Physical versus Social Fear: A Fundamental Dichotomy

In this review we scrutinize the differences between two aspects of fear: physical fear and social fear. Based on the cognitive 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 channelled. We also try to understand the dynamics and evolutionary origins of each, knowing that physical fear is more immediate while social fear has more social and evolved characteristics.