This article is the second in a series about how we deal with hazards. Hazard sensitivity forms a bridge between two other safety systems in our brain. The first is hazard intuition, which was discussed in the previous article. The other is risk understanding, which will be the focus of the next article. Together, they ensure that we perceive hazards and respond to them appropriately.
Fear
Hazard sensitivity plays a particularly important role in the so-called mammalian brain. This area regulates our emotions on the one hand and our interaction with others on the other. This function is carried out by our emotional center, also known as the amygdala. Fear is one of the most important emotions processed here.
Between intuition and understanding
The development of hazard sensitivity is more recent than that of hazard intuition. Nevertheless, the learning principle of hazard intuition—unconscious conditioning—also applies here. In addition, however, this area can be accessed through our consciousness and language. We can recognize that we are afraid and put that fear into words. In this way, hazard sensitivity directly guides our behavior. The awareness of being unsafe is the most important motivator of safe behavior.
How does fear conditioning work?
This conditioning occurs through the coupling of three elements: first, fear itself, which is linked to an object; and second, fear linked to a location. The latter is due to close cooperation with the neighboring hippocampus. The hippocampus has a dual function: it helps us remember and keeps track of where we are. This allows us to remember dangerous situations very effectively. We also remember where dangerous objects are located or where hazardous activities usually take place. That is why it is advised to carry out a Last Minute Risk Analysis (LMRA) at the actual work location, rather than in a site office or break room.
Juni Daalmans