Fears Learned By Observing Others Are Similar To Those Learned From Direct Experience

Science Daily — Humans acquire fears using similar neural processes whether they've personally experienced an aversive event or only witnessed it, according to a study by researchers at New York University's Departments of Psychology.


Did not think that maybe some random expression of fear by her good ole parents could have triggered a fear response to something unrelated. However, I would also like to find something about genetic variation in inborn fears. Assuming something like being scared of the dark is inborn for a majority of the population, what would happen with changes to expression of this fear.