NationStates Jolt Archive

Its always struck me curious as to why humans always scream in battles or fights. Ever gone paintballing? Whenever you charge the enemy, you cant help but to scream like a lunatic, ever watched footage of a war battle or battle movie? Yup, the guys are always screaming. Ever got into a fight or watched Martial Artist fight, yup screaming as well, what is it that cuases people to scream during fights are battle? Your thoughts?

why do cats hiss and growl when threatened? why do dogs growl and bark when in fights? why do lions roar?

i figure it's part of an attempt to make yourself seem more frightening to your enemy, so that they'll lose heart and/or leave you alone. if you're screaming like a lunatic, you're more intimidating. the only thing better would be sneaking about and discretely popping people off.

Social conditioning, maybe? We see it, so we do it. There once was a time when screaming may have served to scare the living crap out of people and make them run away or something and now that concept is so ingrained in most of us that it's practically instinct. The only people who regularly don't scream are Special Forces, I guess.

Its always struck me curious as to why humans always scream in battles or fights. Ever gone paintballing? Whenever you charge the enemy, you cant help but to scream like a lunatic, ever watched footage of a war battle or battle movie? Yup, the guys are always screaming. Ever got into a fight or watched Martial Artist fight, yup screaming as well, what is it that cuases people to scream during fights are battle? Your thoughts?
good question. personally, having been paintballing i don't scream. if i were in a real battle i should think i wouldnt scream either - i'd just shit myself repeatedly.
suppose its primal for some reason. though if you are hunting a deer as a caveman, surely you want to sneak up on it so it doesn't run away; not run at it screaming like a bloody lunatic :confused:

Social conditioning, maybe? We see it, so we do it. There once was a time when screaming may have served to scare the living crap out of people and make them run away or something and now that concept is so ingrained in most of us that it's practically instinct. The only people who regularly don't scream are Special Forces, I guess.
And me. I can't raise my voice very well.

There are several reasons.
Screaming is frightening.
It empties your lungs evenly and deeply allowing you to absorb more O2 while not getting a cramp.
It gets the adrenalin and your heart pumping and a million other bio-chemical reactions started, like endorphins making you feel pumped and powerful.

Well I wasnt speaking about covert ops or sneaking, of course, they have to be silent, but in like a huge charge or frontal attack, I mean, I know you have cuaght your self playing a war game and grring or chanting DIe! or something like that.

Well I wasnt speaking about covert ops or sneaking, of course, they have to be silent, but in like a huge charge or frontal attack, I mean, I know you have cuaght your self playing a war game and grring or chanting DIe! or something like that.
Sometimes I do talk to myself while playing games, but that's normal for me. I don't likel loud noises, much less so when the loud noise is my own voice. I usually subvocalise to myself instead.

Well I wasnt speaking about covert ops or sneaking, of course, they have to be silent, but in like a huge charge or frontal attack, I mean, I know you have cuaght your self playing a war game and grring or chanting DIe! or something like that.

I tend to just swear at the game when I die.

Its always struck me curious as to why humans always scream in battles or fights. Ever gone paintballing? Whenever you charge the enemy, you cant help but to scream like a lunatic, ever watched footage of a war battle or battle movie? Yup, the guys are always screaming. Ever got into a fight or watched Martial Artist fight, yup screaming as well, what is it that cuases people to scream during fights are battle? Your thoughts?
I always thought of it as sort of a rallying cry in a battle. Does nothing really, but when your charged up and ready to fight and suddenly, you charge against the enemy, wouldn't you feel like screaming?

Social conditioning, maybe? We see it, so we do it. There once was a time when screaming may have served to scare the living crap out of people and make them run away or something and now that concept is so ingrained in most of us that it's practically instinct. The only people who regularly don't scream are Special Forces, I guess.


