Some People's Opinions on the Impact of Fear of Others' Judgment on an Individual's Psychological Freedom and Its Effect on Personal Decision-Making

Abstract

This study aims to reveal the impact of the fear of others' judgment on an individual's psychological freedom and their ability to make decisions independently, with a focus on potential differences according to gender, educational level, and age group. The study adopted a descriptive-analytical approach using a questionnaire composed of several sections to measure the level of influence of others' perception and fear of social evaluation. It was applied to a sample of individuals selected purposively to represent diversity in gender, educational level, and age group. The results showed a statistically significant negative correlation between the fear of others' judgment and the level of psychological freedom in decision-making, indicating that individuals more sensitive to social evaluation tend to adjust their behaviors to align with others' expectations at the expense of their own choices. The results also indicated statistically significant differences in susceptibility to others' judgment attributable to gender, favoring females, as well as differences according to educational level, with individuals with lower educational levels being more affected, and differences related to age group, with younger individuals showing greater sensitivity to social evaluation.

Compared to older adults. The study recommends the necessity of enhancing individuals' psychological independence and self-awareness skills, and designing guidance programs that help reduce the impact of fear of social evaluation on the freedom of decision-making