NationStates Jolt Archive

Half of them haven't even been bitten by a spider. Why the irrational fear of little eight-legged critters, most of which aren't dangerous at all?

Half of them haven't even been bitten by a spider. Why the irrational fear of little eight-legged critters, most of which aren't dangerous at all?

Kinda answered your own question there bub. :D

Reread the post. Focus on the irrational part. It isn't a logical or rational choice. It's how I am. I have always been terrified of the little fuckers. It doesn't matter what size they are. Even the tiniest ones cause me pure, unfettered terror.

Because they're so different, and fearing and hating things that are different is an evolutionary successful strategy.

Black Widows, Brown Recluses, and Wolf Spiders are kill on sight in my eyes. I'm not scared of them as much as I see them as a minor threat to my animals and my family.

The little spiders are just cute sometimes.

Half of them haven't even been bitten by a spider. Why the irrational fear of little eight-legged critters, most of which aren't dangerous at all?

Have you looked at a spider? Creepy crawly little freaky-looking buggers. I hate 'em.

But if they stay in the corners or outside and kill off the other bugs, I'm ok with them.

Reread the post. Focus on the irrational part. It isn't a logical or rational choice. It's how I am. I have always been terrified of the little fuckers. It doesn't matter what size they are. Even the tiniest ones cause me pure, unfettered terror.

Irrational fears still have an explanation, that it is irrational doesn't negate the question "Why?".

And I don't believe wolf spiders are in any way a threat.

Irrational fears still have an explanation, that it is irrational doesn't negate the question "Why?".

Yes, but it will be an irrational reason, and will ahve nothing to do with how dangerous spiders really are or whether or not the person in question has ever been bitten by one.

Reread the post. Focus on the irrational part. It isn't a logical or rational choice. It's how I am. I have always been terrified of the little fuckers. It doesn't matter what size they are. Even the tiniest ones cause me pure, unfettered terror.

I'm looking for an answer to the question, "what makes our brains go whack when we see a spider?"

Have you looked at a spider? Creepy crawly little freaky-looking buggers. I hate 'em.

But if they stay in the corners or outside and kill off the other bugs, I'm ok with them.

I have looked at a spider. Two segments of a body and eight legs.

Irrational fears still have an explanation.

No, not always, that's why they're fucking irrational...

I'm scared of the big scary ones, but the wee ones don't bother me much.

Have you looked at a spider? Creepy crawly little freaky-looking buggers. I hate 'em.

:(

Everyone hates our arachnid friends. And they hardly ever kill any of us!

Poor spiders.

I'm looking for an answer to the question, "what makes our brains go whack when we see a spider?"

An evolutionary response maybe.

An evolutionary response maybe.

That's plausible, although interestingly enough arachnophobia is far less common in tropical regions where the the total number of arachnids as well as the number of poisonous species are both far, far higher than in temperate climates where the phobia is more common.

The same thing might be true with fear of snakes; before biology and the classification of species was developed, the only thing we had to rely on in regard to whether or not that spider or snake (or any animal) was poisonous or dangerous was our instincts and whatever we learned from our elders.

So, the safest bet for us if we wanted to avoid being bitten or killed was to kill it or gtfo.

Reread the post. Focus on the irrational part. It isn't a logical or rational choice. It's how I am. I have always been terrified of the little fuckers. It doesn't matter what size they are. Even the tiniest ones cause me pure, unfettered terror.

So the bag of spiders left to crawl all over your bed was a horrible prank? Damn.

As for me, I'm not afraid of spiders. I do hate it when any bug crawls on me though. I hate it with a passion.

No, not always, that's why they're fucking irrational...

No, they are irrational because they do not stem from that actual nature of the source of the fear, they still must have a cause.

S
As for me, I'm not afraid of spiders. I do hate it when any bug crawls on me though. I hate it with a passion.

Actually, I have no problem with bugs. I pick them up, let them crawl on my hand or leg if I'm sitting in the grass, all that stuff. Absolutely no problem whatsoever. In fact, I think most bugs are really cool looking or cute, while spiders are nothing more than terrifying no matter their size or shape (except tarantulas).

But spiders? If one of them craws on me I freak out and try to get away as soon as possible.

