On 20 February 2023, the scientific talk show RTVS “Experiment” on the topic of Fear and Phobias was broadcasted on Dvojka, where the scientist from the Centre for Experimental Medicine (CEM SAS), Dr. Diana Bzdúšková was invited to participate.
Fear is a reaction to danger, which has often saved our lives in the history of mankind. Sometimes, however, it is inadequate, for example, when fear of heights prevents us from crossing a bridge, fear of enclosed spaces prevents us from entering an elevator, or even fear of outdoor spaces prevents us from leaving our apartment.
About why we feel fear of heights, when it grows into acrophobia, how to work with such fear and whether virtual reality can help us with it, the host of the show Gregor Mareš talked to Dr. Diana Bzdúšková from the Department of Behavioural Neuroscience of the Institute of Normal and Pathological Physiology CEM SAS. Moreover, Dr. Bzdúšková presented the results of her research, which suggest that exposure to height in a virtual reality environment elicits a complex psycho-physiological response, based on which we can objectively distinguish between people with a low and high level of fear of heights.