Such freezing minimizes the chance of being detected and gives the animal time to figure out what to do. Staring, Kalin notes, can be very threatening, since it can signify that a predator has located you or that another member of your species is trying to dominate you. So far, so good. To further define these types of fearful behaviors, Kalin gave small amounts of drugs to the monkeys. Anti-anxiety drugs like diazepam, or valium, had little or no affect on cooing, but it did decrease barking and freezing.
Most mothers are relaxed, even when scientists snap their portraits.
But the mother on the right is chronically tense. People in the past have conceptualized problems of emotions as being overly intense responses. But we find animals that are unable to turn off a specific reaction, or which express the wrong reaction. Kalin is one of many neuroscientists who are finding a strong link between biology, emotions and behavior. In the long run, the on-going monkey studies should lead to a more exact picture of fear and anxiety disorders.