9/11 Survival Factors

On September 11, 2001, the weather was perfect. Not a single cloud in the sky, sun shining down, and then suddenly two planes crashed into the twin towers of the World Trade Center. During this terrorist attack, around 3,000 people were killed. Some jumped out of the building, some hung out of windows to get their last breath of air, but others were able to use effort to save themselves. Why were some people able to put so much effort to save themselves and survive, while others put the same amount of effort but were not able to survive? Some would attribute it to luck or fate, however, people operate differently by invoking natural instincts, a quick emotional response, and lastly, fight-or-flight responses. September 11, 2001, is known as one of the saddest days in history. This was the day that Americans realized terrorism is all around the world. These attacks

Thousands of people were killed on this day, but some survived. The first reason for survival is by natural instinct which by definition is, a natural or innate impulse, inclination, or tendency to do something. Most people who reacted by natural instinct jumped out of the windows. This could have been because they did not know what exactly was happening and they were afraid and thought of no other option. The next reason is emotional responses which refers to a specific learned behavior or a procedure. Most people who responded this way had a higher chance of surviving because they had practice and an escape plan. Lastly, fight-or-flight is the instinctive physiological response to a threatening situation, which readies one either to resist forcibly or to run away.
People’s natural instincts were some of the main reasons on how they reacted to the September 11 attacks. The six major natural instincts are fear, anxiety, anger and frustration, depression, loneliness and boredom, and guilt (DNews).