Lower Levels Of Fear Research Articles

General characteristics of training programs at different individual and motivational levels of the swimming training system for students of higher education institutions

Within the increasing of practical significance and efficiency of physical education, it is necessary to develop certain methodic thesis and programs of swimming training for students of higher education institutions and to carry out these experimental checks. Purpose: to provide a general description of training programs at different individual and motivational levels of the swimming training system for students of higher education institutions. Methods: theoretical analysis and generalization (it was clarified the degree of disclosure research issues in the scientific and methodological literature), study of documentary materials (it was founded requirements to the structure and content of student swimming training), system analysis (it was detected signs and characteristics of swimming system for students of higher education institutions). Results. Within the methodical part of the swimming training system, we have identified the possibility of using in the natural environment the educational process of physical education for students of four interconnected by type of sequential combination of training programs. This programs cover different levels of individual and motivational orientation of swimming lessons for students of higher education institutions and, accordingly, swimming preparedness. Considering, that the means and methods of swimming are widely known and thoroughly disclosed in the special literature, our attention we turned to setting tasks for individual classes of different, consistently combined programs at the individual and motivational levels of swimming training system students of higher education institutions. Conclusions. Within the implementation of the methodical component of the swimming training system for students of the higher education institutions, it have been identified four individual and motivational levels of classes. For each of these levels it was carried out a selection of goals, tasks, means and methods of training. For students at the first level, the characteristic difference is the presence of a significant fear of being in the water and the lack of ability to swim. For students at the second level - a low level of fear of being in the water and lack of ability to swim. For students at the third level - the presence of skills to stay afloat and swim in any way (original methods without the use of swimming techniques or a separate style of swimming). For students at the fourth level - the possession of swimming skills and the desire to engage and improve techniques in the future.

The Oxytocinergic System as a Mediator of Anti-stress and Instorative Effects Induced by Nature: The Calm and Connection Theory.

Ever more research results demonstrate that human health and wellbeing are positively affected by stays in and/or exposure to natural areas, which leads, among other things, to a reduction in high stress levels. However, according to the studies, these natural areas must meet certain qualities. The qualities that are considered to be most health promoting are those that humans perceive in a positive way. Theories about how natural areas can reduce people’s stress levels and improve their coping skills have mainly focused on how certain natural areas that are perceived as safe reduce the activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and consequent reduction of cortisol levels. This article discusses studies containing descriptions of how participants in rehabilitation perceive and react to natural phenomena. The common core variable in the analyzed studies was the experience of calm and connection, and this experience was associated with a reduction in stress levels and with being able to develop health and coping skills. We suggest that this experience provides a possible role for the oxytocinergic system to act as a physiological mediator for the positive and health-promoting effects in humans caused by nature. The theory is mainly based on analogies framed by theories and data from the fields of environmental psychology, horticulture, landscape architecture, medicine, and neuroscience. Oxytocin promotes different kinds of social interaction and bonding and exerts stress-reducing and healing effects. We propose that oxytocin is released by certain natural phenomena experienced as positive to decrease the levels of fear and stress, increase levels of trust and wellbeing, and possibly develop attachment or bonding to nature. By these effects, oxytocin will induce health-promoting effects. In situations characterized by low levels of fear and stress in response to release of oxytocin, the capacity for “growth” or psychological development might also be promoted. Such an instorative effect of nature, i.e., the capacity of nature to promote reorientation and the creation of new coping strategies, might hence represent an additional aspect of the oxytocin-linked effect profile, triggered in connection with certain nature phenomena. We conclude by proposing that the stress-relieving, health-promoting, restorative, and instorative effects of nature may involve activation of the oxytocinergic system.

