Sharks! Why do we fear them?Â
Researchers at the University of South Australia have been investigating the underlying reasons behind the intense fear of sharks, which goes beyond the actual risk posed by these creatures.
The fear of sharks is deeply rooted in our understanding of fear and how we emotionally respond to it. Emotions have a stronger influence on humans than rational thoughts, which becomes evident when we imagine coming face-to-face with a shark. The initial surge of fear overrides any logical thoughts that follow, such as the slim chances of an actual encounter. The sensational media coverage of shark attacks and films such as JAWs have fuelled this fear by exaggerating the threat posed by sharks.
Ask your kids what they think and participate in the survey.
 ‘Jaw-some’ new research: What do kids think about sharks?
When it comes to how people feel and think about sharks, ‘Jaws’ has a lot to answer for. So while older generations shudder at the sound of the infamous two-note tuba alternation, what do younger generations think of sharks?
That’s exactly the question researchers at the University of South Australia are asking. To better understand why people fear sharks and how this fear might develop, researchers are looking to parents and carers of young children (aged 2-12) for new insights.
Lead researcher and shark expert, UniSA’s Dr Brianna Le Busque says there is barely any information about what children think of sharks.
“When you ask children what they know about sharks, you can get any number of replies – ‘they live in the ocean’, ‘they have sharp teeth’, or even ‘they eat bananas’ (yes, expect the unexpected) – but despite the immediate responses, there is very little empirical information,†Dr Le Busque says.
“We’re hoping that by talking with parents and children about what they know, feel, and think about sharks, we can establish how and when a fear of sharks might arise. Essentially, we’re questioning whether children innately fear sharks, or if this is a learnt behaviour over time, influenced by what they might see and hear around them?â€
The team is now inviting parents and caregivers of young children aged 2-12 years old to participate in a short 10-minute online survey to find out what they and their children think about sharks. Children are also invited to draw a picture of a shark if they choose.
Over the past 50 years, 71% of oceanic shark populations have been depleted and one-third of all shark species are now threatened with extinction.
“Through overfishing and illegal fishing, many shark species are at risk,†Dr Le Busque says.
“While conservation messages are important, it is extremely difficult to combat long-ingrained perceptions of sharks as ‘mindless eating machines’ which pose a ‘high-risk’ to humans. Given the coverage that sharks receive on the screen – through movies, sensationalised human-shark interactions, and documentaries – it’s not surprising that sharks have a bad reputation. In reality, sharks pose little threat to humans – in fact, the odds of being killed by a shark in Australia are one in eight million. But changing perceptions is challenging. Finding out what children think and feel about sharks is just the starting point to a whole new approach to shark understanding.â€
Ask your children/grandchildren what they think. To participate in the survey for the research team at uniSA visit:Â https://bit.ly/3XRK2vU
This project has been approved by the University of South Australia’s Human Research Ethics Committee (Ethics Protocol 206267).
https://www.natureaustralia.org.au – the odds of being killed by a shark in Australia are one in eight million.
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-020-03173-9
Bio for Brianna.LeBusque   https://people.unisa.edu.au/Brianna.LeBusque
While many fear sharks there are those who share the marine environment with them and they speak out to advocate for sharks with a message that they are not the monsters we fear. This is one girl’s story.Â
consciouslivingmagazine.com.au/category/eco-living
