Fear manifests itself through different physiological responses, which can be very different, depending on the person in question. But it is true that others are invariable for the generality of humans: faced with a feeling of fear, our eyes open more than normal.
Willing to get to the bottom of this behavior, researchers from Cornell University (USA) detailed, in an article published in 2014 in the journal Psychological Science , the reason why our eyes open when we are afraid and why they narrow or They close when something angers us.
Both facial expressions, opposite each other, are based on the emotional responses of our eyes to different situations. When our eyes open more than normal, such as when we are afraid or feel that we are in danger, it responds to the fact that our visual field widens and also our ocular sensitivity ; This change is made by the eyes to identify the danger that surrounds us, as a defense mechanism .
On the contrary, when our eyes narrow, as when we are arguing or angry about something, our eyes block the light and focus on a point that determines the origin of our discontent.
The researchers affirm that both reactions have arisen from the adaptation to the stimuli of our environment and not as signals of social communication, which would imply that the emotions are those that trigger these facial expressions that what they do is take advantage of the useful properties of the light depending on the situation. Thus, emotions would “configure” what we see before visual coding occurs by the brain.
The chemistry of fear
Fear is a natural response of the body that manifests itself through different physiological reactions, which can vary between people: sweating, agitated pulse, feeling of anguish …
Faced with a situation that we classify as dangerous to our integrity (physical or psychological), a series of responses related to flight or protection are activated in the body. That is the reason why some people, instead of activating when they are afraid, become paralyzed.
The bodily and emotional reactions caused by fear are triggered by adrenaline, a chemical that the brain releases to obtain, as we say, a favorable flight, protection or attack to keep our life and integrity intact. To do this, it activates the body and the limbs. For example, the heart beats faster to drain more blood to the legs and arms, ready to run or attack.
While fear can be uncomfortable for many, for others this strong feeling is a source of pleasure. That is why there are so many fans of horror movies and other experiences that force you to spend moments of a great adrenaline rush.
However, it is common for fear to generate anguish, and for some people it can be an impediment to the development of a normal life. Phobias, for example, are the manifestation of an irrational fear of something or someone, although these, in fact, do not pose such a danger.
