FACINATING FEAR

FEAR
Fear is an emotional response to a threat. It is a basic survival mechanism occurring in response to a specific stimulus, such as pain or the threat of danger. Some Psychologists John B Watson, Robert Plutchik, and Paul Ekman have suggested that fear is one of a small set of bsic or innate emotions. This set also includes such emotions as joy, sadness, and anger. Fear should be distinguished from the related emotional state of anxiety, which typically occurs without any external threat. Additionally, fear is related to the specific behaviors of escape and avoidance, whereas anxiety is the result of threats which are perceived to be uncontrollable or unavoidable. Worth nothing is that fear always relates to future events, such as worsening of a situation, or continuation of a situation that is unacceptable.

Fear is also an important protective instinct. At any hint of danger, the hormone noradrenalin is released into the blood, and prepares the body for action: skin goes pale as blood is diverted to the muscles; sweating increases to cool the muscles; faster breathing provides more oxygen for the muscles; fast heartbeats push more blood to the muscles; gut and bladder relax as blood is diverted from them to the muscles.

BURYING OSTRICH'S HEAD
A popular belief about ostriches is that they bury their heads in the sand when they are afraid, in the hope that their enemies will not notice them. Ostriches may well listen intently for sound with their heads close to the ground, and sometimes they even lower their heads to rest their neck muscles.

Some believe that the rumor that ostriches bury their heads in the sand comes from the fact that ostriches ingest sand and pebbles, which help them swallow their food; people may have noticed them picking up pebbles in their mouths and believed that the ostriches were burying their heads instead.

Another possible reason for this belief could be the scientific fact that, when threathened, the ostrich will fall forward in the sand and lay its head to the ground, so that its body will resemble a bush to passing predators. This action is especially common when the ostrich is attempting to protect its eggs. Because their head and neck are the same color as the sand, to an observer, it may look as though the ostriches bury their heads in the sand.

Even if the reason of this rumor is still uncertain, it is certain that they never bury their heads in the sand. If they did, they would probably suffocate.


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