Survival: still a great motivator after all these years

Scientists have discovered that people process faces filled with fear faster than any other type of face. They speculate that we do this as seeing fear lets us know something is wrong, and we have to react at a quicker pace than if someone has a more relaxed or happy expression. Conversely, it can take the average child about 3 years to notice a sarcastic expression on your face.

Ok, I made that last bit up.

Anyway, I just listened to an audiobook called "Made to Stick", which talks about how ideas become sticky. They don't mention it in the book, but a lot of their examples of "sticky ideas" strike directly towards the survival sector of the brain. Urban myths about getting your kidneys stolen, weight loss marketing campaigns, etc. Humans have their brains wired for physical survival, and you can use that to communicate ideas in the fastest possible way.