Existential Fear Research Articles

4.Y.1. Climate trauma, public protest and the ethics of civil disobedience in our warming world

Abstract Eco-anxiety, defined as “a chronic fear of environmental dooms,” is related to both a direct experience of extreme weather events (e.g., floods, wildfires, hurricanes, droughts) as well as environmental changes. Although it is not yet being addressed as a proper disease, eco-anxiety is being related to symptoms such as obsessive thoughts about the climate and the total destruction of the planet, existential fear and feelings of guilt about one’s own carbon footprint, anger, frustration, depression, and anxiety, among others. Eco-anxiety is increasingly reported among children and young people (Hickman et al, Lancet Planetary Health, 2021). Less studied and understood is climate trauma at a societal level resulting from the ever-present, ever-growing threat of climate change.This session aims to facilitate a better understanding of the mechanisms that lead to this symptomatology as well as the reasons for our apparent collective paralysis as a society to act in accordance with the climate threats we face. This analysis will take into account aspects linked to cultural diversity and structural factors that can rationalise the inaction. Particularly following the COVID-19 pandemic, many states have introduced or strengthened laws restricting the right to protest, with implications for public protest about state inaction on climate change. The workshop also aims to address questions such as: Are public protest and civil disobedience rational responses to the climate crisis? Should health professionals protest publicly? How has eco-anxiety been used as a legal defence to criminal charges? How should professional accreditation bodies respond when a member is convicted in a climate protest? Is deregistration appropriate, or should we instead be hastening to revise professional codes of ethics and public health training curriculums to reflect ‘the single biggest threat facing humanity’? (WHO, 2021). In the United Kingdom, the UK Health Alliance on Climate Change has urged the General Medical Council ‘to be as lenient as the law allows’ with health professionals convicted of offences resulting from their protests against damage to nature, the climate, and health. Three expert panellists in mental health, law and ethics will present their perspectives in Pecha Kucha format. Key messages • Climate trauma at societal level may account for our collective paralysis in the face of climate change: yet political, structural and cultural factors must not be overlooked. • Ethical codes and training curriculums for public health professionals must be updated to reflect the evolving roles of PHP in response to climate change. Speakers/Panelists Jutta Lindert Hochschule Emden-Leer, Emden, Germany David Patterson University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands Farhang Tahzib Faculty of Public Health, Haywards Heath, UK

Экософский взгляд на общество риска и возможности медицины в снижении рисковых последствий

The relevance of the topic is due to the formulation of issues related to the state of modern social reality, the presence of risk in it as one of the essential characteristics. Abandoning the past mechanism of development – tradition as a stable foundation, modern society has acquired the specificity of the absence of a non-stop movement – a transition that does not correlate with the movement from one stage to another, more stable, but represents the continuity of the process. This is a fundamentally new ontology of reality, in which the constancy of its movement, instability create a situation where, as U. Beck says, in the rapidity of change, there is a “collapse of scientific, technical and legal rationality” [3, p. 167], traditionally used as a method of organizing public order. The article updates the Platonic category of metaxy (“Timaeus”) as a characteristic of the dynamics of being, its constant ‘intermediacy’ between the ‘past’ and the ‘future’ while eliminating the stable ‘present’. Modern social reality is a meta-reality, a transition in its infi nity of realization, the consequence of which is the risk and fear of falling into the abyss of baselessness. Risk is a specific characteristic of a social movement in the continuity of transition, when the stability of the present is lost, and the horizon of the future is not visible in traditional logic, which causes existential fear that constantly accompanies a person. ‘Risk Society’ (U. Beck) demanded a new rational ‘arrangement’ (A. Giddens) and a relevant methodology for its construction. The article is devoted to the problem of searching for this methodology. As such, the rationality of the emerging new trend in philosophy – ecosophy – is proposed, which actualizes a holistic view of the world, building on the category of ‘life’ in the unity of its manifestations in nature and culture. The problem is solved by contradiction: on the one hand, the risk is associated with the growth of science, which has historically had a humanistic connotation, on the other hand, its embodiments, being realized today in high technologies, turned out to be turning against man. Contradiction initiates risk. The purpose of the article is to substantiate the rationality of the ecosophical content as a methodology for the study of modern risky social ontology caused by scientific technologies, to argue their impact on human health and to show the possibilities of medicine in solving this problem.

