Irrational Fear Research Articles

Experiences of Women who Faced Insecurity in Public Transport and its Impact on their Emotional Well-being: A Qualitative Study from Urban Area of Tamil Nadu, India

Introduction: Harassment in public transport faced by women passengers has been pushed to the sidelines failing to acknowledge the impact it has on both physical and mental health. Most incidents do not reach the authorities or the media, who often turn a blind eye to the existing problems. As a result, women develop a sense of insecurity that prevents them from using the public transport system. Women from economically challenged backgrounds often have no choice but to use public transport, as it is the cheapest and sometimes the only available mode of transportation. Aim: To understand the experiences of women passengers commuting by public transport in Chennai city, Tamil Nadu, and the incidents that led to their insecurity about using the public transport system. Materials and Methods: This qualitative study was conducted in the Department of Community Medicine, Sree Balaji Medical College and Hospital, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India between November 2023 and March 2024 among women over 18 years of age who had been using public transport for daily transit for atleast six months. Qualitative data were collected through indepth interviews based on grounded theory among women who faced insecurity while traveling alone on public transport. Data saturation was reached after interviewing 20 participants. The transcribed data were analysed using Qualcoder software to identify relevant themes and subthemes. Results: In the current study, the majority of the women interviewed were between the ages of 18 and 50 years. Four major themes and 18 subthemes were identified through qualitative analysis. The four major themes were factors related to fear, social life, personal factors, and travel safety. Conclusion: The themes and subthemes highlight the gaps that have been overlooked by the authorities in the public transport system. It is crucial to understand that harassment occurring during transit, if not addressed immediately, will leave a lasting impression on women travelers, leading them to develop an irrational fear of crime that can have detrimental effects on their mental, physical, and social well-being. Further, research can be conducted using these themes, subthemes, and codes to develop a relevant research hypothesis that could be tested using quantitative study designs such as case-control and cohort studies.

The role of fear as a barrier and facilitator to antiretroviral therapy initiation in Indonesia: insights from patients and providers

ABSTRACT Initiating antiretroviral therapy (ART) in Indonesia poses major challenges, with limited studies on specific ART initiation barriers and facilitators. Using a socioecological approach, we explored, through semi-structured interviews, the perspectives of 67 participants: 17 people with HIV not (yet) on ART, 30 people with HIV on treatment, and 20 HIV service providers (HSPs). Fears emerged as pervasive barriers to initiation encompassing, at the intrapersonal level, (irrational) fears of negative medical and non-medical consequences. At the health system level, fears were linked to concerns about bureaucracy and insufficient universal coverage. On a societal level, fears stemmed from prevalent myths, misinformation on social media, and the impact of COVID-19. Interestingly, fear also served as a facilitator to initiation. At the intrapersonal level, initiation was driven by a fear of deteriorating health or death due to AIDS-related conditions. At the interpersonal level, buddies and HSPs leveraged to motivate initiation. At the societal level, accurate yet fear-inducing information on social media stimulated initiation. Perspectives differed between people with HIV and HSP, with people with HIV emphasizing barriers on intrapersonal to health system levels, while HSP focused mostly on intrapersonal and interpersonal barriers, albeit recognizing the crucial role of health systems.

The impact of somatic symptoms on kinesiophobia after esophagectomy among cancer patients: the mediating roles of intrusive rumination and avoidant coping.

Kinesiophobia refers to an irrational fear of physical activities or functional exercise due to the fear of pain or reinjury. Cancer patients who undergo esophagectomy are prone to developing kinesiophobia, which adversely affects their disease prognosis and quality of life. Somatic symptoms are closely related to kinesiophobia, but the mechanisms underlying this relationship remain unclear. Therefore, the current study aimed to explore the chain-mediation roles of intrusive rumination and avoidant coping in the relationship between somatic symptoms and kinesiophobia in cancer patients who underwent esophagectomy. A cross-sectional study was conducted in China from February 2023 to December 2023. A total of 279 postesophagectomy cancer patients were evaluated using the Symptom Check List 90 (SCL-90), Event Related Rumination Inventory (ERRI), Medical Coping Modes Questionnaire (MCMQ), and Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia (TSK-11). Kinesiophobia was significantly positively correlated with somatic symptoms, intrusive rumination, and avoidant coping (p < 0.001). Somatic symptoms had a direct association with kinesiophobia (β = 0.280, 95% CI (0.200, 0.360), p < 0.001). Furthermore, our model showed that somatic symptoms had a significant indirect association with kinesiophobia through the separate mediating effects of intrusive rumination (β = 0.204, 95% CI (0.145, 0.267), p < 0.001) and avoidant coping (β = 0.049, 95% CI (0.019, 0.088), p < 0.001), as well as through the chain-mediated effects of intrusive rumination-avoidant coping (β = 0.026, 95% CI (0.012, 0.044), p < 0.001). The findings of this study suggested that intrusive rumination and avoidant coping play separate and chain-mediated roles in the relationship between somatic symptoms and kinesiophobia in postesophagectomy cancer patients.

