Fear may underlie some phenomena of behavior modification, although these phenomena can be explained without adducing fear as a factor in them. Furthermore, application of aversive stimuli is also often ineffective in producing change in the behaviour intended to be changed. Fearing objects or contexts can be learned; in animals this is being studied as fear conditioning, which depends on the emotional circuitry of the brain.

Quote: "We have nothing to fear but fear itself" (Franklin D. Roosevelt)

See also:

• angst
• phobia
• appeal to fear

Unjustified confidence can cause problems.