07/08/2026
The only fears you're born with... are the fear of falling and the fear of loud noises. ๐ณ๐ง
A baby isn't born afraid of spiders, snakes, the dark, or clowns.
Those fears are usually learned over time.
But scientists have found that newborns naturally come with two built-in survival responses.
The first is the fear of loud noises.
A sudden bang causes babies to instantly flinch, cry, or throw out their armsโa reflex designed to react to potential danger. ๐
The second is the fear of falling.
As babies grow and begin to crawl, they instinctively avoid sudden drop-offs. Experiments like the famous "visual cliff" have shown that many infants hesitate when they perceive a steep edge, even if it's actually covered by a safe sheet of glass. ๐ถ
These two natural responses help protect us from some of the most immediate dangers early in life.
Everything else...
From fear of public speaking to fear of spiders...
Is largely shaped by experience, environment, and learning.
๐ Before life teaches us what to fear, we're born with just two built-in alarms: loud noises... and falling. ๐ง ๐ถ