Development of Virtual Reality Application for Arachnophobia Using Multimedia Development Life Cycle Method

Arachnophobia or known as irrational fear of spiders, can be detrimental to one’s health and overall well-being. Common procedures, such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy or medication, are often inefficient and take a lot of time to demonstrate results, thus the alternative way of dealing with arachnophobia is urgently needed. Such alternatives can be achieved by utilizing Virtual reality technology, hence the purpose of the following research is to address the matter by developing Virtual reality based application with the help of Multimedia development life cycle method. The MDLC method was chosen due its ability to create multimedia application, and the collected results of the experiment demonstrate that indeed MDLC can be used as a method to develop the arachnophobia therapy application that is both time efficient and works as test shows the decreasing time used for use application as well as two respondents that able to be detected for having arachnophobia. In conclusion the application developed using MDLC is indeed able to be an alternative way of arachnophobia therapy.

A Novel Study on the Functional Capacity of Athletes and Its Influence on Their Fear of Pain and Injuries

This study investigates the multifaceted phenomenon of kinesiophobia, characterized by an irrational fear of movement, particularly prevalent among individuals with chronic pain. The research delves into various factors influencing kinesiophobia, including demographic variables, psychological experiences, and physical characteristics. Employing the Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia, the study assesses fear levels and their correlation with pain perception and functional capacity. Findings reveal a significant relationship between kinesiophobia and psychological exhaustion, reduced alertness, and self-esteem issues, particularly among athletes. Moreover, factors such as fatigue, overextension, sleep quality, and nutritional habits are identified as contributing to the manifestation of kinesiophobia. Furthermore, our study employs meticulous data preprocessing and neural network modeling, achieving an accuracy of 94.54%, to explore predictive factors such as age, gender, and fear-related attitudes. Notably, while injury history emerges as a significant predictor of kinesiophobia, gender does not exert a substantial influence. Notably, while injury history emerges as a significant predictor of kinesiophobia, gender does not exert a substantial influence. The analysis underscores the complex interplay of physical, psychological, and environmental factors in shaping kinesiophobia and highlights the importance of tailored interventions targeting fear-related attitudes and promoting well-being and rehabilitation strategies in individuals affected by this condition.

Nomophobia in Nursing Staff and Interns at a Second Level Medical Care Hospital in Mexico

Introduction: mobile phones and tablets have become an essential tool in life. Excessive and prolonged use generates Nomophobia, characterized by the irrational fear of losing contact with the mobile phone. Objective: to determine Nomophobia in Nursing Staff and Interns at a Second Level Medical Care Hospital in Sinaloa, Mexico. Methods: descriptive, cross-sectional study. Sample of 330 participants. Probabilistic sampling. A personal data sheet and a Nomophobia questionnaire (NMPQ-20) were used. Descriptive and inferential statistics were employed. Approval was obtained from the Local Committee on Ethics and Health Research. Results: average age 33,82 years, 53,3 % were women, average seniority 7,54 years, 43,9 % belonged to the morning shift, general nurses predominated with 39,4 % and WhatsApp with 63 %. 38,5 % communicated frequently with their partner, 100 % used the mobile phone during the day and the average number of hours they used the device was 2,71 hours. Low levels of nomophobia (general and by dimensions) were obtained. No significant relationship or difference was found between nomophobia and age, seniority and work shift. Significant differences were found between nomophobia and sex and job category, where men and nursing interns predominated. Conclusions: nomophobia was found to be at low levels in nursing staff and interns. Significant differences were found between nomophobia and gender and category. It is essential to implement strategies that reduce the use of mobile devices, since it can put patient safety at risk by acting as a distraction.

