Physical versus social fear: A fundamental dichotomy

Abstract

In this review we scrutinize the differences between two aspects of fear: physical fear and social fear. Based on the cog-nitive and behavioural differences in panic disorder and social phobia we try to correlate cerebral structures implicated in both kinds of fear. We study the neocortical control mechanisms over physical fear that render social fear more chan-nelled. We also try to understand the dynamics and evolutionary origins of each, knowing that physical fear is more im-mediate while social fear has more social and evolved characteristics.