Dr M Athar Khan
EVER since their origin on earth, all living beings have been striving to continue and maintain their life and existence on earth.
Man is no exception to this. Unlike other animals, however, man has been striving to develop and use all his mental and physical potentials consciously, with purpose, or by the natural self-defense mechanism with which nature has equipped him to safeguard his life and preserve his existence on earth. Anything real or just imagined that threatens his life creates ‘fear’ in him, the intensity of and reaction to which depends on the real or perceived strength of the stimulus that causes arousal and feeling of fear in man.
Fear is an inner state of the human organism which is characterized by agitation and tension in the psycho-physical system of man. The state of fear continues as long as the fear-arousing stimulus exists or is felt to exist in one’s mind or in the real external world.
The human organism is equipped with an automatic response mechanism which functions to lessen or eliminate the agitation and tension caused by fear. The functioning of this mechanism in humans ensures normalcy of behaviour. But the failure of this mechanism to cope with the fear-arousing situation causes psychophysical problems and interferes with the normal functioning of behaviour and the routines of life. This disturbance is caused at the physical level or mental level or at both simultaneously, disturbing the whole organism. The potency of this organismic or mental disturbance, however, depends upon the strength of the fear-arousing stimulus as it exists or as it is perceived by an individual.
The autonomous response system or mechanism functions in the following ways: Aggression: Aggression is displayed in a situation wherein one finds himself stronger than the fear-arousing stimulus and defeats or destroys it. America’s nuclear bombing of Japan, unprovoked attacks on and destruction of Egypt, Libya, and Iraq, and now war with Iran are examples of aggression. Flight: Man resorts to flight when the fear-arousing stimulus or situation is perceived as being too strong to be defeated or destroyed. America’s retreat from Korea, Vietnam, and Afghanistan provides evidence of this situation.
Escapism: Escapism is the tendency to seek relief from situations that affect and disturb the lives of people in general. The post-World War II world scenario was marked by changes in human thought and attitudes and developments in science and technology that were so rapid that man, in his own age, felt he was living centuries back in the past. The phenomenon of the situation was disturbing to the new generation. Escape from the situation led the generation to seek refuge and find solace in spiritualism, drug addiction, and social movements. In America, the increase in the church-going population, the use of drugs, the emergence of the hippie movement, and the emergence of Hare Rama Hare Krishna cults provided the younger generation escape from the disturbing situation of the second half of the last century.
Sublimation: Sublimation signifies a change in human behaviour when man finds himself unable to avoid or flee from such situations. He then turns to God, idols, or deities. The exploding hydrogen bomb by the USSR and the expansion of communism had created a feeling of insecurity which was never before felt in America. The sudden increase in church-going Americans and America’s policy of ‘containment’ were phenomena of the situation in America.
Submission: Submission denotes agreeing or submitting to the situation and agreeing to live with it. How do people see America’s relationships with Russia and China despite their challenges to American security and threat to its wealth and prosperity?
Subjugation: The state of subjugation is characteristic of a person’s tendency to give himself up to the care and protection of another person or object with the hope that he will be taken care of.
Suggestion: Suggestion is self-delusion and auto-suggestion. The person creates his own imaginary world in which to live and assures himself that he is the master of the situation. Extreme psychosis is an example of this state of mind in Trump today.
Transference: Transference is the outcome of aggression-frustration. It is characterized by a person transferring his aggression from a stronger fear-arousing stimulus to weaker ones. Of course, Iran is no match for the world’s superpower (however much it may be falling).
Generalization: Generalization means realization of the fact that a certain kind of fear is universal and that nobody can escape it. It reduces anxiety and tension. The havoc of nuclear threats and fear of death are common examples of generalization. Stimuli that cause fear are innumerable and relative to individual situations, circumstances, needs, and perceptions. They, therefore, vary from person to person as well as within individuals in any situation.
(The article is based on research data from my Education Specialist degree thesis on “Study of Fear as Basic Motive and Determinant of Human Behaviour—Its Implications for Counseling and Psychotherapy” and my Doctor of Education degree dissertation carried out at Arkansas and Mississippi State Universities (USA) during 1971–77.)
—The author is a former Professor and Dean, Faculty of Education, Allama Iqbal Open University.
