In a tight spot? Screams for joy are best for a rapid response

HUMANS respond faster to screams of joy than those of fear because we face fewer risks in modern life, a new study suggests.

Researchers found non-alarming screams are processed by the brain more efficiently than screams of alarm.

They explained that in non-human primates, scream-like calls are used as an alarm signal exclusively in negative contexts, social conflicts or the presence of predators or other threats.

Humans are also assumed to use screams to signal danger and to scare predators. But we scream not only when we are fearful and aggressive, but also when we experience other emotions such as despair and elation.

The University of Zurich study, published in the journal PLOS Biology, asked 12 participants to vocalise positive and negative screams.

A group of 23 others classified them into different categories, and underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging, which measures brain activity, while listening to the screams.

This revealed six distinct types of screams that indicated pain, anger, fear, pleasure, sadness and joy. Listeners responded more quickly and accurately to non-alarm and positive scream calls than to alarming screams.

Less alarming screams elicited more activity across many auditory and frontal brain regions. The research said: “Non-alarm screams and positive screams might be more relevant in social environments and interactions of human beings, and also might show a higher occurrence rate in daily lives.”