Fear: Causes

Fear is an emotion that humans experience when they perceive that they are, or will be, in danger. 

Fear is caused by things that are, or appear to be, physically dangerous.

Examples of physical danger include:

• Standing where a fall could cause death or severe injury.
• Being in water deeper than the person is tall, thus increasing the risk of drowning.
• Moving at a speed that could kill or harm a person if a collision or abrupt stop occurred.

Fear is also caused by things that are psychologically dangerous, or at least feel dangerous.

Examples of psychological danger include:

• Speaking to someone new and risking rejection.
• Moving one’s body in the view of others (e.g. dance, sports) and risking ridicule.
• Doing something with an unpredictable outcome and risking feeling embarrassed or foolish.

When something is both physically and psychologically dangerous, there is a greater risk of fear.

Examples of these mixed causes include:

• Walking in an unfamiliar natural environment (physical danger from the environment and animals and psychological danger from risking ridicule for engaging in potentially dangerous activity)
• Joining a new sport (physical danger from possible injury and psychological danger from risking embarrassment from lack of skill)
• Publicly speaking in protest of an idea (risk of physical harm from the opposition and psychological danger of looking foolish)

There are many things that cause people to feel afraid. Fear is common to all humans, although not all humans experience it in the same way or from the same things.

At its core, this unpleasant emotion is useful for keeping us safe. Because of that, fear can be considered a helpful emotion and not something to avoid at all costs.