slowly expose yourself to what you're afraid in small doses — like turning off

the light for five seconds, being in the same room as a spider, or meeting groups of strangers

— until you don’t have a bad reaction anymore.

Then you move the spider a little closer, leave the lights out longer, or meet more

people — until the phobia has less power over you.

Now, fear is a really complicated thing.

So if you love being scared by things like horror movies, check out our video about why

psychologists think that happens.

And if you want to keep learning about other brain things, you can go to youtube.com/scishowpsych

and subscribe.

[♩ OUTRO]