The Fight-or-Flight Response
Taylor Jensen writes about ADT Home Security for http://www.experthomesecurity.com, is considered an expert in the field of home security, and has published hundreds of articles informing consumers about what to look for when considering a home security system for their home.
Upon hearing the words “fight or flight,” you may think of a number of things, such as an album by the British rockers “Turin Brakes,” or an episode of “Star Trek.”
But when most people think of “fight or flight,” they think of a biological response to acute stress, usually observed in animals, but also applicable to humans.
The phenomenon was first written about in 1929 by Walter Cannon, who stated that animals will react to threats with one of two responses triggered by the sympathetic nervous system. They’ll either run, or they’ll fight back.
In some exceptional cases, animals will stand perfectly still with the hope that their predators won’t see them. Or in the case of some fish, they’ll rapidly change color in order to camouflage themselves. But usually it’s fight or flight.
This stress response is vital to animal survival, but for most modern humans who don’t frequently encounter emergencies, such stress isn’t always useful. If fight or flight is triggered too much, it can lead to health issues and even shorten lives.
However, when one’s safety is threatened, such as during a home invasion, the adrenalin produced by this response may save one’s life.
Have you ever woken up in a panic because you heard a noise that sounded alarming? Imagine if those noises continued and you were now certain that someone had entered your home. How would you respond?
You might be able to escape and run for help, or you might be able to hide. Or in some cases, you might need to actually fight. Your heart will likely be racing, as will your mind, but your body will be as prepared as it can be.
On the other hand, if you had a home alarm system, the fight-or-flight response would more likely be felt by the burglar, who either sets it off or notices a home security video camera while prowling about your living room.
Alarm companies understand the fight-or-flight response in humans, which is part of why they can confidently claim that a home alarm system or home security video is not just effective at catching a criminal, but it’s also an effective deterrent — one that can even scare off a burglar before the home alarm system is triggered.
A sign in the yard or by each door is usually enough to trigger flight in a would-be housebreaker.
Whether the home alarm system has been activated or the burglar has simply noticed the signs outside, we can characterize this person as now being “alarmed” and likely to flee. After all, you can’t fight the alarm itself. Once it’s triggered, it’s too late for a thief, so running is the likely response.
A burglar knows that a home alarm monitoring company has already contacted the police, so attempting to stick around and fight would be useless. He might as well be shadow boxing.
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