Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
intuition and safety awareness, which will be discussed later. Usually, risk
sensitivity is active on a nonconscious level.
Fight
Freeze
Flight
External
stimulus
Pain
First experience
Same
external
stimulus
Risk
sensitivity
Anxiety
response
Later experiences
As stated earlier, during evolution, we programmed our natural risk
sensitivity (our first nature) in a completely different environment, in
the African savannas, which is incomparable with a modern industrial
environment. This change in environment has an impact on the quality
of risk scanning. For some external stimuli, we can still rely on the
process inherited from ancient times, while for most other stimuli, we
have to activate the risk sensitivity as an almost artificial process.
We have to reprogram this function. The fact that it is an artificial
activation of a familiar system is a key element in understanding and
enhancing safety policy. The risk sensitivity that we need in modern
life belongs to our second nature.
Innate risk sensitivity reactions, like mental alertness, can be seen as
responses to familiar threats like:
Heights and heat
Insects and small animals like snakes or objects with a remarkable
resemblance to them
Moving objects, especially those moving in one
'
s own direction and
generating sounds
Nonmonotonous sounds (for example, a siren)
Adverse weather like thunder, lightning, and storms
New environments and unfamiliar faces
