Overcoming Fear: Understanding Different Reactions
What causes the difference in fear levels between encounters with a snake and handling a frayed toaster cord?
A) Prior experiences with similar objects
B) Genetic predisposition
C) Cultural influences
D) All of the above
Final answer: The variation in fear levels between the snake encounter and handling a frayed toaster cord is likely due to prior experiences with similar objects, with a more intense fear reaction associated with snakes due to its inherent dangers and evolutionary factors, alongside possible mild conditioning with the toaster.
Explanation
In understanding the feeling of fear, the difference in the level of fear elicited by being startled by a snake during a vacation trip and feeling uncomfortable by a frayed toaster cord could most likely be attributed to Prior experiences with similar objects (Option A). In the snake example, the intense immediate fear reaction is likely due to the inherent dangers associated with snakes, possibly supported by evolutionary factors as well as the startling and potentially life-threatening experience. In contrast, the slight discomfort with the frayed toaster cord may be due to repeated mild shocks which lead to a less intense conditioned response. Cultural influences and genetic predisposition could also play a role, but they are less directly connected to the specific situations described.
Stimulus generalization is a concept from classical conditioning where a conditioned response (like fear) to one stimulus (a white rat in Watson and Rayner's experiments) is elicited by similar stimuli (other furry white objects). On the other hand, the fight-or-flight response is a physiological reaction to a perceived harmful event, which is universally seen in the face of real or perceived threats, such as encountering a venomous snake. Lastly, the James-Lange theory of emotion suggests that our physiological arousal precedes the experience of emotion, which means, if a drug inhibits sympathetic nervous system activation, the expected fear reaction to a venomous snake might be diminished.