The association between fear of future workplace violence and burnout among nurses in China: A cross-sectional study

BackgroundFear of future workplace violence has adverse effects on nurses’ health outcomes. However, the association between fear of future workplace violence and burnout among nurses in China remains unknown. MethodsEnrolled in the study were 1897 nurses from 12 tertiary hospitals of Shandong Province, China. Fear of future workplace violence was measured using the Fear of Future Violence at Work scale. Burnout was measured using the 15-item Maslach Burnout Service Inventory. Ordinal logistic regression analysis was used to examine the association between fear of future workplace violence and burnout. ResultsThe prevalence of high emotional exhaustion, high cynicism, and low personal accomplishment was 26.7%, 38.1%, and 35.6%, respectively, while 72.9% of participants had high levels of fear of future workplace violence. Among nurses, compared with high levels of fear of future workplace violence, low levels of fear were associated with a lower degree of emotional exhaustion, cynicism, and personal accomplishment; and medium levels of fear were associated with a lower degree of emotional exhaustion, cynicism, and a higher degree of personal accomplishment. LimitationsThis was a cross-sectional study, which could not establish the causal relationship between fear of future workplace violence and burnout. ConclusionThere was a significant association between fear of future workplace violence and burnout among nurses. Fear of future workplace violence should be regarded as important issue for hospital administrators and healthcare policy makers when taking measures to ameliorate nurses’ burnout.

Prevalence and Factors Associated with Fear of COVID-19 Among Homeless Individuals During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Evidence from the Hamburg Survey of Homeless Individuals.

PurposeTo clarify the prevalence and determinants of fear of COVID-19 among homeless individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic.Patients and MethodsData were taken from the Hamburg survey of homeless individuals (n=150) covering homeless adults in Hamburg, Germany. Multiple linear regressions were used. Beyond sociodemographic and lifestyle-related independent variables, COVID-19-related factors were also used as independent variables.ResultsIn sum, 56.2% of homeless individuals reported no fear of COVID-19, 23.8% reported a little fear of COVID-19, 9.2% reported some fear of COVID-19 and 10.8% reported severe fear of COVID-19. Regressions showed that an increased fear of COVID-19 was significantly associated with younger age (β=−.01, p<0.05), absence of chronic alcohol consume (β=−.55, p<0.01), an increased perceived own risk of getting infected with the coronavirus one day (β=0.42, p<0.001) and a higher agreement that a diagnosis of the coronavirus would ruin his/her life (β=0.13, p<0.01).ConclusionGiven the poor hygienic conditions and their increased vulnerability, data surprisingly suggest a quite low fear of COVID-19 among homeless individuals. Efforts may be beneficial which contribute to thinking rationally about COVID-19 among homeless people, since low levels of fear of COVID-19 may contribute to careless behavior and can lead to super-spreading events.

How Emotional Shifts Effect Youth Perceptions of Opioid Risk and Efficacy: Testing a Know the Truth Campaign Narrative

ABSTRACT Integrating the extended parallel process model (EPPM) and the emotional flow hypothesis, we tested the persuasive effect of emotional shifts during exposure to a Know the Truth anti-opioid campaign narrative in a sample of middle-school students (n = 480). Testing two emotional flow sequences (threat to efficacy and efficacy to threat) of the Know the Truth narrative against a static (threat-only) emotional condition, we found that youth exposed to any emotional flow narrative reported higher levels of hope and lower levels of fear than those exposed to a threat-only narrative. We also found that a threat to efficacy narrative elicited higher levels of self-efficacy than an efficacy to threat emotional flow condition, suggesting that the emotional sequence influences self-efficacy, a well-established predictor of health behavior change. We conclude that the traditional threat to efficacy emotional flow may be superior to its inverse (efficacy to threat) when communicating with young people about opioid addiction. Implications for message design are discussed.

Exploring fear of COVID-19 and its correlates among older adults in Bangladesh

ObjectiveThis study was aimed to assess the perceived fear of COVID-19 and its associated factors among older adults in Bangladesh.MethodsThis cross-sectional study was conducted in October 2020 among 1032 older Bangladeshi adults aged ≥60 years. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect information on participants’ characteristics and COVID-19 related information. Perceived fear of COVID-19 was measured using the seven-item Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S), where the cumulative score ranged from 7 to 35. Multiple linear regression was performed to identify factors associated with perceived fear of COVID-19.ResultsThe mean fear score was 19.4. Participants who were concerned about COVID-19 (β: 2.75, 95% CI: 1.71 to 3.78) and overwhelmed by COVID-19 (β: 3.31, 95% CI: 2.33 to 4.29) were significantly more likely to be fearful of COVID-19. Moreover, older adults who felt themselves isolated from others and whose close friends and family members were diagnosed with COVID-19 were more fearful. However, the participants who received COVID-19 related information from the health workers had a lower level of fear (β: -1.90, 95% CI: − 3.06 to − 0.73).ConclusionsThe presence of overwhelming fear of COVID-19 among the older adults of Bangladesh underlines the psychological needs of these vulnerable groups. Health workers have a key role in addressing these needs and further research is needed to identify the effective strategies for them to use.

