Instead of reading, you could also just listen …
New situations trigger either fear or curiosity.
Whenever we find ourselves in a new setting, our emotions are pondering between fear (and associated emotions) and curiosity (and associated emotions).
A setting triggering fear
Think about yourself going for the first day at a new job. The sheer amount of newness can feel quite unnerving. Your emotions will tend towards fear.
You see in the women’s body language, that fear triggers us to close up, to withdraw, to protect herself.
A setting triggering curiosity
Now, think about the next planned holiday. You have never been to that place, but the emotional response is entirely different from the first day at work. Now your emotions will lean towards curiosity.
In contrast to fear, the body language of the same women expressing curiosity is open, interacting and engaging.
What is triggered: fear or curiosity?
Why do we have to decide between fear and curiosity in new situations?
The reason is that the world is a dangerous place. In any new circumstance, we need to take a brief moment to judge whether this environment is safe or not. This decision is done within the first split seconds of interaction. Visual information plays a major role in this decision.
Therefore, everything new triggers either fear or curiosity.
Fear and curiosity in the hospital
When any child is brought to the hospital, they will enter the place in a state of elevated alertness. The child then looks to the accompanying adult for clues whether this location is secure or not. Through this phase of orientation, children (and adults) tend to protect themselves. This makes fear, anxiety, and withdrawal more likely as behaviour compared to curiosity and engagement.
This triggers the question: What is the purpose of fear?
I will explain that in the next post!
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