Gelotophobia in University Students
https://doi.org/10.21603/sibscript-2026-28-2-361-371
EDN: HIAJMA
Abstract
Gelotophobia is the pathological fear of being laughed at. Gelotophobic self-perception refers to how individuals with this phobia view themselves in relation to others and the social world. A study of its manifestations in the academic environment helps in understanding the phenomenon of this fear, its causes, and its consequences for future specialists. Gelotophobic self-perception is particularly significant for university students. Female students tend to experience social interaction more acutely and respond accordingly, demonstrating a so-called gelotophobic social reaction. This, along with other social anxieties and obsessive thoughts, has an adverse effect on academic achievement and interpersonal peer-to-peer or student-to-professor communication. In the long run, it may lead to the underdevelopment of personal and professional qualities. This article introduces a set of recommendations for both faculty members and students. The latter focus on harmonizing emotional and behavioral reactions in socially significant situations and fostering a comfortable academic environment to achieve success. The former help faculty develop an understanding of the nature of gelotophobia to provide a timely response, ultimately improving students’ overall performance.
About the Authors
Elena Yu. Brel
Federal Resource Center for Psychological Services in Higher Education, Russian Academy of Education
Russian Federation
Competing Interests:
Russian Federation
Moscow
Competing Interests:
The authors declared no potential conflict of interests regarding the research, authorship, and / or publication of this article.
Ekaterina O. Zyatkova
Tomsk State University of Control Systems and Radioelectronics
Russian Federation
Competing Interests:
Russian Federation
Tomsk
Competing Interests:
The authors declared no potential conflict of interests regarding the research, authorship, and / or publication of this article.
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Review
For citations:
Brel E.Yu., Zyatkova E.O. Gelotophobia in University Students. SibScript. 2026;28(2):361-371. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.21603/sibscript-2026-28-2-361-371. EDN: HIAJMA
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