The Influence of Colonial Trauma on the Masculine Characteristics of Georgian Identity

The present paper explores two Georgian literary texts written at the beginning of the twentieth century, at the early stage of Sovietization: Sanavardo by Demna Shengelaia, and Jaqo’s Dispossessed by Mikheil Javakhishvili. I aim to explore the traumatic effects of colonization on Georgian national consciousness and analyze its influence on the masculine characteristics of the Georgian identity. The issue of national self-identification has been raised, with all its sharpness, at every stage of fundamental historical and political changes in Georgia. The permanency of the issue is an indication of the fact that the national self-identification process has been associated with certain historical facts and events that have not been fully realized and existed as not overcome trauma, by society. Such an event is the Russian occupation of Georgia at the end of the nineteenth century. Based on trauma theory, the research shows that in both novels, the writers describe the lives of the main characters who lost their abilities and were unable to make purposeful use of their potential. Therefore, their political and social functions were represented by disregarding reality and distancing themselves from the present. The reasons for the negation of the present refer to the so-called existential fear of reality, which has caused a weakening or disappearance of masculine characteristics of identity such as power, assertiveness, desire to own and control, and individual initiative.

This is the End: The Role of Death in the Narrative Structure of Popular Movies.

A set of sixty popular movies is analyzed both quantitatively and qualitatively on the role of death in the narrative structure and the portrayal of death. Results of the quantitative analysis show that death events tend to be story-terminating, which implies that death is typically depicted as meaningful in relation to the past. The qualitative thematic analysis reveals that death is also depicted as meaningful in that it can lead to growth, unification and salvation. Furthermore, most movies include explicit death portrayals, thereby inviting viewers to closely approach death and to simulate both their own mortality and the mortality of their loved ones. Finally, it was found that most movie deaths involve violent attacks, indicating that movies tend to paint an unrealistic view of how people die. These findings advance our knowledge of how movies might help people to understand the meaning of death and to cope with existential fears.

LIVING IN A DIGITAL WORLD. HOPE AND FEAR OF FUTURE AMONG GENERATION Z

Generations shaped in the process of formation of an information/digital society have significant differences from previous generations, which were formed in the conditions of an industrial society at the level of values. The aim of this study is to identify specific differences in the perception of social, existential, and transcendental fears in Generation Z (also known as centennials, zoomers, etc., born in the late 1990s - early 2000s). Based on an information-communication approach, qualitative research (focus groups) of centennials - students of universities in the city of Ufa on the topic of fear perception was conducted. It was found that fear of the future information/digital society, shared by the older generations, is not characteristic of Generation Z. Development in a digital environment has fostered qualities such as pragmatism, network solidarity, network rootedness, and a positive attitude towards the digital future. Generation Z has shown a decrease in fear towards the development of digital technologies, artificial intelligence, and genetic engineering. At the same time, they are concerned about existential fears related to external forces, such as environmental pollution, global warming, and the risk of economic and political crises. In general, representatives of the digital society are optimistic, hoping that they can solve society's problems with the support of digital technologies. The identified change in the structure of fear perception has both academic and practical significance, allowing for the expansion and deepening of research in this area, as well as increasing the effectiveness of interaction with Generation Z.

The Concept of Hope in Islamic Traditional Ideology: A Discussion on Imam Al-Ghazali’s Thoughts

Imam Abu Hamid Muhammad Al-Ghazâli, a renowned scholar of Islamic traditional ideology, has left a significant impact through his writings on the subject. In the modern era, the rapid pace of technological advancement has led to a prevalent sense of psychological distress among individuals. Various approaches to social interaction have emerged, influencing human relationships based on needs, ethical principles, integrity, values, and cultural boundaries. Amidst these societal dynamics, the concept of hope has gained prominence as a means of navigating through challenging circumstances. Motivational speakers often espouse the virtue of hope, providing solace and inspiration in times of adversity, thereby potentially saving lives and sustaining motivation beyond existential fears. This article aims to analyze the concept of hope within the traditional ideology of Islam, drawing upon the teachings of Muhammad Al-Ghazali. It delves into the significance of hope within society and explores the repercussions of its decline, both individually and collectively. Furthermore, the article examines the sociological complications and diseases that may arise in the absence of hope and proposes religious remedies as suggested by Islam in general, and Muhammad Al-Ghazâli in particular, through his writings.