Beyond Binary: Revealing Variations in Islamophobic Content with Hierarchical Multi-Class Classification

In the digital age, the rise of Islamophobia-marked by an irrational fear or discrimination against Islam and Muslims-has emerged as a pressing issue, especially on social media platforms. In this paper we employs a multi-class classification system, moving beyond traditional binary models. We categorize Islamophobic content into three main classes and various subclasses, covering a range from subtle biases to explicit incitement. Comparative analysis of data from Reddit and Twitter illuminates the distinct prevalence and types of Islamophobic content specific to each platform. This paper deepens our understanding of digital Islamophobia and provides insights for crafting targeted online counter strategies. Additionally, it highlights the role of machineand deep learning in detecting and addressing Islamophobic content, emphasizing their significance in resolving complex social issues in the digital sphere.

Exploring the ‘black box’ of anxiety: An ERP study of non-consciously triggered fear generalization

Individuals with anxiety disorders frequently display heightened fear responses, even in situations where there is no imminent danger. We hypothesize that these irrational fear responses are related to automatic processing of fear generalization. The initial automatic detection of stimuli often operates at a non-conscious level. However, whether fear generalization can occur when the cues are not perceived consciously remains unclear. The current study investigated the neurocognitive mechanisms underlying fear conditioning and its non-conscious and conscious generalization using a backward masking paradigm, combined with analysis of event-related potentials from electroencephalographic recordings. Behaviorally, participants showed heightened shock expectancy in response to non-conscious perceived generalization stimuli compared to those perceived consciously. Nonetheless, participants could not consciously distinguish between danger and safe cues in non-conscious trials. Physiologically, danger cues evoked larger frontal N1 amplitudes than safety cues in non-conscious trials, suggesting enhanced attention vigilance towards danger cues in the early sensory processing stage. Meanwhile, when fear generalization was conscious, it was accompanied by a larger P2 amplitude, indicating attention orientation or stimulus evaluation. In addition, fear conditioning was associated with sustained discrimination on P2, P3, and LPP. These findings collectively suggest that non-conscious fear generalization occurs at the neural level, yet additional control conditions are required to confirm this phenomenon on the US expectancy. Thus, non-consciously fear generalization may represent a mechanism that could trigger automatic irrational fear, highlighting the need for further research to explore therapeutic targets in anxiety disorders.

Usability Analysis of a Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy Serious Game for Blood Phobia Treatment: Phobos

Phobias are characterized as the excessive or irrational fear of an object or situation, and specific phobias affect about 10% of the world population. Blood-injection-injury phobia is a specific phobia that has a unique physical response to phobic stimuli, that is, a vasovagal syncope that causes the person to faint. Phobos is a serious game intended for blood phobia treatment that was created to be played in virtual reality with an HTC Vive that has photorealistic graphics to provide a greater immersion. We also developed a console application in C# for electrocardiography sensor connectivity and data acquisition, which gathers a 1 min baseline reading and then has continuous data acquisition during gameplay. Usability tests were conducted with self-reported questionnaires and with a case study population of 10 testers, which gave insight into the previous game experience of the tester for both digital games and virtual reality games, evaluating the discomfort for hardware on both the sensor and the virtual reality headset, as well as the game regarding usability, user experience, level of immersion, and the existence of motion sickness and its source. The results corroborate that the immersion of the game is good, which suggests that it will help with triggering the phobia.

Teaching about non-deterministic physics: an almost forgotten fundamental contribution of Marie Curie

The first historical steps of radioactivity research offer an excellent opportunity to teach a key concept of modern physics: non-deterministic phenomena. However, this opportunity is often wasted because of historical misconceptions and of the irrational fear of radioactive effects. We propose here a lecturing strategy - primarily for undergraduate students - based on interesting historical facts. In particular, on a key conceptual contribution by Marie Curie, an attractive figure for the young women and men of today. Paradoxically, this milestone is almost unknown, whereas it should contribute to her immortal fame -- perhaps as much as the discovery of radium.

Conventional in vitro fertilisation rather than intracytoplasmic sperm injection when only one oocyte is retrieved: Time to overcome irrational fears.

