Youngsters watch as “Mr. Goose Bumps” displays physical signs of fear.

Monsters under the bed, the bogeyman, clowns… Childhood is filled with apprehensions, both reasonable and not. But how do those fears develop? And is there anything good about getting a “good” scare?

Answering these questions, and plenty more, is Liberty Science Center’s new exhibit, “Goose Bumps! The Science of Fear.” First, it affirms that fear is beneficial: Without it, we wouldn’t survive, says David Bibas, the exhibit organizer and curator of technology programs at California Science Center, where “Goose Bumps” debuted last summer. The goal of the showcase, he explains, is not to help children conquer their fears, but instead to investigate the origins and physical manifestations of their fright. Before kids start learning all the mechanics, though, Bibas wants to remind them exactly how being scared feels.

The Fear Challenge Course, which is designed for kids ages eight and up, sparks panic with two learned phobias (fear of electric shock and of animals) and two innate ones (fear of loud noises and of falling). At the first installation, visitors poke their finger into a receptacle and await a harmless jolt. The exercise also addresses a more common source of trepidation: anticipating pain. That applies again in the Fear of Animals section, where arachnophobes are beckoned to risk spider bites by reaching into concealed terrariums that may or may not be filled with the eight-legged crawlers. At Fear of Falling, visitors regard their own body’s ability to communicate terror to others. Kids can strap into a device that simulates a deep plunge and records each participant’s freaked-out facial expression for later viewing.