It's all about the adrenalin, and animal nature. Just listen to two cats going at it. They hiss and make all kinds of ungodly sounds. When shots are fired, your adrenalin kicks in and you become a beast. Special Forces do scream. I should know as back in Vietnam, when we protected our fire base from VC and NVA troops, in the heat of battle we would let out some awful noises. Screaming also helps your brain retain control over itself. If you can't vent your extra boosts of energy, you won't find it so easy in combat. Esp when it gets to be hand to hand.

I always thought of it as sort of a rallying cry in a battle. Does nothing really, but when your charged up and ready to fight and suddenly, you charge against the enemy, wouldn't you feel like screaming?

Well yeah, when you charge the enemy, your heart is coming out of your chest, a scream helps calm you down a little.

I can think of three main reasons :

To psych yourself up
To encourage your comrades
To unnerve your opponent.

Probably one of the best known examples would be the Confederate use of what became famous as "the rebel yell".

A sample sound file, for the fanatic (like myself) can be found at

http://www.26nc.org/History/RebelYell/main.htm

I can think of three main reasons :

To psych yourself up
To encourage your comrades
To unnerve your opponent.

Probably one of the best known examples would be the Confederate use of what became famous as "the rebel yell".

A sample sound file, for the fanatic (like myself) can be found at

http://www.26nc.org/History/RebelYell/main.htm
sounds like either a dog being strangled, or a man being tortured

sounds like either a dog being strangled, or a man being tortured

Yep.

And it has been said that it is not possible to do it properly unless your hungry.

Its always struck me curious as to why humans always scream in battles or fights. Ever gone paintballing? Whenever you charge the enemy, you cant help but to scream like a lunatic, ever watched footage of a war battle or battle movie? Yup, the guys are always screaming. Ever got into a fight or watched Martial Artist fight, yup screaming as well, what is it that cuases people to scream during fights are battle? Your thoughts?

Well in battle, sometimes you just need to scream to be heard over the backdrop of gunfire, and such. The screaming in martial arts fights that you might typically see are just there to either dramatize it or something. At least in the stereotypical Chinese kung-fu fighting, there's a lot of "WhaCHAAA!"s and the like, but in reality, there shouldn't be.
...
...Or at least that's what I've been told...

Well in battle, sometimes you just need to scream to be heard over the backdrop of gunfire, and such. The screaming in martial arts fights that you might typically see are just there to either dramatize it or something. At least in the stereotypical Chinese kung-fu fighting, there's a lot of "WhaCHAAA!"s and the like, but in reality, there shouldn't be.
...
...Or at least that's what I've been told...


Well, battle is the most incredibly terrible thing you have ever seen (hand to hand is the most terrible). You scream cause your body can't help it. If you saw yourself stabbing an enemy in the throat, braining them with your entrenching tool, you'd scream too.

Its always struck me curious as to why humans always scream in battles or fights. Ever gone paintballing? Whenever you charge the enemy, you cant help but to scream like a lunatic, ever watched footage of a war battle or battle movie? Yup, the guys are always screaming. Ever got into a fight or watched Martial Artist fight, yup screaming as well, what is it that cuases people to scream during fights are battle? Your thoughts?
You do not scream in a real fight unless you are untrained--this goes for the military as well.
The old war movies show that because it was done by grunts in a charge to intimidate the enemy "We are meaner and more ready to kill then you, look how crazy we are" Your "war face" or "battle cry".
How ever in a fist fight or modern urban fire fight they specifically train you NOT to open your mouth--for a variety of reasons.
One screaming wastes oxygen--which causes more rapid fatigue over the long run.
Two, it comletely betrays your position.
Three, a frenzy is not efficient when it comes to killing surgically.
Now in a fist the number one reason not to scream--you will get knocked the feck out, ever see a boxer scream? NO. Open mouth equals broken jaw, bitten off tongue, or death--then open jaw makes it easier to snap your neck with a powerful punch to the chin.
No, I dont wonder why people scream in battle--I wonder why HollyWood keeps a WWI myth alive. The battle cry now only applies in very rare circumstances--Also Martial Artists that instruct in actual defense and tournament bravado teach you not to scream for the above reasons.