Based on the relationship between anxiety of existential meaninglessness, hope level, and fear of progression, explored the effect of preoperative nursing with Orem theory in the senile cataract population.

Cataracts, characterized by a decrease in vision due to the clouding of the lens, can progress to blindness in advanced stages. The rising incidence of cataract cases has led to a significant number of patients experiencing negative emotions associated with vision loss, thereby diminishing their quality of life. In clinical practice, it is imperative for healthcare professionals to consider the psychological well-being of cataract patients. Currently, there is a scarcity of research focusing on psychological evaluations, such as assessing feelings of meaninglessness among individuals with cataracts. This study aims to investigate the factors influencing the anxiety of existential meaninglessness and to explore the relationships among existential anxiety, Herth hope index levels and fear of progression in the elderly cataract-affected population. Additionally, it evaluates the effectiveness of Orem's nursing care strategies. Utilizing a sociodemographic questionnaire, the Existential Meaninglessness Anxiety Scale (EM-A), Herth Hope Index Level Scale, and the Fear of Progression Questionnaire-Short Form (FoP-Q-SF), this research employed convenience sampling for a cross-sectional and intervention study. The retrospective study sample comprised 1,029 individuals, while the intervention study included 317. The intervention design assessed psychological changes in existential meaninglessness following Orem's preoperative nursing interventions. Multiple linear regression analysis was employed to ascertain the determinants of EM-A within the population of elderly patients with senile cataracts. Pearson correlation analysis elucidated the relationship between EM-A, levels of hope, and the FoP-Q-SF among this demographic. Subsequent investigations, utilizing a t-test, evaluated the effects by comparing the data before and after the implementation of the interventions. The correlation between EM-A, hope levels, and FoP-Q-SF was statistically significant (p < 0.05). Factors such as age, education level, alcohol consumption habits, hope levels, and FoP-Q-SF scores significantly affected EM-A scores (p < 0.05). Orem's nursing framework significantly reduced existential anxiety (p < 0.05). Among elderly patients with cataracts, existential anxiety was generally moderate. Hope levels and fear of progression were closely associated with the EM-A. The novel Orem preoperative care model effectively addresses clinical issues. In clinical practice, it is crucial to address psychological problems and enhance patients' quality of life.

Che cos'è la paura?

The first pandemic texts, published in the book Where Have We Gone? Epidemic as Politics (“A che punto siamo? L'epidemia come politica”, Quodlibet, 2020), link Agamben's central notion of ”bare life” to fear, placing it at the center of his predictions for the sunset of bourgeois democracies and the rise of despotism based on the notion of ”biosecurity”. The theme culminates in the essay ”What is Fear?” presented here. Unlike the previous ones, it originally appeared on the website of the Italian Institute for Philosophical Research. Being the most philosophically saturated text of the series, it rethinks the key categories of Heideggerian existential analytics, fear and fearing, in the horizon of the pandemic situation, problematizing the ontological priority given by Heidegger to anxiety over fearing, in order to derive fearing as the mood through which power is established and justified.

