The Nature of Fear as Observed in Anonymous Subject

Author: Stella Maris

Date: 19^th June 1922

Published by: as yet unpublished, but submission to London Eye NewsGroup considered

Keywords: fear, fear response, emotion, spiders

Summary/Abstract: report of research into anonymous subject’s fear response and result of methodology employed to train subject out of said response.

Background Research: research into the nature of fear was conducted through the existing literature, namely William James’ The Principles of Psychology. The symptoms of fear were noted as excessive sweating, shortness of breath, upset stomach, and trembling. Fear symptoms are vague and can be produced by other things that are not fear, for example all four symptoms could be the result of food poisoning. The vagueness of symptoms is problematic because no measurements are given. At what point is sweating considered excessive? Does this differ between males and females, children and adults? How is the amount of sweat another person excretes meant to be observed? These are just a few of the problems identified with diagnosing fear.

Hypothesis: it was hypothesised that the anonymous subject, hereafter referred to as AS, was suffering from fear. Observed effects include jumpiness (not one of the listed symptoms), constant perimeter checking (not one of the listed symptoms, and also just good sense), soft-spokenness (not one of the listed symptoms), making pancakes for breakfast every single morning (not one of the listed symptoms) which were enough to trigger a deep investigation. Examination of AS’ clothes did not appear to reveal excessive sweating, although it is unclear how much would be excessive. Subject did not bathe more than considered a standard amount. Subject did not smell of sweat. Subject did not appear short of breath, unless immediately after being startled. Subject was startled a few times to test breath responses, but breath returned quickly to within normal parameters. AS has been trained in rooftop breathing techniques. AS did not avail themselves of liquorice when left out, which would have helped settle an upset stomach. Subject was not excessively trembling. Despite lack of all four fear symptoms, subject was diagnosed with fear. Researcher regrets lack of scientifically replicable methods, but just knew subject was afraid. Researcher has fantastic hunting instincts and may have employed these on AS subconsciously.

Method: ambush alarm training was determined as the fastest and most effective method of training AS out of fear responses.

Result: subject screamed for eighty-seven seconds, then curled into a ball and cried.

Conclusion: continual repetition of ambush alarm method would train subject out of fear responses. However, researcher felt like that time she had eaten the bad eggs, and decided not to continue this methodology. It is unclear how the subject’s response triggered the bad egg flashback, but it may have been because AS and researcher both curled up and cried, and the similarity created a physical memory sensation.

Additionally, Researcher has diagnosed AS with an acute fear of spiders and propose a new term for this using the format devised by Benjamin Rush and the Greek origins of fear-roots. Terminology proposed: arachnidphobia.

Further research is required. Darwin’s The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals, MacDougal’s An Introduction to Social Psychology and Dewey’s How We Think have been consulted. A new methodology will be devised after research. And tea.