Frogs in boiling water: a moderated-mediation model of exploitative leadership, fear of negative evaluation and knowledge hiding behaviors

PurposeThis study aims to utilize the cognitive appraisal theory of stress and coping by conducting a joint investigation of the mediating role of knowledge hiding behaviors in the relationship of exploitative leadership on employee’s work related attitudes (i.e. turnover intentions) and behaviors (e.g. job performance, creativity) and fear of negative evaluation in influencing this mediation.Design/methodology/approachUsing the Preacher and Hayes’ (2004) moderated-mediation approach, the authors tested the model by collecting multi-wave and two-source data from employees and fellow peers (n = 281) working in the service sector of Pakistan.FindingsResults of the study demonstrate that exploitative leadership adversely influences one’s performance and turnover intentions through knowledge hiding behaviors. The fear of negative evaluation moderates the indirect effects of exploitative leadership on employee’s outcomes through knowledge hiding behaviors such that these indirect effects are stronger for individuals possessing low levels of fear of negative evaluation.Originality/valueThe current study contributes to knowledge management and dark leadership literature by suggesting knowledge hiding behaviors as a process through which exploitative leaders unveil their negative effects on employee’s outcomes. This study is also unique in the sense, as it posits that employees might vary because of their dispositional traits (i.e. low fear of negative evaluation) in responding to exploitative leadership with greater knowledge hiding behaviors.

Compliance with treatment and fear of hypoglycaemia in patients with type 2 diabetes.

The aim of this study was to determine the compliance with treatment and fear of hypoglycaemia in patients with type 2 diabetes. One of the important problems of patients is the fear of hypoglycaemia and compliance with treatment, which impairs general health and quality of life. It is believed that nurses contribute to the improvement of compliance with treatment in patients with type 2 diabetes, a decrease in hypoglycaemia rates. This study was conducted as a descriptive study. The STROBE checklist was used. The study was carried out with 376 patients with type 2 diabetes between January and June 2019. The Patient Information Form, Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Treatment Patient Compliance Scale and Hypoglycemia Fear Survey applied and SAS 9.4 package program was used for statistical analysis. Data were evaluated using descriptive statistics, t test, chi-square and variation analysis. It was determined that 58.2% of the participants were female, mean age was 62.19±9.60, 57.7% were primary school graduates, 50.3% were using oral antidiabetic, and 34.5% were using oral antidiabetic and insulin. Patients' compliance with treatment was moderate (60.9%). According to the mean score of the Hypoglycemia Fear Survey, the patients had a low level of fear of hypoglycaemia ( =1.20). There was a statistically significant difference between compliance and fear of hypoglycaemia and education, economic status, self-monitoring of blood glucose, physical activity and education about diabetes (p<.05). Patients with type 2 diabetes had decreased compliance with treatment with increased fear of hypoglycaemia (p<.05). The participants' compliance with the treatment was moderate, and the fear of hypoglycaemia mean score was low. Nursing interventions should be planned to increase compliance with treatment and reduce the fear of hypoglycaemia in patients with type 2 diabetes. Assessing the fear of hypoglycaemia and the level of compliance with treatment by healthcare professionals, especially nurses, in patients with type 2 diabetes and providing education on this subject can be helpful in reducing the fear of hypoglycaemia, increasing treatment compliance and providing optimal glycaemic control.

Mere Exposure Effect Is Sometimes Insensitive to Mood Inductions

The mere exposure effect (MEE) is defined as repeated exposures to a stimulus enhancing affective evaluations of that stimulus (Zajonc, 1968). The three prominent explanations of the MEE are Zajonc's "neophobia" account, the uncertainty reduction account, and the perceptual fluency approach. Zajonc's "neophobia" account posits that people have an inherent low level of fear of novel objects and exposure to the objects partially extinguishes this novelty-based fear. The uncertainty reduction account asserts that people find uncertainty aversive and habituation reduces uncertainty. The fluency account postulates that people "like" representations of things with which they are fluent. In four experiments, we induced positive and negative moods before or after target exposures. In addition to assessing the MEE in each condition, we assessed the mood induction. The central hypothesis assessed in this series was that there would be an interaction between mood and the MEE. Although the three accounts of the MEE generated divergent predictions, none of the accounts were well supported by the data. Tests for mood induction demonstrated the efficacy of the induction procedures and the MEE was consistently observed, but Bayesian analysis indicated that at least in the present preparation mood had no effect on the MEE.

