My lovely wife says it's the way one is brought up that decides, I think it is something people are born with. What do you think. Give me an example.
2007-02-20 14:50:53 · 8 answers · asked by Dred 2 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Philosophy
I like this question a lot of posts are correct. Its both nature and nurture that decide fight or flight, with exceptions. i.e. the coward acting brave, the brave person running. and also the fact that like any other animal on earth humans can be trained to go against both nature and nurture, for at least a little while and do what they normaly would not. Marines in the draft period are a good example of training over coming genetics and how they where raised.
2007-02-21 09:20:15 · answer #1 · answered by adadolisdoti 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think what determines fight or flight is purely psychological. Our upbringing and life experiences heaviliy influence how we see a sittuation and as a result how we feel in any given sittuation.
Regardless of what we choose - flight or flight - either one of them is chosen for the same reason: an instinct to protect ourselves.
If someone has been bullied all through their childhood and then even as an adult without having the confidence to stand up for themselves then they lack a certain degree of wherewithall and maturity. Like muscles, certain aspects in our personality need to be exercised. So, for this person who has always avoided conflict it is comfortable and automatic...they know of no other way as they've never tried. To them, running away IS the safest thing to do.
On the opposite side of the spectrum, take the same sittuation of constant bullying, but the individual chooses instead to fight. They decided to do this since a very early age and will continue to do so when faced with a threatening encounter...because this has always been what makes them feel safe. For each scenario and person, it's learned behavior over a long period of time.
However, in the case of being in a situation where one can not easily escape a life threatening sittuation then the only way to survive IS to FIGHT in order to escape, and naturally this is what a human will ultimately do in order to survive. How long they will endure the fight depends on theirr mental stamina....could be 5 minutes, could be 5 hours...nevertheless, there will be a fight. That's my take on it all anyways.
2007-02-20 15:39:50 · answer #2 · answered by Rain 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You and your wife are both right. Some people don't mind confrontation. Others cringe from it. I think children are born with a certain temperament, but they also learn from their parents. How your mom or dad handle stress is what you learn to do. The trick is to learn when it's appropriate and when it's not. You don't yell at your boss or a policeman EVER! Even if you see it in movies, it's never wise to burn your bridges at work, and the other is self explanatory.
2007-02-20 15:05:43 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
We are a mixture of nature (genetics) or nuture (upbringing).
To that mix we also have free choice. That choice often infulenced by nature and nuture. It is a very subjective thing.
For example. I tend to be strong if somone is sick or in a car accident. I get the fight in me. I am a nuturer/rescurer. Both my nature & upbringing influenced thast in me. But, if I am in a confrontational, nagging relationship.....I chose flight. And to me that was learned the hard way....life experienced.
2007-02-20 15:09:32 · answer #4 · answered by clcalifornia 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
We are a product of BOTH our genetics and our evironment. It's impossible to predict the conditions surrounding an incident provoking a fight or flight response. People will not always fight, just as they will not always flee. It's not accurate to categorize them as one or the other.
2007-02-20 14:57:55 · answer #5 · answered by iammsblue 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I believe it depends on the robustness of one's survival instinct. The more acute the instinct, the better the response. One who lacks this instinct shows no fear in time of danger and would fight no matter the odds. One who has it would assess the odds and decides whether to fight or flee.
2007-02-20 15:10:11 · answer #6 · answered by McDreamy 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
That's simple, if there is a way out, then you take it, if there is no way out and your are cornered, then you fight as ferociously as you can.
2007-02-20 17:24:23 · answer #7 · answered by Freddy F 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Some info on that is here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fight-or-flight_response
2007-02-20 14:56:16 · answer #8 · answered by pinkFX 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