The role of fire in human life
Several studies point to fire playing a significant role in human evolution. The fire contributed to the lives of ancient hominins, who we descend from, by extending the hours of the day, making more places habitable, giving humans heat and an opportunity to cook food that was previously inedible, and then the fire also worked as a social gathering point.
A study from University of Alabama, lead by researcher Christopher Lynn has examined the effect of a fire on 226 adults who experienced simulations of fires. The study showed that blood pressure decreased for participants who watched and listened to a flickering fire, especially if they experienced the fire over a longer period. The results confirm that fires and wood burning stoves have a calming effect on humans. This indicates that you can reduce stress by seeing and hearing a fire, and that your blood pressure actually decreases as a result.He also emphasizes that stress is increasingly affecting society today:
“Stress-related disorder are among the leading causes of disability in the modern era and pose significant economic impacts worldwide, so there is great incentive to understand the evolved mechanisms and environmental triggers of stress-reduction that are specific to humans.”
Social around the flames
Wood burning stoves and fires also work as social gathering points today, and Lynn’s study shows that the sight and sound of the flames have a positive impact on the participants’ “prosociality”. Prosocial behavior includes the ‘positive aspects’ of social behavior such as altruism, helpfulness, trust and tolerance. Meanwhile, the flickering fire also strengthened the participants’ ability to concentrate. That is why it is good to relax in front of the fire.
Source: December 2014 Evolutionary Psychology 12(5): 983-1003
