Info dump

Samantha g -

Most of this week has been finishing the texture on Derek and Anthony as well as some small parts that needed some touch ups. It’s not really that exciting because it’s the same thing over and over again. Although I am basically almost done with sculpting which is exciting.

I’m gonna put all my pictures in one then info dump about phobias.

The term “phobia” was only coined in the 19th century where it gradually gained acceptance by the main populace. Even though it wasn’t until the 19th century that people started to see phobias as what they are today, they have still had an eventful history. From Hippocrates to the 18th century there were still fears but they weren’t described as phobias in their own right.

Throughout history fear is what drove people, be it the Prehistoric era or the Modern era. Every society has one or more common fears. For example, in the Prehistoric era common fears were related to conflict, predators, and chronic stressors which influenced settlement patterns and social structures in early civilizations. While in the Modern era, common fears have turned to focus on things relating to technology, with things like AI some people look forward to the technological advancements while others fear the potential risks and biases associated with it. And the fear of illnesses developed because of Rapid socioeconomic change, technological advancements, and lifestyle shifts that significantly impacted individuals’ psychological health. Social isolation, financial instability, and uncertainty about the future have also contributed to this fear.

We have developed ways to make phobias more manageable with things like exposure therapy,  Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and art therapy that break down the root cause of the phobia through different means. However there is also no known way in preventing getting a phobia. About 80% of new phobias developed by adults become chronic long-term conditions that won’t go away without proper treatment.

I can talk about phobias for hours, but to save you from reading way too many words I have cut out some things. I hope you have enjoyed reading and have learned some things for the first time in one of my blog posts.

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Comments:

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    mason_t
    Cool! It's nice to know some of the history behind phobias and how they evolved over time. On the topic of evolution (I know this isn't really the main focus of the project but I figured I'd ask anyway), is there any evidence of our phobias evolving over time? Are fewer people afraid of phobias rooted in primal human history and more people are getting ones related to modern fears such as AI? Thanks!
    April 14, 2025 at 1:04 pm - Reply
      samantha_g
      Actually there are a lot of phobias that have evolved over time. Evolution is a massive part with almost everything, and that includes phobias. As I said before fear has been a driving factor in human history and fun fact, phobias like arachnophobia(spiders) and ophidiophobia(snakes) were widely feared in ancient times because they didn't have any antidotes to poisons some of the spiders and snakes would carry, so in turn people learned to fear it and stay away from it. This fear carried over to even modern times even though we have antidotes and they don't carry the same threat they did before, the fear evolved throughout the ages and is still very prominent in modern times. Not as many people are afraid of things like predator's in modern times because they don't pose as much of a threat as they did before, and more people are scared of things like AI because of how new it is.
      April 14, 2025 at 7:56 pm - Reply
    mae_b
    Wow! Do you know around what percentage of people have at least one true phobia?
    April 15, 2025 at 8:30 am - Reply
      samantha_g
      Around 10% of people in the US experience specific phobias, around 7% experience social phobias, and around 1% experience agoraphobia. Specific phobias are the most common and they fear specific animals, people, environments, or situations. Social phobias fear social situations that may cause the person to be humiliated, embarrassed, or judged. Agoraphobia is fearing being in public places, basically it's an extreme anxiety disorder.
      April 16, 2025 at 11:03 am - Reply
    eugene_j
    Phobias are very interesting psychologically. Are you planning to talk about phobias in your presentation? I wouldn't say that this is embarrassing, more just annoying, but I have a phobia of butterflies. The 'best' part is that I know exactly why I have this phobia, and it is utterly stupid. It was when I was very young that I learned some butterflies are poisonous and that others mimic their appearance to avoid being eaten by predators. I know the difference between poisonous and venomous now, but I still swear that I knew that back then, too. Now, I still absolutely hate them. Their method of flight is so chaotic compared to other bugs that they can appear out of nowhere. Sometimes I feel like it must have been only when I was younger and that I don't fear them anymore, only to then immediately recoil at an image of one. Imagine that nearly every time you're in the wilderness, you need to fear a spider coming out of the sky; that's what being afraid of butterflies is. It is the worst AND it sounds dumb, come on!
    April 19, 2025 at 12:21 am - Reply
      samantha_g
      Yeah that's sometimes how it is with phobias, you know why you have it but still can't get over it. I am planning on talking about phobias in the first half of my presentation.
      April 21, 2025 at 10:29 pm - Reply

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