Scare Science

In Scream Scientist, you read about a researcher who studies the science behind why people get scared. Here’s what happens in your body during a fight-or-flight reaction—when you choose to either tough it out (fight) or run away (flight) from frightening situations.

OLGYSHA/SHUTTERSTOCK

THREAT

Someone experiences something scary or dangerous.

DAMIEN SCOGIN

BRAIN PROCESSING

An area of the brain called the amygdala determines whether something is a threat. If it is, the brain’s hypothalamus starts the body’s fight-or-flight reaction.

DAMIEN SCOGIN

CHEMICAL SIGNAL

The hypothalamus activates the pituitary gland, located at the base of the brain, to release the chemical hormone ACTH (adrenocorticotropic hormone).

DAMIEN SCOGIN

FEAR HORMONES

ACTH travels through the blood. It activates the adrenal glands, located on the kidneys, which release three stress hormones— adrenaline, norepinephrine, and cortisol.

DAMIEN SCOGIN

PHYSICAL REACTIONS

Depending on how scary a situation is, stress hormones can cause one or more of these reactions.

ANALYZE IT: Why do you think the body reacts the way it does when a person is scared or threatened?

Text-to-Speech