UNITED
STATES
OF FEARS
USOF
Fears have always interested me since I was young because they reveal so much about what connects us as humans and what sets us apart. Whether it’s the fear of heights, spiders, or public speaking, our fears often shape how we experience the world. United States of Fears is a project that dives into the 100 most common fears across the globe.
Using a world visualization, this project maps where these fears are most common, showing fascinating regional patterns. You’ll also find an interactive filter bar, allowing you to sort fears by various metadata, like age groups, gender, or even intensity rates. My goal is to shed light on the universal and unique aspects of fear while giving you the tools to explore this data in a meaningful way.
To view the project, click here
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While collecting data online, I gathered information about gender, location, age, intensity of their fears, social interaction levels, and how they react or respond to those fears. As the data came in, an unexpected phenomenon emerged: the types of fears and their regional associations revealed a fascinating and rapidly growing set of patterns. This data not only highlighted universal fears but also showcased how certain fears are more prevalent in specific areas or demographics, offering a deeper and more nuanced understanding of fear.
When collecting data online, the format included scientific name, fear type, type of object/environment, intensity, social interaction, reaction, location, age, and gender. Compared to simpler demographic data like age or gender, the fear-specific information revealed more diverse and differentiating patterns. This variation comes from the wide range of fears reported globally and the unique ways individuals experience and respond to them.
