Snow Melt

Fear and the human brain

The November 5, 2013 prompt for "Blogging Circle of Friends Prompt Forum"  is
There was an interesting article on MSN http://news.msn.com/science-technology/why-do-some-brains-enjoy-fear-1 today.
What qualities do "scary things" share across cultures or does it vary widely? What do you think?

Article: Why do some brains enjoy fear?
Author: Allegra Ringo

Questions this article ask

"Why do some people like the feeling of being scared, while others don’t?"
          The exhilarating feeling you get after you experience the "flight or fight response"
                    This "natural high" is caused by the release of dopamine.
          The feeling of confidence the person has when the experience is over.

"What happens in our brains when we’re scared? Is it different when we’re scared “in a fun way” versus being actually afraid?"
          The brain's lightning fast reaction helps assess the situation as "fun".

"What qualities do “scary things” share across cultures, or does it vary widely?"
          There are two types of fear.
                    Learned fears
                    Innate or genetic fears
          Shared characteristics of monsters across the world
                    Terrifying because they violate the laws of nature
                              They return from the dead
                              Either a non-human or semi-human creature
                              Cause fear because they do not make sense, which engenders dissonance
                                       Aesthetic
                                       Cognitive
                    Have a "blurred relationship with death and the body"

"What are some early examples of people scaring themselves on purpose?"
          Ghost stories
          Scaring people by surprising them in dark and unusual places

"There’s a common belief that if you meet somebody for the first time in a fearful situation, you'll feel more attached or more attracted to that person than you would if you'd met them in a low-stress situation. Is there any truth to that?"
          Powerful hormones released when we are happy or afraid
          Humans build a special closeness when excited

Two things to remember about fear

All monsters in every cultural have one thing in common, which is violating the laws of nature.
Fear excites people and this excitement builds closeness.