Prior studies have shown that enhanced levels of arousal can increase specific aspects of visual perception. The current study investigated the effect of a height-induced postural threat on the detection of central and peripheral visual targets. Ten healthy young adults performed a modified useful field of view task in a virtual environment under low and high postural threat. Each individual completed two blocks of standing trials at ground level (low postural threat), and on a virtual platform raised 7 m above the ground (high postural threat). Under high compared to low postural threat, individuals demonstrated decreases in self-reported balance confidence and increases in state anxiety and fear. With increased threat, detection rates for visual stimuli increased, independent of the location of the stimulus in the field of view. These findings suggest that detection of visual stimuli is facilitated in threatening environments, likely driven by a combination of emotion, attention and other higher cognitive influences.

先前的研究表明，提高觉醒水平可以增加视觉感知的特定方面。当前的研究调查了身高诱发的姿势威胁对中央和周围视觉目标检测的影响。十名健康的年轻人在低姿势和高姿势威胁的虚拟环境中执行了修改后的有用视野任务。每个人都在地面（低姿势威胁）和高出地面7 m（高姿势威胁）的虚拟平台上完成了两次站立测试。与低姿势威胁相比，在高威胁下，个体表现出自我报告的平衡信心下降，并且状态焦虑和恐惧增加。随着威胁的增加，视觉刺激的检测率增加，而与刺激在视场中的位置无关。