Neophobia

Neophobia
Fear of anything new, of innovation, an irrational fear of new situations, places, or things. In animal behavior, neophobia refers to the tendency of an animal to avoid or retreat from an unfamiliar object or situation. All phobias are unreasonable sorts of fear that can cause avoidance and panic. They represent a relatively common type of anxiety disorder. Phobias can be treated with cognitive behavioral therapy using exposure and fear reduction techniques. In many cases, anti-anxiety or anti-depressant medication proves helpful, especially during the early stages of therapy. The word "neophobia" should not be Greek to you. It comes from the Greek "neos" meaning new + "-phobia" from the Greek "phobos" meaning fear = fear (of anything) new. Neophobia is not a neologism (a new word); it's been around a while.
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Morbid aversion to, or dread of, novelty or the unknown. [neo- + G. phobos, fear]

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neo·pho·bia .nē-ə-'fō-bē-ə n dread of or aversion to novelty
neo·pho·bic -bik adj

Medical dictionary. 2011.

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  • Neophobia — is the fear of new things or experiences. It is also called cainotophobia. In psychology, neophobia is defined as the persistent and abnormal fear of anything new. In its milder form, it can manifest as the unwillingness to try new things or… …   Wikipedia

  • neophobia — noun /niːəˈfəʊbɪə/ The fear or dislike of new things. the murdering of Mormons and the massacring of Armenians, express much rather that aboriginal human neophobia [...] than they express the positive piety of the various perpetrators. Syn:… …   Wiktionary

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  • neophobia — fear of novelty Phobias …   Phrontistery dictionary

  • neophobia — n. fear of improvements, fear of innovations …   English contemporary dictionary

  • neophobia — noun extreme or irrational fear or dislike of anything new or unfamiliar. Derivatives neophobic adjective …   English new terms dictionary

  • neophobia — ne·o·phobia …   English syllables

  • neophobia — A fear of anything that is new …   Grandiloquent dictionary

  • Neophobia —    An intense fear of anything new …   The writer's dictionary of science fiction, fantasy, horror and mythology

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