The fear of strangers is termed as:

Appeared in: DSSSB October 2024

Explanation

The question asks for the specific term for the fear of strangers.
Xenophobia is the correct medical and psychological term for an irrational fear or dislike of people from other countries or strangers.
The term originates from the Greek words 'xenos' (meaning 'stranger' or 'foreigner') and 'phobos' (meaning 'fear').

Why Other Options Were Wrong

Option B: Agoraphobia is the fear of open spaces or situations where escape might be difficult, not specifically the fear of strangers.
Option C: Claustrophobia is the fear of confined or enclosed spaces, which is unrelated to a fear of people.
Option D: Acrophobia is the fear of heights, which is a situational phobia not related to social interactions.

Related Visual

No visual required for this question type.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Terminology of Phobias as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Recognizing a patient's phobia is crucial for providing compassionate and effective care. A nurse's approach must be adapted to the specific fear.
For a patient with xenophobia, a nurse should approach calmly, introduce themselves clearly, explain all procedures, and build trust gradually to reduce fear and anxiety.
For a patient with claustrophobia, a nurse should try to provide care in an open area, keep doors open when possible, and avoid small examination rooms to prevent triggering a panic attack.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the key terms in the question stem. Here, the key phrase is 'fear of strangers'.
This is a direct recall question that tests your knowledge of psychological terminology.
Analyze the options provided. All options are types of phobias, ending with the suffix '-phobia', which means 'fear'.
Recall or deduce the meaning of the prefixes: 'xeno-' (stranger/foreign), 'agora-' (open market/public places), 'claustro-' (enclosed), and 'acro-' (height/top).
Match the prefix for 'strangers' ('xeno-') with the suffix '-phobia' to arrive at the correct answer, Xenophobia.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: Terminology of Phobias
Stem keywords: fear, strangers
Lead-in keywords: termed as

Question ID

Q91b9FMoUx0Gn-V7C2kj5c

Reference Book

E6 Robert Boland, Marcia L. Verduin - Kaplan and Sadock's Comprehensive Text of Psychiatry-Wolters Kluwer Health (2024) (pp 1-16525 of 16525) p. 3869-3872

Practise the full DSSSB October 2024

Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.

Attempt this paper Attempt in the NPrep app