Suszeptibilität

Suszeptibilität, also known as susceptibility, is a term used in various scientific fields to describe the degree to which a system or material is affected by an external influence. In physics, particularly in electromagnetism, magnetic susceptibility quantifies how easily a material can be magnetized when placed in a magnetic field. Paramagnetic materials have a positive susceptibility, meaning they are weakly attracted to a magnetic field, while diamagnetic materials have a negative susceptibility and are weakly repelled. Ferromagnetic materials exhibit a very large positive susceptibility.

In medicine and epidemiology, susceptibility refers to an individual's or population's vulnerability to a disease or infection. This can be influenced by factors such as age, immune status, genetic predisposition, and exposure to pathogens. A highly susceptible population will experience a more rapid and widespread outbreak of a disease compared to a population with lower susceptibility.

In psychology and sociology, susceptibility can refer to a person's tendency to be influenced by others' opinions, suggestions, or propaganda. This can be linked to cognitive biases, personality traits, or social dynamics. Understanding susceptibility is crucial in fields like marketing, political science, and public health to predict and manage the spread of ideas or behaviors. The concept remains consistent: it is the readiness or propensity of a subject to undergo a particular change or reaction when exposed to a specific stimulus.