Researchers Develop Atimiaphobia Scale to Measure Fear of Honor Loss in Collectivistic Cultures

Scientists have coined the term atimiaphobia to refer to the fear of losing honor or being labeled shameless in social situations, The Times reported. A study found that people with atimiaphobia could find it harder to maintain healthy relationships and navigate social situations due to fear of negative judgment.

Researchers from Pakistan, Tunisia, Jordan, Germany and Bahrain conducted the study, noting that some cultures are more collectivistic and honor-based than others.

In collectivistic cultures, individual identity is defined through one's standing within the group, with honor as the reward for meeting communal expectations and shame as the penalty for failing them. Waqar Husain of Comsats University Islamabad led the research. The study was published in the PsyCh Journal.

The study characterized atimiaphobia as a newly recognized psychological condition involving intense fear of losing honor or being labeled shameless, rooted in honor cultures and shame societies. Feelings of honor are based on self-worth and social appraisal, where respect from others enhances self-esteem leading to pride, while dishonor evokes shame and rage.

Honor can be a shared family asset that can be lost and is difficult to regain.

In some cases, restoration of honor may involve extreme measures including abuse and murder, as those who do not act against affronts are seen as weak and guilty. From April 2023 to April 2024, 2,755 honor-based abuse-related offences were recorded by police in England and Wales. The study involved 1,232 participants from Islamabad in Pakistan.

The 1,232 participants had an average age of 27 and were split in a ratio of 51 to 49 between men and women. Khaled Trabelsi and Achraf Ammar from the University of Sfax in Tunisia were among the researchers. A questionnaire was developed and tested on more than 800 people to create an atimiaphobia scale.

The atimiaphobia scale was given to 164 participants to test links between fear of losing honor and feelings of anxiety and shame. The atimiaphobia scale was tested on 199 people to assess links with lower social intelligence. Participants were asked how strongly they agreed with statements such as 'I am deeply afraid of losing my honour within my family', 'I live in fear of losing my self-respect in front of others', and 'breaking social norms and values makes me feel extremely anxious'.

Higher levels of atimiaphobia predict lower social intelligence, hindering ability to navigate social situations, understand social cues, and maintain healthy relationships. Experts from Queen Mary, University of London stated that honor-based abuse was rarely a religious-based issue and has been recorded in communities practising every major religion, including Jewish, Sikh, Christian, Hindu, and Muslim communities.