New study reveals children’s fear of sharks begins when they’re four
Most kids are fascinated by sharks, but a new study has found that their early interest turns into fear by around the time they turn four. Here’s why you may have become afraid of these fish
READING LEVEL: GREEN
What do you feel when you hear something about sharks? Do you think these giant swimmers with jagged teeth and fins slicing through the water are scary or just super cool?
Adelaide University researchers tried to find out how children aged between two and 12 felt about sharks, and whether their feelings changed as they got older.
They shared a list of questions with the parents of more than 370 children within that age group, spread across 17 countries, then studied the responses.
Adelaide University environmental psychologist and lead researcher Dr Brianna Le Busque said the results were quite surprising.
The School of Physics, Chemistry and Earth Sciences team found most children liked sharks and were fascinated* by them, but some did fear the big fish. Where they feared them, the fear developed around four years of age, continuing to increase significantly until the age of 12.
Children were also found to know a lot about sharks, especially as they reached the ages of six to eight, sharing fun facts and naming different species.
“Some of them actually called sharks ‘cute’,” Dr Le Busque said.
“There were definitely also kids that said they liked sharks because they were really powerful predators … there was also a group that actually said, ‘I like sharks because I know that they aren’t as dangerous as people say they are’.”
Researchers also found sharks were introduced to most children via books, aquariums and television. Nearly a quarter of them said they have watched shark films and animations like Jaws and Finding Nemo.
WHAT MAKES SHARKS SCARY?
As children reach four and above, their brains become more capable of processing and experiencing fear. From this age onwards they can experience fear of different things like monsters and sharks etc.
As they get older, they are also exposed to different forms of media including movies, books, and bedtime stories where sharks take villain roles. They may also come across sensationalised* news about isolated shark attacks.
All of this may make sharks seem scarier than they actually are, Dr Le Busque said. Although they did not explore this idea in the study, she said there could be a link.
“Sharks are often portrayed in very dramatic and sensational ways, particularly when there is a shark bite, or in popular films,” Dr Le Busque said.
“We need to understand more about what children are seeing and hearing about sharks, because those messages could potentially influence how they perceive* these animals.”
WHAT TO DO IF YOU’RE AFRAID OF SHARKS
Research shows the more we know more about sharks, the less we fear them. And if you have experienced sharks first-hand, you’re likely more willing to be able to stand them or even care about them.
According to Dr Le Busque, being a little bit afraid of sharks is not necessarily a bad thing.
“One thing we do know that keeps coming through really consistently in the research is that learning more about sharks can really give us a healthy fear,” she said. “We don’t want no fear, we want that healthy respect.”
But if the fear is so strong that it stops you from going into the ocean, enjoying swimming at the beach, or caring about these sea creatures, there are ways you can lower the fear level.
Dr Le Busque recommended reading more books and learning about sharks, both of which could help with reaching that healthy dose of fear.
Watching sharks “meander around” in aquariums alongside multiple other species could also be relaxing and a really useful way to shake off any unnecessary fear.
“(You may) start to care about them a bit more as well”, Dr Le Busque said.
PRECIOUS SHARKS
A recent report found that the population of sharks around the world has dropped by a shocking 71 per cent in just 50 years. Human attitudes towards sharks have become more important than ever because they influence conservation efforts.
University of Sydney Associate Professor Michele Barnes said research shows if you’ve had a positive experience like shark eco-tourism, you’re more likely to care about these vital sea creatures and help protect their declining populations.
Sharks have been around for millions of years. They outlived the dinosaurs and are “one of the oldest animals that exist in the world today,” Assoc Prof Barnes said.
Top of the ocean’s food chain, sharks have a really strong sense of smell. They can smell injured fish and marine mammals from many kilometres away. They also have special electromagnetic sensory receptors*.
“(Sharks) are key for regulating the entire food chain of the entire ocean ecosystem* … if you lose an entire level of a food chain, the whole chain can reorganise, collapse or get reshaped in ways that can lead to significant disasters,” Assoc Prof Barnes said.
These super cool creatures keep the balance across ecosystems under the water. Their role starts to look especially significant when we consider that oceans cover about 70 per cent of our entire blue planet.
“This is a massive system that regulates our entire climate. We really don’t want to be messing with it,” Assoc Prof Barnes said.
Learning more about sharks not only helps children overcome their fears, but also makes them more caring toward this precious species. Future generations of young eco-agents will hopefully be the ones who make sure this ancient king of the deep does not go extinct.
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GLOSSARY
- fascinated: extremely interested in something or someone
- sensationalised: presented or reported in an exaggerated way to excite or shock people
- perceive: to interpret, view, or become aware of something through the senses like seeing, feeling etc
- shark eco-tourism: travelling to see wild sharks in their natural environment to support conservation
- electromagnetic sensory receptors: special organs that allow animals like sharks to detect electrical fields in water
- ecosystem: a community of living organisms interacting with each other and their environment
EXTRA READING
Humans can save dying wildlife
Why dub a glacier ‘Doomsday’?
How crocs out-survived dinosaurs
QUICK QUIZ
- How much has the shark population dropped since the last 50 years?
- How did children learn about sharks?
- What happens when children learn more about sharks?
- What can you do if you’re afraid of sharks?
- How many children participated in the research?
LISTEN TO THIS STORY
CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
1. Sharks Point of View?
Write a recount of the most important information in the story. You must write your recount from the point of view of a shark. Remember to include why you think the information it’s important for human kids to understand!
Time: Spend at least 30 minutes on this activity.
Curriculum links: English, Science
2. Extension
Can you think of another creature (animal or insect) that many kids might be scared of but really shouldn’t be? Create an infographic or poster about your creature. Your theme is Don’t Be Scared, Be Aware! Your purpose is to help kids who are scared of this creature to learn how great they are, but also include some tips on what to do when they meet one. Use your research skills to help you.
Time: Spend at least 40 minutes on this activity
Curriculum links: English, Science
VCOP ACTIVITY
Read with Kung Fu punctuation
Pair up with the article between you and stand up to make it easy to demonstrate your Kung Fu punctuation.
Practice reading one sentence at a time. Now read it again, while acting out the punctuation as you read.
Read and act three sentences before swapping with your partner.
Take two turns each.
Now ask your partner to read a sentence out loud while you try and act out the punctuation. Can you keep up? Swap over?
Try acting out two sentences – are you laughing yet?