The use of intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) currently extends beyond male factor infertility, notably replacing conventional in vitro fertilisation (IVF) in scenarios like limited oocyte availability, where it is used as a precaution against complete fertilisation failure. While existing studies on the use of conventional IVF in such situations provide some reassurance, the available evidence is somewhat insufficient and ICSI is commonly used. To evaluate whether conventional IVF can be a feasible option when only one oocyte is retrieved. A retrospective study was performed to evaluate the fertilisation rate with conventional IVF in women retrieving only one oocyte and whose partner had normal semen. The study aimed at evaluating whether the fertilisation rate was aligned with the threshold indicated by recognized IVF laboratory performance indicators (Vienna Consensus). Clinical pregnancy and live birth rates were secondary outcomes. Out of 304 cycles with a single oocyte inseminated with conventional IVF, 209 achieved normal fertilisation and 82 did not. Thirteen had no mature oocytes. The fertilisation rate was 69% (95% CI: 63-74%) and increased to 72% (95% CI: 66-77%) when immature oocytes were excluded. The fertilisation rate surpassed the minimum competency threshold of the Vienna Consensus (60%), even if below the benchmark value (75%). Clinical pregnancy and live birth rates per oocyte retrieval were 10% and 8%, respectively. Univariate and multivariate analyses failed to identify any predictive factor of fertilisation. Conventional IVF with one oocyte met Vienna Consensus standards even if it fell short of higher benchmarks.

Immigrant Exclusion Acts: On Early Chinese Labor and Domestic Matriarchal Agency in Lin Yutang’s Chinatown Family

In the introduction to her influential work on Asian American cultural studies and feminist materialist critique, Immigrant Acts: On Asian American Cultural Politics, Lisa Lowe shatters the contradictions manifested in Asian immigration, wherein Asians’ entry into the United States marked them either as marginalized from “within” the national political sphere or as linguistically, culturally, and racially “outside” of the national polity For Asian immigrants, the debate of being simultaneously needed and excluded is no more evidenced historically than using Chinese labor during the California Gold Rush in the mid-nineteenth century. Their migratory relocation was hardly met with ease and public enthusiasm, however. Evoking anxiety in their Anglo counterparts, the Chinese were characterized as foreign noncitizens: barbaric, alien, and dangerous, the quintessential “yellow peril” threatening to displace white European immigrants such as the Irish. The irrational fear of the “Oriental” from the Far East led to a succession of immigration exclusion laws passed by Congress that denied the Chinese from entering the U.S. and their rights to naturalization in 1882. Passed by Congress and signed by President Chester A. Arthur, the 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act suspended the entry of Chinese laborers into the U.S. based on their nationality for ten years. This paper argues that the possibility of agency for Chinese workers existed throughout the exclusionary period. Specifically, this site of agency resides with Chinese women and is expressed through a literary mode. For instance, Lin Yutang’s Chinatown Family (1948) captures this moment of immigrant agency in the post-exclusion era. Lin, a pioneering Chinese writer and inventor who wrote texts such as My Country and My People (1935), The Importance of Living (1937), and Moment in Peking (1939), often utilized his narratives to bridge the clash between the East and West. Identifying what I see as the inadequacy of probing one of the earliest Chinese American texts from a rigid literary mode, I move to reconsider the novel as a legal counternarrative to the three exclusionary laws: the Page Law of 1875, the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, and the Cable Act of 1922. To direct my critical reorientation of Lin’s novel away from, though not necessarily against, literary castings of this early immigrant tale, I take the narrative as a strategic literary re-imagination that structures itself around these three legislative pieces to critique restrictive practices enacted upon the Chinese. The novel showcases how Chinese immigrants maneuvered and manipulated the legal system in their favor during assimilation. In this context, critical reappraisal is needed in scrutinizing how the Exclusion Act generated a wave of domestic-based diasporic relocation of Chinese workers from California to New York. Due to acute anti-Chinese sentiments on the West Coast, resetting Chinese workers in the northeast in search of a new Gold Mountain led to a unique phenomenon. This dispersal elevated Chinese women as valuable social capitals who transformed metropoles like New York City and redefined their views as nationalist subjects of the “about-to-be” in industrial capitalist modernity. Through a legal framework, then, Lin’s portrayal of the Fong clan suggests the emergence of a gendered Sino-immigrant agency, one that enabled the Chinese woman/mother to situate herself as the locus of the traditional patriarchal Chinese entrepreneurial family and the forefront of the northeast industrial capitalist scene.

THE PSYCHOLOGY OF THE HUMAN BRAIN ALONG WITH THE EFFECTS OF GENETICALLY MODIFIED FOODS

Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) have sparked widespread controversy, with public apprehensions surrounding their safety and effects. This paper delves into the psychology of the human brain concerning GMOs and their impact. It highlights that while scientific research overwhelmingly supports the safety of GMO foods, public perception remains wary, driven by psychological factors. Human psychology often leads to irrational fears, misinformation, and the politicization of science, contributing to public distrust of GMOs. Understanding these psychological aspects is crucial to addressing misconceptions and fostering informed discussions. This study underscores the significance of comprehending human psychology in the context of contemporary issues like GMOs, shedding light on the complexities that shape public opinion.

