Humans have the largest frontal lobes of any animal, a feature associated with higher-level functions like logic. Yet, there are many ways in which we are completely illogical. This is particularly true when it comes to our fears. Statistically speaking, many of the most common sources of human fear are unlikely to pose a true threat to our safety. Yet, most of us are unable to separate emotion when making rational decisions, a trait which can lead us into a downward spiral of anxiety. Sensibly, the fear of car accidents — which occur every sixteen minutes — should be greater than the fear of spiders, but our brains don’t always work that way.
Read More