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Religion can comfort or terrorize in response to death concerns
To many people, death is seen as a frightening concept. Although it is in general a common theme in books, music, and movies, we prefer to keep thoughts of our own death to a minimum.
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The Evolution of Aversion: Why Even Children are Fearful of Snakes
Some of the oldest tales and wisest mythology allude to the snake as a mischievous seducer, dangerous foe or powerful iconoclast; however, the legend surrounding this proverbial predator may not be based solely on fantasy.
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From Terror to Joy: Faced with Death, Our Minds Turn to Happier Thoughts
Philosophers and scientists have long been interested in how the mind processes the inevitability of death, both cognitively and emotionally. One would expect, for example, that reminders of our mortality–say the sudden death of a
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Man’s Best Friend Lends Insight into Human Evolution
Flexibly drawing inferences about the intentions of other individuals in order to cooperate in complex tasks is a basic part of everyday life that we humans take for granted. But, according to evolutionary psychologist Brian
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Learning to Fear
Like most people, Elizabeth Phelps is afraid of sharks, and rightly so — some species like the Great White (Carcharodon carcharias) are aggressive and will attack without provocation. But many of us have never come
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We Love to Be Scared on Halloween But Fears and Phobias Are No Laughing Matter
Fear is a critical survival tool — but too much can be debilitating, resulting in an anxiety disorder or phobia.