Nosophobia of Corona, Oropharyngeal Symptoms in Covid Era

Background: Nosophobia is the irrational fear of getting sick; this fear can persist even after your healthcare provider has examined you and given you a clean health certificate. Aim of the Study: To evaluate patients with increased fear of disease during a pandemic. Patients and Methods: A non-experimental cross-sectional comparative study with a sample consisting of patients attending our private clinics in Baghdad, Iraq or sending us inquiries through social communication sites that recently opened because of imposing the curfew between 1 March 2020 and 20 April 2020. we selected the patients with cough and sore throat symptoms and compared this group with those with the same symptoms who visited our private clinic in the same period in 2018 and 2019. Results: During this period, symptoms like a cough appear to be 20.9% and sore throat are 15.7% of the total patients who attended our private clinics in 2020 in comparison with 2.8% for cough and 5.6% for sore throat in 2019 and 1.7% for cough and 6.4% for sore throat in 2018. Discussion: After performing a statistical review of patient numbers, we noticed a significant increase in the number of patients with the symptoms of cough and sore throat compared to the same time of year for the years 2019 and 2018 registered in the clinic's personal computer, but there was no significant change in the number between 2018 and 2019.

Nomophobia as a Possible Mental Health Disorder in Gauteng Secondary Schools

This study sought to investigate nomophobia as a possible mental disorder in the Gauteng education sector. This study determines whether educators and learners do suffer from nomophobia (the irrational fear of not having access to their mobile phones and the capabilities on their mobile phones), and whether nomophobia should be considered a mental health disorder in the Gauteng Education sector. A mixed methods single case research (MMSCR) was adopted. In the quantitative phase (Phase 1) data was collected using a questionnaire and in the qualitative phase (Phase 2) data was collected using open-ended questions in face-to-face semi-structured interviews. The primary quantitative data from Phase 1 of the research revealed that respondents displayed mild, moderate and severe nomophobia. The quantitative phase (Phase 1) further revealed that educators displayed higher levels of nomophobia as compared to learners. The qualitative phase (Phase 2) indicated that educators do feel uncomfortable without access to the information that they regularly check up on and by their own admission do spend a lot of time on their mobile phones. Learners have an affinity for games and admit being addicted to games. Furthermore, educators and learners used their mobile phones to access resources for schoolwork, and to keep in touch with family and friends. To address nomophobia as a possible mental health disorder in the Gauteng education sector, one needs to understand the usage of educator and learner mobile phone usage. It is with this in mind that the study was conducted.

Interculturalism and the ‘Ideological Turn’ of Diversity Politics

ABSTRACT This article critically examines how ideology permeates the politics of diversity today and is forcing us to clarify political positions towards a much more intercultural approach to diversity. At a time when the demographic argument is gaining momentum in the US, Europe, and other continents, with neo-colonial beliefs of white supremacy and irrational fears of the ‘Great replacement’ movement, the diversity politics debate is becoming strongly polarized. In this ‘ideological turn’ diversity emerges as a political option rather than a by-product of the globalization processes. Going beyond the multicultural/intercultural debate, this article represents a step forward by highlighting the specificities of interculturalism and how these distinctive features can be considered today as strategic resources for revitalizing the left's position on diversity politics. As a normative and political ideology, interculturalism may have the potential to shape diversity as a new public culture and implement the scale shift of citizenship from a state to a more urban intercultural citizenship. Theorizing these features from the left would certainly help to reduce right-wing ideologies that foster a strong reluctance to diversity.

Investigating nomophobia as a possible mental health disorder in Gauteng public schools

A person’s fear of not having a mobile phone on hand may inhibit certain aspects of a person’s life. This study sought to investigate nomophobia (the irrational fear of not having access to mobile devices) as a possible mental disorder in the Gauteng education sector. To address nomophobia as a possible mental health disorder in Gauteng schools, one needs to understand the usage of mobile devices by both educators and learners in the classroom context. A mixed-methods, single-case research study (MMSCR) was adopted with two phases. In the quantitative phase, data were collected using a close-ended questionnaire, while in the qualitative phase, data were collected using open-ended questions during face-to-face, semi-structured interviews. The data obtained revealed that respondents displayed mild to severe nomophobia; in some cases, educators displayed even higher levels of nomophobia, compared to learners. The findings of the study indicate, inter alia, that educators feel uncomfortable without access to their mobile devices, while learners admit being addicted to playing games and spending time on social media on their mobile devices. Although both educators and learners use their mobile phones to access resources for schoolwork and to keep in touch with family and friends, they also agree that they constantly use their mobile devices for other, non-education purposes. Recommendations include that the Department of Education must recognise that nomophobia does affect teaching and learning and must provide counselling therapists for educators and learners. Furthermore, a policy for the use of mobile phones must be introduced for both educators and learners.