Association of Sociodemographic Factors, Breast Cancer Fear, and Perceived Self-Efficacy With Breast Cancer Screening Behaviors Among Middle-Aged Nigerian Women.

Introduction:Breast cancer (BC) is a major public health problem among women. However, BC screening uptake is abysmally low among Nigerian women. This study evaluated the association of BC fear and perceived self-efficacy with BC screening (clinical breast exam [CBE] and mammography) among middle-aged Nigerian women.Methods:A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among middle-aged women in Enugu State, southeast Nigeria. The data were collected between September 2019 and February 2020. The BC screening uptake, fear, and self-efficacy were assessed using the validated Breast Cancer Screening Questionnaire (BCSQ), Champion Breast Cancer Fear Scale (CBCFS), and Champion’s Mammography Self-Efficacy Scale (CMSES). Data were analyzed using frequencies and percentages, chi-square test, and univariate analysis of variance. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression models were used to examine independent associations between selected sociodemographic factors, cancer fear, perceived self-efficacy, and BC screening.Results:The mean age of the participants was 55.3 years (SD: 5.75). More than half of the women (51%) reported having a BC screening in the past 12 months. However, only 12.5% and 16.9% reported having a CBE or mammogram in the past 12 months. The prevalence of a high, moderate, and low level of fear was 68%, 22.3%, and 9.8%, respectively. The prevalence of a high, moderate, and low self-efficacy level was 50.6%, 37.5%, and 12.0%, respectively. The multivariable logistics regression analysis showed that women aged 50-59 years and 60-64 years were 3.5 times (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 3.50, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.07-5.89, P < .0001), and 5.92 times (AOR = 5.92 95% CI: 2.63-13.35, P < .0001), respectively, more likely to perform mammogram than those aged 40-49 years. Women with a high level of self-efficacy were 2.68 times (AOR = 2.68, 95% CI: 1.15-6.26, P < .0001) more likely to use mammographic screening than those with low self-efficacy. Although not statistically significant, women with a moderate level of BC fear were 0.56 times less likely to use mammogram than women with a low level of BC fear.Conclusion:A low proportion of women underwent CBE or mammography. Women had a high level of BC fear and a moderate level of self-efficacy for BC screening. The findings emphasize the need for health educational and psychosocial interventions that improve self-efficacy and promote regular BC screening among middle-aged women.

Dynamics of a Predator‐Prey Model with Fear Effect and Time Delay

In this paper, we propose a time‐delayed predator‐prey model with Holling‐type II functional response, which incorporates the gestation period and the cost of fear into prey reproduction. The dynamical behavior of this system is both analytically and numerically investigated from the viewpoint of stability, permanence, and bifurcation. We found that there are stability switches, and Hopf bifurcations occur when the delay τ passes through a sequence of critical values. The explicit formulae which determine the direction, stability, and other properties of the bifurcating periodic solutions are given by using the normal form theory and center manifold theorem. We perform extensive numerical simulations to explore the impact of some important parameters on the dynamics of the system. Numerical simulations show that high levels of fear have a stabilizing effect while relatively low levels of fear have a destabilizing effect on the predator‐prey interactions which lead to limit‐cycle oscillations. We also found that the model with or without a delay‐dependent factor can have a significantly different dynamics. Thus, ignoring the delay or not including the delay‐dependent factor might result in inaccurate modelling predictions.

The fear of COVID-19 outbreak among health care professionals in Gaza Strip, Palestine.

