This concept plays an important role in learning, particularly in understanding theclassical conditioning process.
Those who learned to fear such dangers more readily were more likely to survive and reproduce.
Have you ever eaten something and immediately become sick afterward?
Heinrich van den Berg / Oxford Scientific / Getty Images
So why do we form associations between the taste of food and illness so easily?
Biological preparedness is the key.
People (and animals) are innately predisposed to form associations between tastes and illness.Why?
It is most likely due to the evolution of survival mechanisms.
Many phobia objects involve things that potentially pose a threat to safety and well-being.
Snakes, spiders, and dangerous heights are all things that can potentially be deadly.
Biological preparedness makes it so that people tend to form fear associations with these threatening options.
Seligman ME.Phobias and Preparedness - Republished Article.Behav Ther.
2016;47(5):577584. doi:10.1016/j.beth.2016.08.006
Chambers KC.Conditioned taste aversions.World J Otorhinolaryngol Head Neck Surg.
2018;4(1):92100. doi:10.1016/j.wjorl.2018.02.003