Agoraphobia and panic attacks complicated by primary aldosteronism improved by treatment with eplerenone: a case report

BackgroundPrimary aldosteronism (PA) is an adrenal gland disease, that induces increased secretion of the mineralocorticoid, aldosterone, resulting in symptoms such as hypertension. This study reports a patient with agoraphobia and panic attacks, associated with PA. This patient’s psychiatric symptoms improved after treatment with eplerenone, a mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist.Case presentationThe patient was a 40-year-old female with agoraphobia, which refers to the irrational fear of situations that may cause anxiety, and panic attacks characterized by profuse sweating, palpitations, and generalized weakness. She was diagnosed with hypertension from PA. Subsequently, she received treatment with eplerenone, which improved her agoraphobia and panic attacks.ConclusionsThere have been no previous reports on PA associated with agoraphobia and panic attacks that improved with pharmacotherapy. Patients with agoraphobia and panic attacks should be evaluated for PA. In patients with PA, pharmacotherapy with eplerenone should be considered.

THE INFLUENCE OF ANTHROPONYMS (PERSPECTIVES FROM PSYCHIATRISTS AND PSYCHOLOGISTS IN THE LATE 19TH TO EARLY 20TH CENTURY)

The aim of this scientific research is to analyze the contributions of psychiatrists and psychologists from the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries who focused on cases of obsessive attraction or uncontrollable fear related to personal names. The study examines the emotional reactions caused by personal names and surnames, as well as the influence of names on the behavior of individuals. The research focuses on anthroponyms as fundamental components of the naming system, exploring their impact on various aspects of individuals’ lives based on the cases described in the scientific works of psychiatrists and psychologists from that time period. Through an analysis of the counseling practices of late nineteenth-century psychiatrists, anthroponyms were reevaluated as subjects of irrational passion (onomatomania) or fear (onomatophobia). Undesirable thoughts related to names were believed to significantly affect the daily lives of patients during that era, although contemporary colleagues express doubts regarding this potential influence of anthroponyms. Subsequent studies documented intriguing connections between personal names and the behavior of their bearers: some individuals emulated the qualities associated with their names, while others sought to erase their anthroponyms from memory entirely. The research explores topics such as intentional transformations of anthroponyms to solve professional or personal problems, motives of namers influencing their choices for baby names, and the mechanisms behind forgetting personal names. This new perspective highlights how certain names can evoke powerful associations that influence various aspects of an individual’s life and can be used as tools of manipulation in communication, conveying respect or disrespect for the bearer. Additionally, psychologists have attempted to address the question of a possible correlation between a person’s name and their personal characteristics. Based on cases of unconscious name influence on behavior, it was proposed three categories where such influence is most notable: general influence on character and behavior, professional sphere, and personal relationships.

Tackling steroid phobia: Insights from behavioural economics and psychological approaches

AbstractSteroid phobia, characterized by an irrational fear or avoidance of topical corticosteroids, poses a significant challenge to the effective treatment of various skin conditions, including atopic dermatitis (AD) and psoriasis. This issue has its roots in the introduction of topical corticosteroids in the 1950s and has been perpetuated by concerns regarding adverse effects and misinformation. International Dermatological Societies including the Japanese Dermatological Association have endeavored to address this problem by providing information and guidance to physicians and patients, resulting in a better understanding of appropriate steroid use and risk management. Despite these efforts, steroid phobia has not been fully resolved in the world, including in Japan.To shed light on potential solutions, this review explores the field of behavioral economics, which offers insights into human decision‐making processes and cognitive biases. Richard Thaler's concept of nudges emerges as a promising strategy for influencing patients' decision‐making regarding steroid treatments. However, the effectiveness of nudges may vary depending on the strength of an individual's concerns and fears. In cases where patients exhibit strong resistance to steroid use, alternative psychological techniques that establish trust and facilitate clear communication may be more beneficial.This review emphasizes the necessity of adopting a multifaceted approach that integrates principles from behavioral economics and employs complementary psychological strategies to address steroid phobia and enhance treatment adherence in affected patient populations. By combining these approaches, healthcare professionals can tackle the complex nature of steroid phobia and promote better treatment outcomes for patients with skin conditions.