Buzz
Stefan Pociask:
Too often, people view the phrase 'They can sense your fear' as something beyond natural, like telepathy or some unknown power. In reality, animals detect fear in others using a combination of their well-developed senses, which we are already familiar with.
It's widely known that many vertebrates possess one or more senses that far exceed human abilities. For example, a bloodhound's nose, an eagle's vision, or an owl's hearing. (Meanwhile, our sense of taste is about average, and our sense of touch is comparatively better than most.)
It's no surprise that animals can use their heightened senses to detect fear in others. No 'sixth sense' is involved. In fact, only three senses are needed: smell, sight, and hearing. Honestly, if an animal is resorting to tasting or touching your fear, it's likely already too late for you, or the prey in question.
This isn't to suggest we don't have more than the standard five senses. Animals like pigeons and other birds have a sense of navigation we lack. Some bats and whales use echolocation, and sharks and other fish can detect electroreception—abilities humans don’t possess. There are several such unique senses across the animal kingdom.
Even the most courageous, fearless bunny in the world won't escape the jaws of a fox or coyote if the predator gets too close. The once-fearless dodo bird also found itself regularly captured by sailors and predators—one of the few animals that never developed a 'fight or flight' response.
The ability to sense or project fear plays a key role in the predator-prey dynamic. For humans, not projecting fear might not save you from a cougar attack or an elephant trampling, but it could improve your odds of survival. On the other hand, projecting fear in those situations will almost certainly lower your chances. Your predator will be using its basic senses—sight, smell, and hearing—to decide its next move in relation to you.
It's not just animals that can sense fear—humans do it too. While our fear-sensing ability may not be as sharp as most other vertebrates, it's still there. Bullies, car salesmen, debt collectors, con artists, athletes, diplomats, and warriors all tap into this skill.
There's a related saying: 'Never let them see you sweat.' If you take that literally and figuratively, it's essentially the essence of the matter. But it's more than just about sweating.
Ultimately, understanding how animals—including us—sense fear isn't all that complex. In fact, it's quite beneficial to grasp this concept. Knowing how fear is both projected and sensed can help prevent you from being bullied or taken advantage of, and in certain situations, it could even save your life. Part of this ability is instinctive, part learned, and a good portion of it is skill. Mastering this skill, both in sensing and controlling the projection of fear, will serve you well. But to truly master it, you need to understand it first.
To truly grasp this concept, I'd recommend replacing 'sensing fear' with 'reading fear.' It's not just wild animals that can do this. In fact, most animals—including humans—are capable of it.
This post originally appeared on Quora. Click here to view.