Introduction:The emergence of the COVID-19 and its consequences has led to fears, worries, and anxiety among individuals, particularly among healthcare professionals. The present study aimed to assess the fear of COVID-19 among different healthcare professionals in the Gaza Strip, Palestine.Methods:A cross-sectional, snowball sampling technique and an online questionnaire were employed among healthcare professionals. A total of 300 participants completed the questionnaire. The validated fear of COVID-19 Scale Arabic version was used. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 22.Results:The sample fear mean score was 17.53 ± 5.78; more than half of the study participants (54.3%) consider it as low levels of fear and 45.7% of the participants consider it as high levels of fear. Statistically significant differences were found between males and females, and different healthcare professional’s disciplines. Females have a higher mean score compared to males. The highest fear mean scores were found among Lab-Technicians (20.19 ± 7.42), followed by X-ray-Technicians (17.95 ± 3.96), Nurses (17.1 ± 5.55), and Physicians (16.25 ± 4.66).Conclusion:The fear of COVID-19 was high among female healthcare professionals compared to males, as well as, among Lab-Technicians compared to Physicians and Nurses. There is a need to establish a strategy to continues measuring the psychological effect of COVID-19 among healthcare professionals especially females.

COVID-19: Psychol­­­ogical Distress, Fear, and Coping Strategies Among Community Members Across 17 Countries

Background: The current pandemic of COVID-19 impacted the psychological wellbeing of populations globally. Our study aimed to examine the extent and associated factors to psychological distress, the level of fear of COVID-19, and coping strategies amongst a diverse range of community people in multi-country settings.Methods: A cross-sectional study across 17 countries was conducted. Psychological distress (based on the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale) was categorized into low and moderate to very high, fear of COVID-19 (based on the Fear of COVID-19 Scale) was categorized into low and high, and coping (based on the Brief Resilient Coping Scale) was categorized into low and medium to high. For country-wise comparisons, we selected the reference country based on the lowest prevalence of each outcome and examined the status for other countries. Multivariate analyses were conducted to adjust potential confounders including in-country variations; adjusted odds ratio (AOR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were reported.Findings: A total of 8559 people participated in this study. Mean age (±SD) was 33 (±13) years and two-thirds (64%) were females. More than one-third (40%) self-identified as frontline or essential service workers. More than two-thirds (69%) experienced moderate to very high levels of psychological distress, which was 46% in Thailand and 91% in Egypt. A quarter (24%) had high levels of fear of COVID-19, which was as low as 9% in Libya and as high as 38% in Bangladesh. More than half (57%) exhibited medium to high resilient coping; the lowest prevalence (3%) was reported in Australia and the highest (72%) in Syria. Being female (AOR 1.31 [95% CIs 1.09-1.57]), perceived distress due to change of employment status (AOR 1.56 [1.29-1.90]), being affected by the change of financial situation, comorbidity with mental health conditions (AOR 3.02 [1.20-7.60]), unsure contact with COVID-19 patient, and use of healthcare services in the last six months were associated with moderate to very high levels of psychological distress. Doctors had higher psychological distress (AOR 1.43 [1.04-1.97]), but low levels of fear of COVID-19 (AOR 0.55 [0.41-0.76]); nurses had medium to high resilient coping (AOR 1.30 [1.03-1.65]). Participants from 10 countries (Hong Kong, Oman, Libya, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Jordan, Syria, Palestine and Egypt) demonstrated significantly higher psychological stress compared to the participants from Thailand. Participants from four countries (Oman, Indonesia, Hong Kong and Pakistan) exhibited higher levels of fear of COVID-19 compared to those from Libya. Participants from 12 countries (Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Hong Kong, UAE, Palestine, Thailand, Oman, Nepal, Indonesia and Syria) demonstrated statistically significant medium to high resilience coping compared to those from Australia.Interpretation: Females and people with existing mental health issues were the most vulnerable groups of populations for adverse psychological impact of COVID-19 pandemic across 17 countries. While these two groups had ongoing challenges in a COVID-free world, the pandemic worsened their wellbeing. There is an urgent need to prioritise their needs. Adequate medical and social support along with specific health promotion policies should be considered within the strategic response to the ongoing pandemic and future crises.Funding Information: None.Declaration of Interests: We declare no competing interests.Ethics Approval Statement: Ethics approval was obtained from the Human Research Ethics Committee from each participating country. The survey was voluntary in nature and it was clarified in the PLIS, so that participants got the opportunity to have informed decision to participate in the study. Privacy and confidentiality of the collected data were maintained. All responses were anonymous and there was no information about the identity of the participants.

