An interesting topic is how elevators contributed to the advent of tall buildings. It wasn't actually the invention of the elevator or lift but the invention of the centrifugal brake system. Before the brake was invented, no one would ride in an elevator more than one or two floors for the very reason in the OP. Natural fear of heights and falling.
One of my uncles told me when I was a kid that fear of heights and intelligence was directly correlated. He was a funny guy.
Once the brake came along, the birth of the skyscraper occurred. Before that, there were no tall buildings.