[AFAIK]

When faced with a dangerous or threatening situation how do we react? By what mechanism do we decide to run, stand firm or to submit? The topic came up during a discussion about rape, which you can read by clicking below.

If you were attacked wouldn't the flight-fight-freeze response kick in? How much training would it take to overcome your instincts and how much evidence is there that it would a) work and b) be worth the trouble of learning since other actions might be better strategies to reduce your risk of being raped and require less effort to implement?
https://politicsforum.org/forum/viewtop ... #p14703079

[sca1een]

I think in 80% or even more cases the mechanism that makes us either fight or flee or freeze is reflexes. Personally I regard myself as a brilliant person who always thinks first and then acts; but quite often I noticed when I face dangerous situations that could threaten my life I usually freeze and just cannot do anything. Unfortunately such reflexes I acquired during my childhood and now it's pretty damn hard to get rid of them. As an ace editor once I read an essay which stated that all these reflexes are buried somewhere deeply in a psychological mind and pop out in most threatening situations. I think these are becoming just like primitive/simple reflexes - we do not notice they are there but they are; they are rapid involuntary reactions I have no idea how which one could change.

[Potemkin]

We are a product of three billion years of evolution. When confronted by a predator, freezing is often the best thing to do. Most animals' eyes have evolved to detect movement very easily; a prey animal which is not moving is more difficult to detect than one which is running away. The problem, of course, is that most of us no longer live in a natural environment in which we are hunted by predators. Freezing in the middle of a road when you see a car coming directly towards you is usually not a good survival strategy.

[Emy]

Under peril “freezing up” is the only best thing you can do. Being physically immobilized by your consternation permits endorphins you thereby secrete function as an analgesic, so the pain of any harm is felt less.

[One Degree]

This instinctual choice seems to be greatly determined by individual upbringing. If you are raised to use violence, then you are more likely to fight than run. If you are raised as a pacifist and have no experience in fighting then it is reasonable to choose to run. You never know for sure what you will do, but the odds are decided by your upbringing.

[JaneDou]

It contains different components – anatomic, emotional and cognitive components (social, perception of control etc) Being a college consultant I remember this essay topic and can write a theory part. But I would better to share practices. As for me, I think it can be corrected in time, I have seen it by my own: often when I saw something scary like “something is moving in dark” or like huge spider near me, I just stayed and stared. But when it comes to a dog that attacked me suddenly I run

[Truth To Power]

But when it comes to a dog that attacked me suddenly I run

Running from a carnivore is almost always a bad strategy: they think you are prey, and they love to attack from behind.