Most animal fears are believed to be associated with the early days of human evolution. Any animal with venom (spiders, snakes) or diseases that could be passed to humans (such as mice and rats) would have needed to be avoided, and so individuals with a fear of those animals were more likely to survive to mate. These fears are now just relics of those times.
Edit: Professor Frink, your criticism may in fact be well founded, but your argument is terribly flawed. To think that people are less afraid of lions and bears is ignoring the factor of proximity. I guarantee that any sane person 20 feet from a wild bear will be more frightened/nervous than a person 20 inches from a rat or mouse. Fear of large predators IS ingrained. If I have time later I'll address your other points.Why are people afraid of mice?
Yes, people have a sensible fear of dangerous animals like bears, but are not phobic about them as many people are of animals like rats or snakes that are harmless by comparison. It makes sense to be afraid of a bear that could rip your head off. It makes no sense to be afraid of a corn snake that
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couldn't hurt you if it tried. That's the point I'm trying to make - that phobias are irrational. People often feel disgust when confronted with rats, snakes, spiders or whatever, but not disgusted by bears - just sensibly wary.
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Beats me, I think they're cute.
Suzy q, you obviously know nothing about rats and are just believing what you've heard from others. Children grow up hearing about 'dirty rats' and go on believing it all their lives without ever bothering to do any research. Rats are actually extremely clean animals. Yes they can carry diseases, but no more so than mice or bunny rabbits or squirrels or any other wild animal. Whether or not they're ugly is of course a matter of opinion, but personally I think they're adorable.
The person who said fears are learned is correct, and the one who said fear of dangerous animals is instinctive is mistaken. The vast majority of snakes and spiders are harmless - there's no way our ancestors would have encountered dangerous species often enough for fear of them to become instinctive, and if it had EVERYONE would be afraid of them, which is clearly not the case. If we had innate fear of any animals, it would be those like bears or big cats that preyed on our ancestors with any degree of regularity.
I think it is because they are unpredictable. They can accelerate and move amazingly fast and you just don't know where it is going to run next. For all you know it could run up your leg. Also they are small so they can turn quickly and can fit into strange places. You also don't see them much so your not used to them. Another reason might be because they could have disease and they can poo and get in your house.
They are like rats, Stupid people spread things about rats having diseases and spreading it all over the palce, If your scared of mice your probably the same with rats, I think its the speed they run at also That scares people because theres not much u can do if they are running arround your feet at that speed and u cant stamp on them.
They are ok i havent had a pet mouse before but i have a rat, And theres nothing wrong with them at all.
I'm not afraid of mice. Rats are a different story though. They are more ugly and carry disgusting diseases. But I'm more afraid of bees than anything else.lol..
You probably learned it from someone who was. It is not inherent. The only inherent inborn fears are of falling and loud noises. All other fears are learned.
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