– Why do we scream when something painful happens to us?
In: 441
So Tldr and eli5
Making noise when hurt helps us so that the rest of the group is alerted and will help us recover. So we are more likly to survive
So fort of evolution happens. Not with a goal it just happens and whatever proves more advantageous or less bothersome will get more offspring.
When we try to explain why sth in nature developed the way it did we try to find a evolutionary benefit in the sense I described. This benefit happened not by design or by any goal but just by the fact that it provides slightly better odds at spreading your genes, so our explanation is assigning a cause to sth we ultimately just now about that it was advantageous but not why specifically.
That non eli5 Disclaimer said.l a slightly less non eli5
A reasonable cause to why this proved useful in humans is that we are social animals. By signaling that we are hurt we not only warn the rest of our group that here is some danger they have to look for but we also signify that we need immediate care. And since we are social it’s likly that our group will provide that care.
Imagine being silent like the prey animals. For them it’s useful to be silent as to not show weakness, that will lead to attention. But we are hunters we will actively defend ourselfs so that is a lesser concern. But if we were silent while being bitten by a snake we would have to actively warn others that here is a undetecated threat. By screaming the whole group is on watch out immediately and will find the snake and prevent being bitten.
Also let’s assume we got hurt but do not make that know. We won’t receive any care and would have to endure our wound silently or would need to actively tell someone. But by screaming and singing and stuff the others will notice immediately and we will receive care and survive that with more likly hood than otherwise.
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