Simulations (both physical and computer-based) are widely used by the military and other high-risk occupations for safe training. They can be very realistic these days, especially if your job involves a vehicle instead of walking around on foot. A good tank simulator for instance, is probably no different from the real thing. Except for one little fact. IN REAL LIFE SOMEONE IS TRYING TO KILL YOU. You are going to be scared s***less. I propose training people goining into hazardous occupations by making them run the simulation, and giving them an injection of adrenaline or something similar. They will thus learn to deal with the altered judgement and physical capabilities that accompany a life threatening situation and deal with it better when they face that situation for real.
-- Madcat, Apr 08 2004

(?) this place... http://www.firecoll...op.accessweb.co.uk/
...not quite what you want though, I suppose. [po, Oct 05 2004, last modified Oct 06 2004]

Vet Smell http://www.halfbake...om/idea/Vet_20Smell
Pheromonal fear? [bungston, Oct 05 2004]

smells and emotions. http://www.scienced...03/030313081429.htm
[po, Oct 05 2004, last modified Oct 06 2004]

there is a place that offers training in fire-fighting that reminds me of this without the drugs though. I will look for a link.
-- po, Apr 08 2004


I wonder if fear is chemically based - that is, if it could be recreated with a specific chemical. Aspects of fear - the paranoia, heart racing etc can be recreated with drugs, but this is not the same as fear. I would be interested in any info about fear chemicals.

Perhaps there is a fear pheromone for humans as there seems to be with animals - the basis of my "dog vet smell" idea (linked). This could be used for the purpose described here.
-- bungston, Apr 08 2004


pretty sure that smells affect the same part of the brain as emotion.
-- po, Apr 08 2004


The safety of the procedure would be my only concern. There would be risk with any substance that alters your normal reactions, but if it could be made safe enough then there would be no end to the uses!

On one end of the spectrum you would have soldiers training to handle fear more effectively, on the other end you might have shy people practicing public speaking with all the mind-numbing terror that you just can't experience naturally when practicing in front of family/friends/pets/mirror.

There would be moral ramifications beyond anything you and I would ever in our wildest dreams conceive of, but such a development would just be so darn useful that society would have to find a way through them.
-- Psudomorph, Feb 22 2007


the latest batman movie something similar as a plot device. 'twas quite entertaining.
-- xaviergisz, Feb 22 2007



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