Sang Culture: Social Comparisons of Generation Z Youths in China on Social Media

Sang Culture emerged among Chinese youth, showcasing digital expressions that encompass written words, audio clips, visuals and videos that portray feelings of despair and decadence. This phenomenon offers insight into the lived experiences and attitudes of Chinese Generation Z, commonly known as Gen Z. Rising from the challenges of the 2020 pandemic, the guarded and pessimistic mindset of this generation towards existential fears and uncertainties is distinctive, particularly on social media, where the youth find comfort in a sense of belonging, channelling their expressions through ironic wit and light-hearted jokes, resulting in not only personal healing but also shared amusement. While it is being embraced as a means of self-expression and discourse on societal norms, Sang Culture has faced criticism from conservative Chinese society for its perceived disruptive nature. In stark contrast to traditional beliefs and philosophies, Sang Culture and its cynicism are often considered a societal stain. Nevertheless, as China's youth continue to navigate their place in a rapidly changing society, Sang Culture remains a powerful force, reflecting the aspirations and frustrations of a generation seeking to carve out its own path. This study examined Gen Z through the Sang Culture on social media platforms and analysed social comparisons that emerge from the Sang Culture expressions online. The analysis deployed Festinger’s Social Comparison Theory and findings of this study underline how the creation of user-generated content concerning the Sang Culture compare their perceptions, beliefs, attitudes, and behaviours with those dictated or implied by societal realities. Keywords: Sang culture, generation Z, social media, user-generated content, social comparison theory.

"Living with Loss": A qualitative exploration of existential fears among people with advanced lung cancer in online lung cancer support groups.

With targeted therapies, people are surviving longer with advanced lung cancer and engaging in online lung cancer support communities. While these groups provide a sense of community, witnessing the death of peers can lead to emotional distress. This qualitative study aims to (1) explore the experience of witnessing death in online cancer support groups; (2) identify factors that contribute to the emotional struggles of witnessing the death of peers; and (3) identify strategies/options for dealing with losses in the cancer community. We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of qualitative interviews exploring existential concerns with participants (n = 25) from oncogene-specific online lung cancer support groups. The principal investigator conducted study interviews between August 2018 and March 2019 where participants were asked about their cancer experiences and existential concerns. We used thematic analysis and NVIVO 11 software to examine and store the de-identified interview data. Participants indicated that they had often witnessed their peers die and felt the pain of the loss. Factors that played a part in their struggle with witnessing others' death included the closeness of the relationship with the person, the age of the person who died, seeing oneself in the experience of the other dying, disparities in care, and losing touch in the final stages. Participants used varied coping strategies such as celebrating the life of the individual who died, engaging in advocacy efforts, not focusing on the loss, participating in therapy, and bringing self-preserving thoughts. Our study highlights the importance of addressing existential fears in online lung cancer support groups and incorporating conversations about death in spaces that deal with cancer.

Women and Men Politicians’ Response to War: Evidence from Ukraine

AbstractDoes war deepen gender inequalities in politicians’ behavior or help erase them? We draw from the terror management theory developed in psychology to argue that the onset of a violent conflict is likely to push politicians to conform more strongly with traditional gender stereotypes because it helps individuals cope with existential fears. To test our argument, we use data on Ukrainian politicians’ engagement on social media (136,455 Facebook posts by 469 politicians) in the three months before and after the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, and interrupted time series analysis, to assess the effect of conflict on politicians’ behavior. We find that conflict onset deepens gender-stereotypical behavior among politicians in their public engagement. We also show that, consistent with our argument, gender biases among the public are magnified during war.

Formation of critical thinking to overcome existential fears in people 15–17 years old as an element of sustainable behavior

Recently, due to the changing conditions of objective reality, the actualization of fears among the population has been growing. Highly intense fears interfere with the normal social life of the individual and can lead to its maladaptation, which can begin to manifest itself already in adolescence, when many stressful factors affect the personality, emotional and cognitive immaturity of the individual only increase the negative impact. In this regard, it is necessary to create an effective screening technique aimed at identifying the actual fears of the individual with an assessment of their intensity. To this end, we have proposed the author’s questionnaire “Features of actualization of existential fears of the individual”, the internal structure of which allows not only to identify fears, but to determine their intensity and need for psychological help. In order to ensure the adequacy of the integrative indicator “intensity of fear”, determined by the author’s questionnaire, the data were compared with the results obtained using the methods “Life Satisfaction Scale” and “Death Anxiety Scale”. We also associate an increase in the intensity of fears, their impact on the quality of life, the appearance of somatovegetative reactions in fear with a number of personal characteristics of the individual, including critical thinking, as an important cognitive property of the individual.

