Bias and Fear in Social Interaction: An Integrative Analysis Psychology and Thai Cultural Context

Abstract

      Fear and bias in social interaction represent significant phenomena within the context of social psychology and Thai culture, as they profoundly affect quality of life, interpersonal relationships, and individuals' ability to adapt in contemporary society. These forms of fear and bias are not merely temporary emotions that arise and dissipate; rather, they constitute enduring patterns of cognition, emotion, and behavior that continuously shape the interpretation of social reality as threatening, even when objective circumstances are neutral or non-severe. This academic article aims to analyze the psychological mechanisms underlying bias and fear in social interaction through an integrative three-dimensional theoretical framework: the cognitive dimension, drawing upon Beck's (1976) core belief theory and Clark and Wells's (1995) cognitive model of social anxiety; the neurobiological dimension, drawing upon LeDoux's (2003) research on the amygdala-based threat response system; and the cultural dimension, drawing upon Markus and Kitayama's (1991) concept of interdependent self-construal. The analysis reveals that cognitive biases—such as negative interpretation bias, mind reading, and catastrophizing—interact with rapid neurobiological threat detection mechanisms and are reinforced through avoidance behaviors consistent with Mowrer's (1960) two-factor learning theory. In the Thai cultural context, values of kreng jai (consideration for others), face-saving, and group harmony serve as additional factors that heighten individuals' sensitivity to social evaluation. The article proposes the development of social and cultural measures to alleviate cognitive bias and social fear, thereby promoting psychological wellbeing in Thai society.