Child 2. Fear
Nov 19, 2025
In this conversation, Lisa Feldman Barrett, a renowned psychology expert, and Dr. Mara Guba, a children’s literature scholar from MIT, delve into the intricate role of fear in childhood. They discuss how cautionary tales like Heinrich Hoffmann's gruesome stories have historically shaped children's understanding of fear. Barrett shares insights on the amygdala's function in emotion and fear, while Guba highlights the appetite for dark stories in young minds. Together, they unravel how parental reactions influence children's perceptions of safety and threat.
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Little Suckathumb Scare Story
- The tale 'Little Suckathumb' features a tailor who arrives with scissors to punish thumb-sucking.
- India Rakusen recounts this as an example of using scare stories to change children's habits.
Avoid Using Fear As Primary Parenting Tool
- Use fear sparingly; it can protect but also traumatize children when overused.
- The episode warns that living in near-constant fear impairs development and learning.
Puritans Embedded Fear In Childrearing
- The Puritans taught children fear of death to secure souls when religious protections vanished.
- Dr. Rob Boddice says fear was embedded in ideas of divine love, sin, and virtuous suffering.
