UP High Court RO / ARO 07 Jan 2022 Shift 2

What is 'Fear of people' called? Choose the correct option :

Verified Answer
A. Anthropophobia
B. Hydrophobia
C. Anthrophobia
D. Anginophobia

Explanation:

This question asks for the specific term for the 'fear of people'. Phobias are often named using Greek roots. \nOption A: 'Anthropophobia' is the correct term. The Greek root 'anthropos' means 'human being' or 'man', and 'phobia' means 'fear'. Thus, anthropophobia is the fear of people or social situations. \nOption B: 'Hydrophobia' refers to the fear of water. The Greek root 'hydro' means 'water'. This is distinct from the fear of people. \nOption C: 'Anthrophobia' is a common misspelling or a less recognized variant. While 'anthro' is related to humans, the standard and widely accepted medical and psychological term is 'anthropophobia'. In some contexts, 'anthophobia' can refer to the fear of flowers, from the Greek 'anthos' meaning flower. \nOption D: 'Anginophobia' refers to the fear of angina (chest pain), choking, or heart attacks. It is derived from 'angina', referring to chest pain, and 'phobia'. This is unrelated to the fear of people. \nTherefore, 'Anthropophobia' is the precise term for the fear of people.