SNK

Wariness Around Snakes

Protective. Served to bias behavior away from snakes, some species of which are deadly.


Class:

I - Natural Selection

Neurolocalization:

Limbic system, esp. amygdala

Neurochem Substrates:

Elicitors:

Snakes; response may generalize to other reptilian or tube-like animals or structures

Outputs:

Sympathetic nervous arousal, fear, avoidance behavior

EPA Total Score: 37/100

Theoretical evidence consists of scientific theories from the evolutionary behavioral and biological sciences (or allied fields), discussion of theoretical selection pressures that may have shaped the EPA, and other theoretical arguments without empirical data. Game theory and computer/AI models also count as theoretical evidence. Well-supported EPAs should appear specially designed by evolution to solve specific adaptive problems throughout human history and could not have simply arisen by chance.

Blanchette, I. (2006). Snakes, spiders, guns, and syringes: How specific are evolutionary constraints on the detection of threatening stimuli?. The Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 59(8), 1484-1504.

Support score: 25 /100

Challenge score: 0 /100

Submitted by: DJGlass

Isbell, L. A. (2006). Snakes as agents of evolutionary change in primate brains. Journal of Human Evolution, 51(1), 1-35.

Support score: 35 /100

Challenge score: 0 /100

Submitted by: DJGlass

Kennedy, S. J., Rapee, R. M., & Mazurski, E. J. (1997). Covariation bias for phylogenetic versus ontogenetic fear-relevant stimuli. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 35, 415–422.

Support score: 70 /100

Challenge score: 70 /100

Submitted by: DJGlass

Sagan, C. (1977). The dragons of Eden: Speculations on the evolution of human intelligence. New York: Ballantine.

Support score: 10 /100

Challenge score: 0 /100

Submitted by: DJGlass

Tomarken, A. J., Sutton, S. K., & Mineka, S. (1995). Fear-relevant illusory correlations: What types of associations promote judgmental bias? Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 104, 312–326.

Support score: 30 /100

Challenge score: 0 /100

Submitted by: DJGlass

Öhman, A., & Soares, J. J. F. (1994). “Unconscious anxiety”: Phobic responses to masked stimuli. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 103, 231–240.

Support score: 30 /100

Challenge score: 0 /100

Submitted by: DJGlass

Theoretical Subscore: 0/60

Psychological evidence consists of empirical evidence drawn from the human behavioral sciences and consists of data from developmental, behavioral, perceptual, emotional, and cognitive studies, including surveys, experiments, quasi-experiments, and observational data. Well-supported EPAs should show reliable emotional, cognitive, behavioral, or perceptual outcomes under specified conditions.

Öhman, A., Flykt, A., & Esteves, F. (2001). Emotion drives attention: Detecting the snake in the grass. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 131, 466–478.

Support score: 25 /100

Challenge score: 0 /100

Submitted by: DJGlass

Agras, S., Sylvester, D., & Oliveau, D. (1969). The epidemiology of common fears and phobias. Comprehensive Psychiatry, 10, 151–156.

Support score: 10 /100

Challenge score: 0 /100

Submitted by: DJGlass

Blanchette, I. (2006). Snakes, spiders, guns, and syringes: How specific are evolutionary constraints on the detection of threatening stimuli?. The Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 59(8), 1484-1504.

Support score: 33 /100

Challenge score: 0 /100

Submitted by: DJGlass

Isbell, L. A. (2006). Snakes as agents of evolutionary change in primate brains. Journal of Human Evolution, 51(1), 1-35.

Support score: 35 /100

Challenge score: 0 /100

Submitted by: DJGlass

Kennedy, S. J., Rapee, R. M., & Mazurski, E. J. (1997). Covariation bias for phylogenetic versus ontogenetic fear-relevant stimuli. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 35, 415–422.

Support score: 60 /100

Challenge score: 0 /100

Submitted by: DJGlass

Tomarken, A. J., Sutton, S. K., & Mineka, S. (1995). Fear-relevant illusory correlations: What types of associations promote judgmental bias? Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 104, 312–326.

