Articles tagged with Fear
A new study by psychologists at Emory University found that people can accurately discern most emotions tied to screams, but those of happiness are often misjudged as fear. Screams convey strong emotions, and researchers speculate that this may be an evolutionary carryover bias, where humans err on the side of caution.
A study published in PLOS ONE found that individual psychological variables, such as germ aversion and attachment security, are better predictors of fear and perceived health during lockdowns than environmental factors. The researchers investigated 533 participants across Europe and found that younger age, physical activity, and higher...
A recent study analyzed over 17,000 public comments on orca conservation in Washington state, revealing the most common emotional sentiments were trust, anticipation, and fear. The findings provide valuable insights for conservation managers to understand why people support or reject management actions.
A new UNSW study found that individuals with aphantasia, who cannot visualize mental images, exhibit reduced fear responses when reading scary stories. This suggests that mental imagery plays a key role in linking thoughts and emotions, supporting the idea that imagery is an emotional thought amplifier.
A Rutgers study found that people intending to acquire a firearm in the next 12 months are less tolerant of uncertainty and experience more severe COVID-19 specific fears. Essential workers and those who have worked in law enforcement are more likely to consider purchasing firearms as a means of safety during uncertain times.
Researchers at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory are studying the brain circuits that underlie fear, using sophisticated neuroscience tools to map their connections. They found that the amygdala is not only involved in fear processing but also plays a crucial role in reward-based learning and regulating fearful memory.
A study published in Psychological Science reveals that enjoying a fearful experience, like a haunted house, requires finding the perfect balance of fear and enjoyment. The researchers found an inverted U-shape trend showing that too little or too much fear can decrease enjoyment, while just-right fear levels maximize it.
A UMD-led study finds that fear and anxiety reflect overlapping brain circuits, challenging long-held scientific accounts. The research suggests that both 'fear' and 'anxiety' are constructed in the brain using a massively overlapping set of neural building blocks.
Researchers at UiT The Arctic University of Norway found that people who were satisfied with their country's response to COVID-19 had better well-being and lower perceived risk of getting the virus. Dissatisfaction led to increased stress levels and fear, while trust in society and government was linked to improved mental health.
Researchers found that exposure-based therapy was more effective in reducing symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), while stress-reduction therapy showed better results for those with lower brain activation in certain areas. The study aims to develop a personalized treatment approach for OCD, which may help improve therapy ou...
Researchers used virtual reality to study how brain circuits respond to threats at different distances. They found that near threats engage survival circuitry, making them harder to extinguish, while distant threats are processed by higher-order thinking areas. This could lead to new therapies for PTSD.
A recent study by the Media Psychology Lab found that radio consumption increased significantly during lockdown, with listeners tuning in for news, podcasts, and audiobooks. Radio was also rated as the most credible medium, helping to alleviate feelings of sadness, fear, and anxiety.
A Korea Brain Research Institute study found that the posterior parietal cortex plays a role in fear renewal in novel contexts. This discovery may lead to the development of new treatments for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and fear-related disorders.
Researchers at IBS have engineered a new biological tool that controls calcium signaling in the brain of mice using blue light. The study found that this non-invasive approach triggers memory and emphatic fear responses, indicating its potential for studying Ca2+ signaling and its role in neurodegenerative diseases.
A new study shows that brief daily mindfulness training facilitates extinction of conditioned fear reactions, producing lasting reductions in threat-related arousal responses. Mindfulness appears to have a specific effect on extinction retention, which could improve treatment effects for anxiety and trauma-related disorders.
Researchers found that monkeys in large social groups don't call out to specific kin or friends when threatened, but rather broadcast the location of the threat to the general public. This allows individuals to minimize their risk while still providing warning to others in the group.
A study published in Neuropsychopharmacology found that chronic opioid treatment before a traumatic event enhances fear learning in mice, potentially linking opioid dependence to PTSD. The findings suggest that individuals with a history of opioid use may become more susceptible to the negative effects of stress.
Researchers at UCLA have discovered that a traumatic brain injury causes changes in the amygdala, leading to increased fear responses and PTSD symptoms. The study found that rats with brain injuries exhibited abnormal neural activity in the amygdala and thalamus, suggesting potential new targets for treating PTSD.
Researchers suggest 'Havana Syndrome' is akin to shell shock, with symptoms paralleling those of war trauma. Studies on embassy patients found no conclusive evidence for exposure to an energy source or toxin.
