Summary: In a study exploring the neural correlates of the fight or flight response, people who choose to flee perceive a greater threat, leading them to behaviorally and mentally disengage from a situation, researchers report.

Source: SfN.

A study published in eNeuro exploring the neural correlates of the ‘fight-or-flight’ response finds that people who choose to flee perceive a greater threat, which leads them to mentally and behaviorally disengage from the situation.

Macià Buades-Rotger and colleagues designed a Lord of the Rings-themed experiment in which 36 female participants competed as Frodo against two confederates playing as Sauron and Saruman in a reaction time task. Participants could choose to avoid a limited number of encounters with their opponents by “putting the Ring on.” If they chose to stay and fight, they had to select the intensity of a sound blast (retaliation) that would be directed toward their opponent if the participant…