Fear inoculation among snake experts
Abstract Background Fear acquisition of certain stimuli, such as snakes, is thought to be rapid, resistant to extinction, and easily transferable onto other similar objects. It has been hypothesized that due to increased survival chances, preparedness to instantly acquire fear towards evolutionary t...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2021-10-01
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| Series: | BMC Psychiatry |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-021-03553-z |
| _version_ | 1798035179040669696 |
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| author | Carlos M. Coelho Jakub Polák Panrapee Suttiwan Andras N. Zsido |
| author_facet | Carlos M. Coelho Jakub Polák Panrapee Suttiwan Andras N. Zsido |
| author_sort | Carlos M. Coelho |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Fear acquisition of certain stimuli, such as snakes, is thought to be rapid, resistant to extinction, and easily transferable onto other similar objects. It has been hypothesized that due to increased survival chances, preparedness to instantly acquire fear towards evolutionary threats has been hardwired into neural pathways of the primate brain. Here, we compare participants’ fear of snakes according to experience; from those who often deal with snakes and even suffer snakebites to those unfamiliar with snakes. Methods The Snake Questionnaire-12 (SNAQ-12) and Specific Phobia Questionnaire (SPQ) were administered to three groups of participants with a different level of experience with snakes and snakebites: 1) snake experts, 2) firefighters, and 3) college students. Results This study shows that individuals more experienced with snakes demonstrate lower fear. Moreover, participants who have suffered a snakebite (either venomous or not) score lower on fear of snakes (SNAQ-12), but not of all other potentially phobic stimuli (SPQ). Conclusions Our results suggest that a harmless benign exposure might immunize people to highly biologically prepared fears of evolutionary threats, such as snakes. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T20:54:39Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-4ea7e507bafb4930bdaa69c00d584b8a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1471-244X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T20:54:39Z |
| publishDate | 2021-10-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj.art-4ea7e507bafb4930bdaa69c00d584b8a2022-12-22T04:03:43ZengBMCBMC Psychiatry1471-244X2021-10-012111810.1186/s12888-021-03553-zFear inoculation among snake expertsCarlos M. Coelho0Jakub Polák1Panrapee Suttiwan2Andras N. Zsido3Faculty of Psychology, Chulalongkorn UniversityApplied Neuroscience and Neuroimaging Research Programme, National Institute of Mental HealthFaculty of Psychology, Chulalongkorn UniversityInstitute of Psychology, University of PécsAbstract Background Fear acquisition of certain stimuli, such as snakes, is thought to be rapid, resistant to extinction, and easily transferable onto other similar objects. It has been hypothesized that due to increased survival chances, preparedness to instantly acquire fear towards evolutionary threats has been hardwired into neural pathways of the primate brain. Here, we compare participants’ fear of snakes according to experience; from those who often deal with snakes and even suffer snakebites to those unfamiliar with snakes. Methods The Snake Questionnaire-12 (SNAQ-12) and Specific Phobia Questionnaire (SPQ) were administered to three groups of participants with a different level of experience with snakes and snakebites: 1) snake experts, 2) firefighters, and 3) college students. Results This study shows that individuals more experienced with snakes demonstrate lower fear. Moreover, participants who have suffered a snakebite (either venomous or not) score lower on fear of snakes (SNAQ-12), but not of all other potentially phobic stimuli (SPQ). Conclusions Our results suggest that a harmless benign exposure might immunize people to highly biologically prepared fears of evolutionary threats, such as snakes.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-021-03553-zFear of snakesFear immunizationHypophobiaPreparedness theorySnakebiteSnake questionnaire |
| spellingShingle | Carlos M. Coelho Jakub Polák Panrapee Suttiwan Andras N. Zsido Fear inoculation among snake experts BMC Psychiatry Fear of snakes Fear immunization Hypophobia Preparedness theory Snakebite Snake questionnaire |
| title | Fear inoculation among snake experts |
| title_full | Fear inoculation among snake experts |
| title_fullStr | Fear inoculation among snake experts |
| title_full_unstemmed | Fear inoculation among snake experts |
| title_short | Fear inoculation among snake experts |
| title_sort | fear inoculation among snake experts |
| topic | Fear of snakes Fear immunization Hypophobia Preparedness theory Snakebite Snake questionnaire |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-021-03553-z |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT carlosmcoelho fearinoculationamongsnakeexperts AT jakubpolak fearinoculationamongsnakeexperts AT panrapeesuttiwan fearinoculationamongsnakeexperts AT andrasnzsido fearinoculationamongsnakeexperts |