Neuroscientist Explains - Why Are Free Climbing Videos So Terrifying? | Summary and Q&A

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September 23, 2022
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Chris Williamson
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Neuroscientist Explains - Why Are Free Climbing Videos So Terrifying?

TL;DR

Watching videos of people climbing up tall structures induces a visceral response due to our primal fear of heights and our strong visual nature.

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Key Insights

  • 😨 Videos depicting heights tap into our primal fear of gravity and falling, triggering a visceral response.
  • 🧠 The human brain is highly evolved for visual perception, making videos a powerful medium for emotional engagement.
  • 🥰 Our sensory response to height-related visuals, such as sweaty palms or increased heart rate, is a result of our body's fight-or-flight mechanism.
  • 💀 Despite understanding the safety of watching climbing videos, our brain still reacts as if the danger is real.
  • 🤑 The allure of videos, particularly action-packed ones, lies in their ability to captivate us visually and tap into our primitive instincts.
  • 🙂 Even slight visual cues of depth of field in the direction of gravitational pull can activate the falling reflex in our brain.
  • 🤣 Cultural landmarks with glass floors or tall structures with exposed edges exploit our fear of heights for thrill-seeking experiences.

Transcript

why do my palms get sweaty when i watch videos of people climbing up cranes and stuff like that you know the ones that i mean the guy's got a gopro is a dude called james kingston from the uk that's a psychopath he goes up to the highest towers of dubai illegally in the middle of the night and then i watch it on a screen it's only this big and i ge... Read More

Questions & Answers

Q: Why do some people experience sweaty palms when watching videos of people climbing tall structures?

Sweaty palms are a physiological response triggered by the body's fight-or-flight reaction to perceived danger. When we watch videos of climbing, our brain perceives the height as a threat and activates this response.

Q: Why does watching climbing videos induce a visceral response, even when we know the outcome?

Despite knowing the outcome, our fear of heights remains deeply ingrained. Visual cues of being high up trigger our primal survival instincts, causing a physiological and emotional response.

Q: Are humans more visually-driven than other animals?

Yes, humans heavily rely on visual perception. Over 40% of our brain is involved in vision-related processes, including navigation, color perception, and face recognition.

Q: What role does the vestibulo-ocular reflex play in our response to height-related visuals?

The vestibulo-ocular reflex is an innate response that ensures our eyes stay fixed on the horizon to maintain balance. When we see visuals suggesting a substantial drop, this reflex can be activated, creating a sense of unease.

Summary & Key Takeaways

  • Watching videos of people climbing tall structures, such as cranes, can trigger sweaty palms and a strong emotional response.

  • Humans are highly visual creatures, and videos that depict heights provoke a terrifying reaction due to our primal fear of gravity.

  • Our brains have dedicated areas for visual perception, face recognition, and depth perception, making us particularly sensitive to the visuals of dangerous heights.

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