How Do Spiders Feel Affection?
If you’ve ever kept a pet spider, you’ve probably wondered how it feels to be touched. It may seem strange, but spiders aren’t just touchy-feely creatures. Rather, their emotional responses are driven by external stimuli.
For example, the most basic emotion-driven behavior is their mating ritual. Female tarantulas will expose their genitals when they mate, and male spiders will walk around on a female’s web. In addition to mating, many species display maternal instinct. They will nurture and protect their young, and can be very affectionate toward their offspring.
Some species also exhibit a complex thought process, and can even adapt to unexpected changes in their surroundings. This includes the ability to sense an unfriendly environment. However, these behaviors are optimized for survival, not social interaction.
Spiders can also demonstrate emotion-driven behaviors, but only in certain conditions. For example, jumping spiders can generate vibrations from their eight legs in order to get information. The same principle applies to a bee, which experiences a lower level of dopamine after experiencing a bad experience.
Similarly, a tarantula will not show any affection or romantic feelings to you, unless you give it food or sex. But, it does have an instinctual need to eat and avoid pain. So, it’s not the best candidate for a pet.
A 2011 study found that a bee can display an emotion-driven behavior by experiencing a negative experience. Another study looked at the ability of fruit flies to exhibit emotion-driven behavior.