Gun owners report fewer phobias and victimization fears than non-gun owners, study by Florida State University researchers suggests. The study found exceptions for fears of animals and mugging, and implications for gun policy.
Research at Cass Business School found that entrepreneurial groups with strong friendship bonds are more likely to persist with a failing venture and escalate financial commitment. The study suggests that understanding team emotions is crucial for best decision making in start-ups.
A new study aims to explore ways to share decision-making and information between humans and AI drivers, addressing concerns about perceived loss of control and fear of unknown actions. The goal is to increase user trust, consumer acceptance, and overall usability of autonomous vehicles.
Conceptual knowledge affects emotion perception and brain's face representation, with neural similarity predicted by individual conceptual similarities. The right fusiform gyrus plays a role in this process.
Researchers at UTEP and UAlbany collaborate to study how brain circuits encode learned responses to fear in mammalian brains. They will track key biomarkers to create detailed maps of brain regions associated with fear conditioning, shedding light on the neural basis of anxiety and fear responses.
A new study from Caltech shows that anxious individuals flee danger sooner in slow-threat scenarios, but not in fast-threat situations. This suggests that anxiety is a prediction strategy that helps prevent future dangers.
Research finds that fearful customers are sensitive to the size and scope of a data breach, whereas angry customers are not. The study also suggests that in the stock market, fear makes consumers more sensitive to breach size.
A UCL-led study found that 25.6% of regular meditators reported experiencing particularly unpleasant meditation-related experiences, including fear and distorted emotions. These experiences were more common among those who practiced deconstructive types of meditation and had higher levels of repetitive negative thinking.
Researchers found that exposure to Spiderman and Antman movie excerpts reduces spider and ant phobia symptoms by 20%. The study suggests a new direction for positive exposure therapy, which may be an optimal solution for treating phobias. Marvel movies provide an accessible and enjoyable form of in-vitro exposure.
A new study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that stress increases fear-promoting brain regions while reducing fear-reducing ones. This shift can be mimicked by increasing norepinephrine release, potentially leading to more effective treatments for PTSD.
A virtual reality (VR) treatment called ZeroPhobia has been shown to significantly reduce fear of heights symptoms in individuals. By using cognitive behavioral therapy principles in a fully self-guided format, the study found that two to five percent of the population can benefit from this effective and affordable treatment.
A new study suggests that news coverage of terrorist attacks can significantly impact emotional responses and support for anti-Muslim policies in Western countries. News articles featuring a high number of offenders elicit both fear of terror and anger towards the government, leading to increased support for immigration bans.
Researchers discovered a DNA modification that enhances fear extinction, enabling the brain to rapidly adapt to changing conditions. They found adenosine modifications in neurons involved in fear extinction, which increase levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and promote new non-fearful memories.
A virtual reality therapy called Blue Room has shown lasting effects on anxiety caused by autism phobias in both children and adults. The treatment, developed by Newcastle University, has been shown to be effective in reducing symptoms in 40% of treated children at two weeks and 45% at six months.
Researchers used machine learning to translate brain activity into fear of pain questionnaire scores, revealing distinct neural patterns for different constructs. The study may reconcile self-reported emotions and their neural underpinnings, providing new insights into pain-related fear.
A new study shows that imagination can be a powerful tool in helping people with fear and anxiety-related disorders overcome them. Brain imaging studies suggest that imagination can alter the way threats are represented in the brain, leading to extinction of fear responses.
Imagination has been shown to be an effective tool in treating anxiety and fear-related disorders. A recent study found that imagining a threat can help reduce neural and physiological responses associated with fear, making it a promising treatment option for conditions like post-traumatic stress disorder and phobias.
A new study found that exposing people with phobias to their fear at the exact time of their heartbeats significantly reduces phobia severity. Researchers combined computerized therapy with online heart rhythm measurements to treat patients with spider phobia, showing improved anxiety levels and reduced physiological responses.
Researchers created a way to measure different types of fear of falling (FOF) in Parkinson's patients, highlighting the importance of cognitive function. The study aims to improve treatment and quality of life for patients with FOF.
KAIST neuroscientists discover the anterior cingulate cortex plays a role in inhibiting innate fear responses to predators' odors, shedding light on instinctive fear behavior. The study paves the way for therapeutic treatments of fear-related mental disorders such as panic and PTSD.