Love as a protective buffer against existential anxiety

Introduction and objective: This study attempts to provide insights into the relationship between love and existential anxiety among adult Poles. It has been frequently pointed out in the literature that love is crucial for human well-being and quality of life. Positive relationships, closeness, and love can have a protective effect against existential emptiness. Based on the literature, existential anxiety is thought to be inversely related to passion, intimacy, and commitment in love. Materials and methods: A sample of 274 adult participants from the general population (142 women and 132 men) was examined. The mean age of the subjects was 33.45 (standard deviation, SD = 15.89). The subjects completed two questionnaires, one focused on love (Triangular Love Scale by Sternberg), and the other one on existential anxiety (Existential Anxiety Questionnaire by Weems and associates). Results: The results of multiple regressions analyses indicate that passion and intimacy are significant predictors of existential anxiety, while commitment in love is not related to existential fear. Higher intimacy and passion levels are associated with lower existential anxiety. Conclusions: Our results provide evidence for the importance of love, close relationships, intimacy, and passion in the process of alleviating existential anxiety. Happy persons, who create positive bonds with others, perceive their lives as valuable, and meaningful. They do not feel lonely and they do not experience intense existential anxiety. Closeness and positive feelings thus seem to have a protective effect against an “existential vacuum”. Our research can guide therapists working with patients who suffer existential anxiety.

Approbation of the Methodology for Studying the Frequency and Intensity of Existential Fears in Adolescents 15–17 years’ Old

Introduction. The article deals with the problem of the growth of high-intensity fears among adolescents over the past year, and their identification with the help of its own psychodiagnostic technique. The study fills the lack of scientific works on studying the manifestation of fears in adolescents of the older age group.Purpose. To carry out approbation of the author's questionnaire-questionnaire "Peculiarities of actualization of existential fears of a personality", consisting of closed and open-ended questions, taking into account the difference between this methodology and other methods aimed at studying actual fears of a personality.Materials and Methods. The study was conducted with the involvement of high school students as respondents, a total of 98 people took part in the study. As a result of the study it was found that all boys and girls aged 15-17 have fears, but their distribution in terms of number, frequency and intensity differs in different gender groups. To confirm the adequacy of the integrative indicator "fear intensity", the methods "Life Satisfaction Scale" and "Death Anxiety Scale" were used. The Mann-Whitney U-criterion was used to confirm the reliability of differences between groups.Results. Content analysis of the open questions of the author's questionnaire-questionnaire made it possible to identify factors influencing the emergence and development of fears, their frequency and intensity, ways to overcome fears and understanding of the negative impact of high-intensity frequent fears by adolescents, as well as their need for professional psychological help.Discussion. This technique can be used as a screening tool to identify the frequency and intensity of fears in different gender and age groups, used for different purposes, including the identification of persons in need of further psychologically corrective work, which will prevent the development of existential fears of high intensity or reduce the intensity of these fears, which, in turn, will help to avoid distress associated with pathological fears, leading to possible personality maladaptation.

The United States and China in the Indian Ocean: a view from New Delhi

The article is devoted to the study of the attitude of the Indian ruling class and social groups serving it to the presence of China and the United States in the Indian Ocean. The history of this presence, its perception in Chinese, Indian and American discourse is considered. The author believes that for India's elites, China appears to be a "convenient rival" as a source of constant existential fear that will never turn into reality. This fear, however, affects Indian society so strongly that it itself becomes the subject of securitization.

Idea against Others Ideas: Caligula – History of Supreme Suicide

French writer Albert Camus (1913-1960) is known for the readers as wise but controversial writer who created novels, stories, plays, philosophical and literary essays. His early literary creations as well as his world out-look were prepared with the characteristics of European philosophic tra-ditions and literary development.Camus is one of the important representatives of French existential-ism though he was always objected being called an existentialist or even a philosopher: The former – possibly because that in the evolution of his viewpoints time after time he used to separate its chief statements; and the latter because he did not have the system of philosophical conception.Caligula is the History of Supreme Suicide. Caligula is the killer not by nature but by philosophic principles. He is paradoxical, he thinks that he is right but in fact he is wrong. Caligula refused to escape from genuine-ness and to hide behind illusions. Human beings’ attitude towards death is metaphysical, mysterious and inevitable. The fears of death, mysterious experience and human weakness are the components of Camus’ works. The death dominates over the life thus life becomes pointless. The beauti-ful world is just a glimpse.According to the existential philosophy, fear and death are the defini-tion of human life. Caligula cannot understand that it is impossible to destroy everything without self destruction. It is the most tragic, cruelest truth. The Emperor demands impossible thing. He tries to establish ab-normal freedom but he fails.