Determination of risk factors affecting fear of childbirth during pregnancy

Purpose: We aimed to investigate the level of fear of childbirth in pregnant women in terms of factors such as age, number of births, education level, and immigration status.&#x0D; Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out by including 444 pregnant women who have 32-36 weeks of pregnancy and voluntarily agree to participate in the research, all of them are literate and applied to Kütahya Health Sciences University Evliya Çelebi Training and Research Hospital between 25.07.2019 - 01.11.2019. The data were collected using the Wijma Birth Expectation / Experience Scale (W-DEQ), and the questionnaire was administered to the immigrant patients by an outpatient doctor via an interpreter.&#x0D; Results: The average age of the pregnant women was 31.65 ± 6.83 years. 24.8% (n = 110) of all the participants had low levels of fear of childbirth, 21.8% (n = 97) had moderate fear, 27.9% (n = 124) had severe fear, and 25% (n = 113) were identified as having very severe fear of childbirth. The W-DEQ score increased as the education level increased, but there was no difference between university graduates and postgraduate pregnant women. Fear of childbirth in migrant women was found to be significantly lower compared to Turkish women.&#x0D; Conclusion: Fear of childbirth is affected by age, education, immigration, and these conditions vary among societies. Pre-determining conditions that can increase fear of childbirth and implementing social support programs in selected patient groups may decrease the fear of childbirth and lower the number of cesarean sections in Turkey.

Fear of COVID-19 as a buffer in the relationship between perceived stress and life satisfaction in the Polish population at the beginning of the global pandemic

BackgroundCOVID-19 is a significant threat to human life and health. It makes people experience fear, stress, anxiety and mood disor-ders, which have a negative impact on their psychological well-being. The aim of the study was to determine the relation-ship between fear of COVID-19, perceived stress, and life satisfaction during the coronavirus pandemic.Participants and procedure907 Polish people (522 women and 385 men) participated in this study. The Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), the Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FOC-6) and the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) were used in the study.ResultsFear of COVID-19 and perceived stress were positively correlated with each other and both negatively related to life satis-faction. Moderation analysis showed that fear of COVID-19 acted as a buffer between perceived stress and life satisfaction – people with a high level of fear of COVID-19 and perceived stress had greater life satisfaction than those with high levels of stress but low levels of fear of COVID-19.ConclusionsDuring the COVID-19 pandemic, people experience significant stress and fear of infection, which negatively affect their life satisfaction. It can be assumed that during a global pandemic, most stressors are not directly linked to the risk of infection. Loss of job, isolation, lack of social support, or a total change in lifestyle may be more threatening to the well-being than the risk of infection, which many people do not consider as dangerous. Therefore, it can be assumed that people who expe-rience a strong fear of COVID-19 may perceive inconveniences resulting from restrictions as less oppressive than people who do not feel fear.

Impact of fear effect on plankton-fish system dynamics incorporating zooplankton refuge

In this paper, we analyze the impact of anti-predator behavior due to fear effect (K) and zooplankton refuge (r1) on a 3-D plankton-fish dynamical system involving phytoplankton, zooplankton, and fish species. We assume that zooplankton species have developed defense mechanisms against fish predation. The fear of fish predation altered anti-predator defenses, which affects the growth of the fish population. On the other hand, zooplankton refuge reduces fish induced mortality of zooplankton and plays a significant role in controlling phytoplankton growth. The density of fish species is suppressed in the presence of high refuge and the anti-predator response of zooplankton. It is determined that K and r1 can influence not only plankton-fish demography but also induce some mechanism to terminate planktonic blooms. Our mathematical study reveals that the low level of fear can stabilize the system dynamics in the presence of high rate of zooplankton refuge. Moreover, the low rate of zooplankton refuge can exclude complexity from the plankton-fish ecosystem in the presence of strong anti-predator responses of zooplankton. We have established the existence of all feasible biological equilibria and derived the conditional local and global stability of the given system around it. The Hopf-bifurcation analysis is carried out by considering K and r1 as bifurcation parameters. The direction of bifurcating solutions is also determined using the centre manifold arguments. Numerical simulation is carried out to substantiate our analytical findings.

