How fear modulates our perception of others

When we get into relationships with people, be they platonic or romantic, we tend to look for the similarities we share; so we find that person attractive, but we also find appealing “the complementing differences we have”.

But when fear enters the stage:

“Fear … distorts our perception of that other person, and we start to look at people as a problem rather than a person.” You also stop seeing those similarities you once saw, the things that brought you together; all you can see are the differences, which have become a threat.
– John-Paul Davies, via The Guardian