How does a child raised in the city learn to fear snakes and respond emotionally to mere pictures of them?
A) The child was told repeatedly that "snakes are dangerous."
B) The child observed others reacting emotionally to the word snake or to snake images in the media.
C) The child, like all humans, is born with a fear of snakes and other reptiles.
D) The child has been bitten by other animals and generalizes this fear to all animals, including snakes.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The child most likely learned to fear snakes through social learning, namely by observing others reacting emotionally to snakes either in person or through the media. This is a common way that fears are acquired, especially for objects or experiences that are not personally encountered by the individual. There is no evidence to suggest that humans are born with a fear of snakes (choice C), nor is there any reason to assume the child has been bitten by other animals (choice D). While it is possible that the child was told repeatedly that snakes are dangerous (choice A), this alone is not likely to be sufficient to generate an emotional fear response to mere pictures of snakes.

How Does a Child Raised in the City Learn to Fear