Effect of SARS-CoV-2 antibody screening on participants' attitudes and behaviour: a study of industry workers in Split, Croatia

ObjectivesTo investigate the changes in personal attitudes and behaviour before and after negative serological test results for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) antibodies. Study designCross-sectional questionnaire survey. MethodsA survey questionnaire was conducted with 200 industry workers (68% males and 32% females) who had previously tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. The survey examined participants' self-reported general attitudes towards coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), their sense of fear, as well as their behaviour towards protective measures before and after the testing. ResultsParticipants perceived the disease as a severe health threat and acknowledged that the protective measures were appropriate. Respondents reported a high level of adherence to measures and low level of fear, both before and after the testing. Although these indicators were statistically significantly reduced after the test (P < 0.004), they did not result in irresponsible non-adherence behaviours. Almost all respondents attributed their application of personal protection measures to factors other than the results of serological screening. ConclusionsSerological tests do not contribute to irresponsible non-adherence behaviours in an environment where protective measures are efficient. However, they may help reduce fear within society and working environments.

An eco-epidemiological model with fear effect and hunting cooperation

In this paper, we propose an eco-epidemiological model with disease in the prey population, the model incorporates fear effect of predators on prey and hunting cooperation among predators. We assume that fear can reduce the reproduction rate of the prey population and lower the activity of the prey population, which consequently lowers the disease transmission rate. Mathematical analysis of the model with regard to the non-negativity, boundedness of solutions, stability of equilibria, permanence of the model system are analyzed. The model undergoes backward bifurcation and bistability. We conduct extensive numerical simulations to explore the roles of fear effect, hunting cooperation and other biologically related parameters (e.g. disease transmission rate of prey, death rate of predators), it is found that low levels of fear and hunting cooperation can stabilize the eco-epidemiological system, however, relatively high levels of fear and hunting cooperation can induce limit cycles. Numerical simulations show the occurrence of multiple limit cycles. It is also observed that the system shows limit cycle oscillations for small disease transmission rate/death rate of predators, and the system becomes stable when the disease transmission rate/death rate of predators is high.

High avoidance despite low fear of a second-order conditional stimulus

This study examined avoidance learning using a second-order threat conditioning paradigm. Participants completed fear acquisition wherein a second-order threat cue (preCS+) was paired with a threat cue (CS+) followed by an aversive sound (US); another stimulus was never associated with the US (CS-). During avoidance conditioning, participants could press a button when the preCS + or the CS- was presented, preventing upcoming events. During response prevention and extinction, the avoidance button was removed. Avoidance persistence was then examined in the absence of the actual threat. Results revealed that although the preCS+ and CS- elicited low levels of fear following Pavlovian fear acquisition, during avoidance conditioning, participants showed more avoidance of the preCS+ than the CS-. They also reported the preCS+ as more dangerous than the CS-. Following extinction, participants returned to actively avoid the preCS+ and rated it as more dangerous than the CS-. Finally, the association between avoidance learning and persistence of avoidance was mediated by self-reported threat expectancy during extinction. Our findings suggest avoidance behavior can be triggered by low levels of experienced fear, and this avoidance may play a role in the development and maintenance of threat beliefs.

Tameness correlates with domestication related traits in a Red Junglefowl intercross

Early animal domestication may have been driven by selection on tameness. Selection on only tameness can bring about correlated selection responses in other traits, not intentionally selected upon, which may be one cause of the domesticated phenotype. We predicted that genetically reduced fear towards humans in Red Junglefowl, ancestors of domesticated chickens, would be correlated to other traits included in the domesticated phenotype. Fear level was determined by a standardised behaviour test, where the reaction towards an approaching human was recorded. We first selected birds for eight generations for either high or low fear levels in this test, to create two divergent selection lines. An F3 intercross, with birds from the eighth generation as parentals, was generated to study correlations between fear‐of‐human scores and other unselected phenotypes, possibly caused by pleiotropy or linkage. Low fear‐of‐human scores were associated with higher body weight and growth rates, and with increased activity in an open field test, indicating less general fearfulness. In females, low fear‐of‐human scores were also associated with more efficient fear habituation and in males with an increased tendency to emit food calls in a mirror test, indicating increased social dominance. Low fear‐of‐human scores were also associated with smaller brain relative to body weight, and with larger cerebrum relative to total brain weight in females. All these effects are in line with the changes observed in domesticated chickens compared to their ancestors, and we conclude that tameness may have been a driving factor underlying some aspects of the domesticated phenotype.