Fear protects organisms against a perceived threat to their integrity or existence. Fear can be as simple as moving away from a negative stimulus, or as complex as existential anxiety in a human.

Some of the brain's main chemicals that contribute to the "f...

The main factor in how we experience fear has to do with the context.

When the "thinking" part of the brain gives feedback to the "emotional" brain, and we know it isn't really a threat, we can quickly shift from fear to enjoyment or excitement,...

The fear reaction starts in the brain's amygdala region and spreads through the body to prepare the body for the best defense or flight reaction. Fear also triggers the release of stress hormones and the sympathetic nervous system.

During a dangerous situation, the...

We learn fear through observation, personal experiences, and through the instruction of spoken or written notes. The perception of control is vital to how we experience and respond to fear.

When you look to your friend at the haunted house, and she's quickly gone f...

An imbalance between excitement caused by fear and the sense of control may cause too much or too little excitement.

If the experience is seen as "too real," an extreme fear response can overcome the sense of control. But if the experience is not triggering enough to the emot...