America’s biggest fear by states – just in time for Halloween

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Near Halloween each year there are silly fear surveys, like one from Casino.ca titled America’s Biggest Fears Study: What Spooks Each State. They surveyed 3000 Americans asking questions on their biggest fear. The number of states with each of eight fears is shown above on a bar chart. Death was most common, in 17 states, followed by Heights in 8, Snakes in 7, then Enclosed Spaces and Public Speaking - both at 4 and Failure and Spiders - both at 2. The text incorrectly says Snakes were the biggest fear in six states.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another bar chart shows what activities Americans fear. Using a Ouija Board was first at 27%, followed by at tie at 21% for Visiting a Graveyard at Night and Walking Through a Haunted House.

 

Are the results by states significant? Not very. If we divide 3000 people evenly among 50 states, there are only 60 per state. The Margin of Error then is plus or minus 11.5%! That’s pretty awful compared with the 2.8% for a sample of 1000.