Frustration vs provocative strategies: the efficiency of use during a pandemic

The article deals with the features of news headlines during the period of high prevalence of coronavirus, Ebola fever and monkey pox. The purpose of the study is to identify the most common speech strategies and tactics, linguistic means which are used to influence the addressee. The author pays special attention to such expressive speech strategies as frustrating and provocative ones. The frustration strategy involves influencing the psychological condition of the addressee, affecting his biological, social or existential fear. This speech strategy is implemented through the tactics of mongering negative emotions and shocking with «facts», the intimidation tactics, the tactics of appealing to statistical data, etc. The provocative strategy is investigated as the intentional conduct of the addresser towards the recipient, destabilizing his emotional state and inciting him to the actions desired by the author. The described strategy is often implemented with the investigating information tactics or the emotionally destabilizing tactics. The article analyzes examples of news headlines demonstrating the use of frustrating and provocative speech strategies, as well as tactics and linguistic means that are used to implement these strategies. In the research the author comes to the conclusion that the authors of newscasts or news articles use such linguistic means that affect the audience as homonyms, paronyms, occasional words, epiphora, metaphor, personification, antithesis, polysemy, precedent phenomena, idioms, proverbs, parcellation.

Journalistic Work During a Pandemic: Changing Contexts and Subjective Perceptions

ABSTRACTThis study explores the extent to which the Corona pandemic has changed the working conditions of journalists in Germany and how they perceive these changes. The goal is to provide both the scale and qualitative nature of Corona-induced changes in the working environment of journalists by means of an online survey of German journalists (n = 983) in different employment situations. The results indicate that objective changes such as short-time work, income losses and the sudden shift to home office have notably shaped the world of journalistic work. On a subjective level, journalists’ responses mainly point to the personal financial fallout and resulting existential fears. Our findings suggest an intensified precarity in the working environment of journalists and highlight a growing gap between freelance and employed journalists.

Popping the chatbot hype balloon

ABSTRACT Since ChatGPT’s release in November 2022, artificial intelligence has come into the spotlight. Inspiring both fascination and fear, chatbots have stirred debates among researchers, developers, and policy makers. The concerns range from concrete and tangible ones—which include replication of existing biases and discrimination at scale, harvesting personal data, and spreading misinformation—to more existential fears that their development will lead to machines with human-like cognitive abilities. Understanding how chatbots work and the human labor and data involved can better help evaluate the validity of concerns surrounding these systems, which although innovative, are hardly the stuff of science fiction.

In Between the Psychological and Physiological Self - The Impact of Covid-19 Pandemic on the Neuro-Socio-Ecological and Inflammatory Mind-Body-Brain System.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on individuals' sense of self perturbating the sense of connectedness with the others, touching upon deep existential fears and deep intersubjective and cultural layers, emphasizing the importance of a neuro-socio-ecological alignment for the sense of security of psychological self. We can still observe after years how social distancing measures, quarantines, and lockdowns have disrupted social connections and routines, leading to feelings of isolation, anxiety and depressive symptomatology. Furthermore, from a physiological perspective, some people continue to experience health problems long after having COVID-19, and these ongoing health problems are sometimes called post-COVID-19 syndrome or post-COVID conditions (PASC). In this complex scenario, through the operationalization of the sense of self and its psychological and physiological baseline, our aim is to try to shed some new light on elements of resilience vs. vulnerability. Here we intend the self and its baseline as the crossroads between psychology and physiology and we show how COVID-19 pandemic, especially in post-COVID-19 syndrome (PACS), left traces in the mind-body-brain system at a neuro-socio-ecological and inflammatory level.