A systematic review of 9,008 clinicians reveals that fear of litigation is a key factor influencing the decision to perform C-sections. Clinicians' personal preferences and perceived safety concerns also play a significant role.
A randomised controlled trial found that automated virtual reality therapy can be as effective as exposure to real-life heights in reducing fear, with participants reporting a significant reduction in fear levels after treatment. The study provides proof of concept for future psychological interventions and could increase access to men...
A recent study found that suppressing fears during a health scare can lead to higher levels of fear and emotional suppression. Researchers suggest that providing quality information and preparing the public for disease outbreaks can help mitigate this cycle.
Researchers at the University of East Anglia investigated how human participants recognize and detect six basic emotions in facial expressions when viewed centrally and up to 30 degrees in peripheral vision. They found that fear is well-detected but poorly recognized, while happiness and surprise are both recognized and detected well.
Researchers identified a mutated mouse line with reduced fear responses to fox odorants due to a Trpa1 gene mutation. The study found that the trigeminal system, not the olfactory system, triggers instinctive fear responses.
New research reveals that frequent workplace aggression can cause nurses to behave badly towards others, disregarding professional codes. The study found that anger and fear triggered by being targeted can lead to misconduct, while sadness is only associated with health symptoms.
Recent advances in PTSD research focus on brain structure and function, informing efforts to interrupt the processes leading to symptom development. Effective treatments like exposure therapy are based on mechanisms of fear extinction, while new approaches target stress hormones and brain regions involved in emotion dysregulation.
Researchers pinpoint neural interactions that allow us to learn from observing others' experiences. The ACC and BLA regions in the brain are found to be active when we learn by watching others, and a specific circuit is identified that enables this type of learning.
Researchers identified a gene variant linked to increased empathic fear in mice, which may contribute to individual variability in neuropsychiatric conditions. The study found that the variant affects neurons in the cerebral cortex, leading to heightened observational fear response.
Researchers analyzed personality traits of over 3 million US and 417,000 UK voters to find that regions with higher neuroticism traits voted more for Trump or Brexit. Education levels also played a role in mitigating the impact of fear-mongering campaigns.
A study analyzing Twitter data from 2006 to 2017 found that false information diffused significantly farther and faster than true news, reaching up to 100,000 people. The top 1% of false-news cascades spread even more widely, with political news being the most virulent.
Researchers discovered two distinct brain areas, cognitive-fear circuit and reactive-fear circuit, that process fear responses to different types of threats. The study used fMRI scans and a virtual predator video game to show how the brain reacts differently to immediate versus distant threats.
Researchers found that adding hope to health messages can significantly predict intentions to take actions against skin cancer. Self-efficacy and hope also played a role in adopting sun safety measures.
Researchers at the University of Sydney conducted an experiment involving over 500 aquarium visitors, showing a decrease in shark fear and blame after understanding shark behavior. The study challenges perceived public support for lethal measures, advocating for a conservation focus instead.
A study by Itamar Lerner and colleagues found that higher quality sleep patterns are associated with reduced activity in brain regions involved in fear learning. The researchers suggest that baseline sleep quality may be a useful predictor of susceptibility to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
A recent study found that infants as young as six months old exhibit a stress reaction when seeing spiders or snakes, with a significant increase in pupil size indicating activation of the brain's noradrenergic system.
The 2017 Chapman University Survey of American Fears reveals that environmental fears have become more prominent, with water pollution and drinking water quality ranking among the top three fears. Americans fear climate change, air pollution, and extremism, reflecting media coverage and political divisions.
Scientists at RIKEN Brain Science Institute discovered that emotional and flexible learning rely on noradrenaline's division of labor in the brain. Two types of learning - fear learning and extinction - require distinct populations of neurons, with different projections to the amygdala and medial prefrontal cortex.
Researchers found 27 distinct dimensions of emotion that account for hundreds of people's reported feelings in response to video clips. The study challenges the notion that emotions are finite clusters and instead reveals smooth gradients between emotions.
A new study found significant US institutional investor bias against Quebec firms compared to those in the rest of Canada. Researchers discovered that US holdings in Quebec firms were a quarter lower than those in other Canadian provinces, with biases varying by firm characteristics.
A research team at UC Riverside has developed a method to selectively erase specific fear memories by weakening the connections between neurons involved in forming these memories. This breakthrough has therapeutic implications for treating PTSD and phobias, allowing beneficial memories to be retained while detrimental ones are suppressed.