10/10/2026
Ever had one awkward experience and thought: “I’m never doing that again”? 👀
Maybe you gave a presentation that went badly. The next time, presenting feels a little more intimidating. But what if that fear starts spreading? Speaking up in class suddenly feels risky. Talking to someone you don’t know feels uncomfortable. Even going to a social event might feel like something you’d rather avoid.
Today, on World Mental Health Day, we’d like to put the spotlight on someone who studies this phenomenon: ESSB Assistant Professor of Clinical Psychology Alex Wong. In his research, Alex studies how fear can spread from one situation to others that only *resemble* the original experience.
Fear itself isn’t a bad thing. It helps protect us from danger. But sometimes our brains start treating “maybe dangerous” as “dangerous”, and avoiding those situations can keep the fear going.
Alex’s research explores when this happens, when avoidance becomes unhelpful, and how exposure therapy can help people learn that not every situation they fear is actually dangerous.
In his lab, participants learn that a particular picture predicts an aversive outcome, such as a mild electrical stimulus. Alex then measures how they react to new pictures that resemble it. This mirrors how fears and anxiety‑related disorders develop in real life: someone bitten by a dog may develop a dog phobia and become afraid of most dogs.
🔎 Curious about the science behind anxiety and fear? Read more about Alex’s research via the link in our bio!