Support score: 10 /100

Challenge score: 0 /100

Submitted by: DJGlass

Öhman, A., & Soares, J. J. F. (1993). On the automatic nature of phobic fear: Conditioned electrodermal responses to masked fear-relevant stimuli. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 102, 121–132.

Support score: 45 /100

Challenge score: 0 /100

Submitted by: DJGlass

Öhman, A., & Soares, J. J. F. (1994). “Unconscious anxiety”: Phobic responses to masked stimuli. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 103, 231–240.

Support score: 35 /100

Challenge score: 0 /100

Submitted by: DJGlass

Psychological Subscore: 60/60

Medical evidence consists of evidence drawn from clinical data, observations, and case studies from disciplines including medicine, clinical psychology, and neuropsychology. Data on mental health, psychiatric disorders, neurological syndromes, epidemiology, physical health and mortality, and nutrition/exercise are all considered medical evidence.

There is currently no submitted Medical evidence to support or challenge the existence of this EPA.

Curators can click here to add some.

Medical Subscore: 0/60

Physiological evidence consists of data pertaining to neuroanatomy, biochemistry, morphology, and other studies of human physiology or brain–behavior relationships. Physiological evidence supportive of EPAs includes neural structures, pathways, neurotransmitters, and so on.

Öhman, A., Flykt, A., & Esteves, F. (2001). Emotion drives attention: Detecting the snake in the grass. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 131, 466–478.

Support score: 35 /100

Challenge score: 0 /100

Submitted by: DJGlass

Cook, E. W., Hodes, R. L., & Lang, P. J. (1986). Preparedness and phobia: Effects of stimulus content on human visceral conditioning. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 95, 195–207.

Support score: 10 /100

Challenge score: 0 /100

Submitted by: DJGlass

Kennedy, S. J., Rapee, R. M., & Mazurski, E. J. (1997). Covariation bias for phylogenetic versus ontogenetic fear-relevant stimuli. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 35, 415–422.

Support score: 40 /100

Challenge score: 0 /100

Submitted by: DJGlass

Tomarken, A. J., Sutton, S. K., & Mineka, S. (1995). Fear-relevant illusory correlations: What types of associations promote judgmental bias? Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 104, 312–326.

Support score: 30 /100

Challenge score: 0 /100

Submitted by: DJGlass

Öhman, A., & Soares, J. J. F. (1993). On the automatic nature of phobic fear: Conditioned electrodermal responses to masked fear-relevant stimuli. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 102, 121–132.

Support score: 35 /100

Challenge score: 0 /100

Submitted by: DJGlass

Physiological Subscore: 60/60

Cross-cultural evidence consists of anthropological and ethnological data, psychological studies on human universals, and other evidence that compares or contrasts the EPA across different human cultures. Well-supported EPAs should be observable across cultures or vary predictably across cultures based on systematic differences consistent with theory.

There is currently no submitted Cross-Cultural evidence to support or challenge the existence of this EPA.

Curators can click here to add some.

Cross-Cultural Subscore: 0/60

Genetic evidence consists of data from behavioral/population genetics, molecular genetics, gene mapping studies, gene manipulation studies, and so on. Well-supported EPAs may show a genetic basis.

There is currently no submitted Genetic evidence to support or challenge the existence of this EPA.

Curators can click here to add some.

Genetic Subscore: 0/60

Phylogenetic evidence consists of comparative data from nonhuman species, both in the lab and in nature. Data from paleontology, cladistics, ethology, and comparative psychology are all phylogenetic evidence, especially if they show “related” traits in nonhuman species.

Phylogenetic Subscore: 60/60

Hunter–gatherer evidence consists of data on prehistoric, historical, or extant hunter–gatherer cultures. Evidence that hunter–gatherers shared the trait with industrialized contemporary humans is supportive of the EPA, while evidence that the trait is/was not present in hunter–gatherer societies challenges the status of the trait as an EPA.

There is currently no submitted Hunter-Gatherer evidence to support or challenge the existence of this EPA.

Curators can click here to add some.

Hunter-Gatherer Subscore: 0/60