What phenomenon, noted in the Middle Ages, involved beliefs like Tarantism and Lycanthropy?

The phenomenon that involved beliefs like Tarantism and Lycanthropy is best described as mass hysteria. Mass hysteria, also known as collective hysteria or mass psychogenic illness, refers to a situation where a group of people collectively experiences similar symptoms and beliefs, often in the absence of any identifiable physical cause.

During the Middle Ages, various unusual beliefs about conditions like Tarantism (where individuals believed they were possessed by a tarantula) and Lycanthropy (the belief that one could turn into a wolf) emerged. These beliefs spread quickly among groups, leading to widespread panic and unusual behavior, characteristic of mass hysteria.

This response highlights the social and psychological factors that contribute to large groups of individuals sharing irrational thoughts and behaviors, emphasizing the collective element of these experiences. Other options like psychosis, neurology, and delirium refer to individual medical conditions or neurological disorders rather than the communal aspect observed in mass hysterical phenomena.