When a deer sees an incoming car, it freezes. For us, it looks stupid. But for the deer, this instinctive reaction seems to be the best. And it would be the best reaction if the car were a predator: too big to fight, too fast to outrun. By freezing it hopes that the beast fails to spot it, or gets distracted.
Yet, the car isnât a predator. And an otherwise rational âfreezeâ response puts our dear deerâs life in danger, and at the driverâs reflex mercy.
Fight, flight, and freeze are fear responses. All of these responses make sense and can save our lives. I bet they saved your physical health or even life. Maybe even it saved you from a car â as you froze before entering a road, or you jumped away in time.