Why Are Spiders So Creepy?
WouterSpiders can be extremely frightening. Some people are so afraid of them that they will stomp on them or scream when they see them. But the truth is, spiders are not dangerous. There are only a few cases of humans being killed by spider bites. In comparison to crocodiles, sharks, and venomous snakes, spiders kill fewer people.
A recent study by Stefanie Hoehl and colleagues suggests that the fear of spiders may have its origins in childhood. This is known as spider trauma. The study found that the majority of kids who had arachnophobia also had arachnophobic fears about predators, the dark, fire, and bombs. They ranked predators and kidnapping as their top fears.
While there is no evidence to indicate that children are born with a fear of spiders, researchers have been able to identify the innate factors that contribute to the fear. For example, a recent study found that 6-month-old babies have a higher arachnophobic rate than other babies.
Another study by researchers at the University of Maastricht in the Netherlands suggests that fear of spiders may be a result of trauma experienced during childhood. During the experiment, a test spider climbed on a 3D-printed sphere that was filled with objects that resembled prey. It was unable to be scared by the sphere, but started to be wary of objects with features.
Studies have also shown that fear of spiders is a common feature of other limbed animals. For example, a dog has a similar reaction to a spider. As a result, the animal might not be able to walk properly if a spider were to bite it.
