When walking in the rain without suitable cover such as umbrella, why human priortise to cover their head?

Question

Seem that human all over the world opted and try their best to cover their head and let the rest of their body wet! I also have seen an ape do the similar thing by getting a big leaf to cover their head during a National Geographic Society documentary film. If we dont have any suitable cover available, why not just walk in the rain without trying to cover the head even with our own hand! - just like kids having fun in the rain! Why should we cover our head whilst the whole body is batterred by the rain? It does'nt make sense!

Answer 1

Human recognise the head as the most important part of the body where brain, hear, smell, vision, taste, etc., reside. Therefore, first safety reaction is to save the head and that why we always cover our head in the rain! We dont do that if we accept the rain as non threat, just walk in the rain and having fun. Nevertheless, what ape does is something to ponder on - who follow who?

Answer 2

Depends - I love to walk in the rain when I am out with the family on weekends but if it is a normal day and I am working or doing the school run then yes I use an umbrella :-)

Answer 3

sometimes it's raining so badly that i can't see where i'm walking unless i cover my head (or my eyes at least), and it get cold if my shoulders get wet, so covering your head just sort of covers both your eyes and shoulders! sometimes i do just run out and get wet like a kid having fun in the rain, and that is a lot of fun, but other times i dont like going thru the rest of the day with wet clothes.

Answer 4

I think it does make sense for several reasons:
1. the greatest amount of heat is lost through the scalp;
2. water runs down the hair onto the neck, into the eves, nose, ears - thus interfering with our primal methods of communication;
3. hair on the back of the neck and upper back is small and very sensitive to changes in temperature and rain is uncomfortable here because such sensations cause a primal need for shelter to come to the forefront of our territorial and comfort needs.

Answer 5

Usually in the rain we have a coat on, etc. I use an umbrella to keep the rain off my head and from getting my hair soaked, not to mention making my makeup run down my face.

Excuse me, but kind of a silly question.

Answer 6

To prevent hypothermia. Uncovered and particularly wet heads loose an inordinate amount of body heat compared to the rest of the body. It's a survival instinct.

Answer 7

because...most would have the notion that rain falls vertically and would hit the head first. If we cover the head then the droplets won't hit what's below the head. well, most of it. i guess that's the reasoning behind covering one's head. I mean, if you covered your feet, the parts above the feet would get wet, right?

Answer 8

it actually is just a involuntary mental reaction,
just as one pulls up his legs when sitting in a chair and a bucket of water is splashed on the floor., in the same way we tend to cover our heads when we are in rain, and the same principle applies to apes also.

Answer 9

Same as missourim, the head is where most of your body heat escapes from, so if it gets wet you will feel chilled more easily than elsewhere.

Answer 10

It is to protect your VISION! Rain in the eyes can blur vision, and as a instinct going back to the apes, what you can't see can eat you!