Have you ever come across something really cute and had an impulse to hug it as hard as you can? Well, there is a reason for that, called cute aggression. Cute aggression is a way for the brain to release symptoms of wanting so you are not overwhelmed by the response you get from them. However, this is only one of the many odd behaviors that we have and why we have them.

Another weird common trait of humans is phobias or intense fear of certain objects or situations. These fears are not unexplainable, however, as most of them come from evolution or instinct. If most of your ancestors had bad experiences with spiders, you have the chance of having arachnophobia, or the fear of spiders, and if your ancestors had bad experiences with snakes, you may have Ophidiophobia or the fear of snakes. Of course, a lot of phobias are also causes of your own bad experiences, but if you have a fear of something without reason, it may just be genetics.

Similar to some phobias, the way we use laughter also came from evolution. Scientists claim that laughter was used by our distant ancestors to show that everything was okay and that they were in the mood to explore, play, or socialize. This evolved over time to show other emotions such as aggression and nervousness and became more commonly used.

Laughing is not the only behavior humans have that shows how we feel. Crying is also a common trait humans use, however, we usually use it to show emotions such as distress and sadness. Scientists conclude that crying is used to relieve emotional or physical pain. Crying is also used as a call for support, and can give others an urge to help the person who is crying.

When someone does something, there is always a reason why they are doing what they are doing. Knowing why we have these attributes and abilities lets us see ourselves and others with a more logical standpoint, and this can help when dealing with certain problems or emotions. That is why it is good to understand what these impulses and actions mean.

Sources:

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/why-we-want-squeeze-cute-little-things-180971143/

https://www.healthyway.com/content/weird-things-humans-do-every-day-and-why/

https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/phobias/causes-of-phobias/

https://www.healthline.com/health/why-do-we-cry#getting-help