Definition
“Fear affords protection” refers to the evolutionary function of fear as an emotion, which is at root a form of protection or an early warning system against potentially serious threats. Fear itself has been defined as the “usually unpleasant feeling that arises as a normal response to realistic danger” (Marks 1987, 5). As was explained as early as 1704: “Fear … is a disturbance of mind proceeding from an apprehension of an approaching evil, threatening destruction or very great trouble either to us or ours” (Dennis 2000 [1704], 101). In its safe, narrative-generated form (e.g., in terror fiction such as horror novels or films), fear – and the adrenaline rush often associated with it – can become addictive (McCarty 1994, viii). This is because “beside lust and anger … [fear is] one of the three most exciting emotions of which our nature is susceptible” (James 1891, 2: 415).
As a very strong emotion, fear serves to alert an animal to any potential dangers, such as from a...
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Barnett, V. (2019). Fear Affords Protection. In: Shackelford, T., Weekes-Shackelford, V. (eds) Encyclopedia of Evolutionary Psychological Science. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-16999-6_2990-1
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