While some sources suggest three innate fears, most evidence points to two core fears we're born with: the fear of falling and the fear of loud noises, both essential survival instincts; some also include a third, the fear of abandonment/losing breath, though this is less universally cited in scientific contexts, with most other fears, like spiders or snakes, being learned.
The Lore and Allure of Three Classic Infant Fears
Indeed, such negative responses toward snakes/spiders, heights, and strangers appear to be universal across cultures and are documented across a variety of nonhuman animals.
Humans aren't born afraid of many things. In fact, psychologists and neuroscientists agree we come into the world with just two hardwired fears: the fear of falling and the fear of loud noises. These innate responses serve as survival mechanisms during our earliest and most fragile stage of life.
The 3 biggest fears that hold people back in life, according to an emotional wellness coach
Fear of the unknown is universal, but it seems to take form most commonly in three basic human fundamental fears: Fear of Death, Fear of Abandonment or Fear of Failure.
Top 10 Things People Fear Most
You become the type of person who people find more challenging to love because you're not being you. So, those are the 3 universal fears: The fear of not being enough, the fear of not belonging, and the fear of not being loved.
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous?
The 5 Core Fears
Scientists have found that two fears are inborn in humans—the fear of falling, and that of loud noises. Infants as young as 6 months old will hesitate and not crawl onto a surface that seems to look like a cliff edge.
Science reveals that humans are born with only two natural fears: the fear of falling and the fear of loud noises. All other fears, such as fear of snakes or the dark, are learned over time and influenced by our environment and culture. But fear isn't always negative.
SM has an unusual genetic disorder called Urbach-Wiethe disease. In late childhood, this disease destroyed both sides of her amygdala, which is composed of two structures the shape and size of almonds, one on each side of the brain. Because of this brain damage, the woman knows no fear, the researchers found.
Humans are born with only two innate fears: falling and loud noises. These instinctual responses are essential for protecting us from danger, triggering our body's fight-or-flight reaction through the brain's amygdala.
This includes the three basic types of fear: primal, irrational, and rational. Knowing the differences between these main types of fear is what makes or breaks a scary escape room. The best designers know how to creatively exploit different types of fear to thrill and immerse you.
Eight great fears
Check out America's Most Common Fears according to The Washington Post:
Napolean Hill has spelt out the 6 basic fears in his Classic book – Think and Grow Rich:
What are the Four Fatal Fears?
These universal fears are purely survival-based.
Hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia is a specific phobia, meaning that someone with this condition would experience intense, irrational anxiety or fear when faced specifically with the number 666.
8 Biggest Fears You Face in Life (& How to Overcome Them)
Everyone is born with the two innate fears of falling and loud sounds. The rest are learned. Our surroundings – parents, siblings, friends, TV – teach us at a young age to be scared of things, like the dark or monsters.
Humanity's greatest fear is not the unknown, it's the certainty of death. And we've been coping with it artistically since time immemorial.
There are an infinite number of things we can fear, but according to Dr. Kari Albrecht in his Psychology Today article they can be divided into five basic categories: Extinction, Mutilation, Loss of Autonomy, Separation, and Ego Death.