why crap your pants when your scared?

[sheogoraththemad]

the question came to my mind again after watching the new ZP,
why do we crap (or piss) our pants when we are scared?

 

[ThePirateMan]

Never done either. (In the context of being scared, that is)

Been close to the pissing once. >.<

I have no idea why some do.

 

[Risingblade]

I guess it's because you're so focused on fear that you lose all control of your other body functions like you bowels :/

 

[Yoshemo]

Defense mechanism maybe? If you smell like shit, a lion won't want to eat you

 

[crudus]

I have too theories.

1. Your sympathetic nervous system (SNS) makes not essential processes stop. Things like digestions, saliva production, bowel control are stopped so you can run away or kill something more efficiently.

2. It is a vestigial trait. Imagine an octopus shooting ink or something like that.

I personally think the former is true.

 

[Hashime]

Never done that, I never really get scared though.

 

[Z(ombie)fan]

I don't know.

I mean, why do people crap themselves.

"Ohh Im scared. UNNNGHH"

Im sorry, but emptying my bowels is never something I do because im scared... nor do I see a connection between the 2...

 

[Catalyst6]

Out of all the material in that piece, you come away with this... huh.

I have too theories.

1. Your sympathetic nervous system (SNS) makes not essential processes stop. Things like digestions, saliva production, bowel control are stopped so you can run away or kill something more efficiently.

I believe that this is it. Your body's acute stress response (or the "fight-or-flight" for you non-sciency types) basically guts everything that is not immediately useful for not dying. I've always assumed that this includes things like holding waste in.