That's plausible, although interestingly enough arachnophobia is far less common in tropical regions where the the total number of arachnids as well as the number of poisonous species are both far, far higher than in temperate climates where the phobia is more common.

The same thing might be true with fear of snakes; before biology and the classification of species was developed, the only thing we had to rely on in regard to whether or not that spider or snake (or any animal) was poisonous or dangerous was our instincts and whatever we learned from our elders.

So, the safest bet for us if we wanted to avoid being bitten or killed was to kill it or gtfo.

Or it could be a cultural thing. People observe people disabled or injured by deadly spiders, they warn others away from spiders, and over time it just becomes a a general fear of spiders that is taught to the next generation.

That's not counting the cases where the person was actually bitten, and suffered pain and/or serious condition.

Although what you said about people living in the tropical areas may seem to disprove that. But they're exposed to spiders, bugs and creepy-crawlies all the time. If they get bitten, oh well, the whole village has been bitten thousands of times anyway.

(Edit: Or both.)

Actually, I have no problem with bugs. I pick them up, let them crawl on my hand or leg if I'm sitting in the grass, all that stuff. Absolutely no problem whatsoever. In fact, I think most bugs are really cool looking or cute, while spiders are nothing more than terrifying no matter their size or shape (except tarantulas).

But spiders? If one of them craws on me I freak out and try to get away as soon as possible.

Well, see, the thing is, it's the feeling of the bugs crawling on me that I hate, not the bugs themselves. I have no problem with bugs. It's just that my sense of touch is extra sensitive, so I can feel it that much more and it's just so disgusting and awful and scary that I hate it with a passion.

Or it could be a cultural thing. People observe people disabled or injured by deadly spiders, they warn others away from spiders, and over time it just becomes a a general fear of spiders that is taught to the next generation

And in tropical regions, increased exposure to spiders means that they are far more aware of what is dangerous and what isn't, which means they're less likely to fear them because they have a pretty good idea of what they're working with.

That makes sense.

And in tropical regions, increased exposure to spiders means that they are far more aware of what is dangerous and what isn't, which means they're less likely to fear them because they have a pretty good idea of what they're working with.

That makes sense.

You know, we probably should have just asked a psychiatrist.

You know, we probably should have just asked a psychiatrist.

Actually, a psychologist (specifically an evolutionary psychologist) would be best at discovering the origins of these kinds of traits. Psychiatrists are good at finding out what triggers them in us.

I'm looking for an answer to the question, "what makes our brains go whack when we see a spider?"

That's plausible, although interestingly enough arachnophobia is far less common in tropical regions where the the total number of arachnids as well as the number of poisonous species are both far, far higher than in temperate climates where the phobia is more common.

The same thing might be true with fear of snakes; before biology and the classification of species was developed, the only thing we had to rely on in regard to whether or not that spider or snake (or any animal) was poisonous or dangerous was our instincts and whatever we learned from our elders.

So, the safest bet for us if we wanted to avoid being bitten or killed was to kill it or gtfo.

Or it could be a cultural thing. People observe people disabled or injured by deadly spiders, they warn others away from spiders, and over time it just becomes a a general fear of spiders that is taught to the next generation.

That's not counting the cases where the person was actually bitten, and suffered pain and/or serious condition.

Although what you said about people living in the tropical areas may seem to disprove that. But they're exposed to spiders, bugs and creepy-crawlies all the time. If they get bitten, oh well, the whole village has been bitten thousands of times anyway.

(Edit: Or both.)

And in tropical regions, increased exposure to spiders means that they are far more aware of what is dangerous and what isn't, which means they're less likely to fear them because they have a pretty good idea of what they're working with.

That makes sense.

I don't know. There aren't really THAT many spiders that can actually kill or seriously injure a person (I think <.<) but there are TONS of other animals that can do so - from poisonous fish and sharks to lions and hippos. Hell, poisonous plants have probably killed more people in the history of mankind than animals have, especially when one is looking (as you are) at "early human history".

Yet none of them has so many people so irrationally scared of them.


I remember reading about a theory that it was because the mere way spiders moved (with their way too many legs) actually triggered some innate reflex in our brains. Sounded much more convincing back when I read it. :rolleyes:

But of course then the question would be why most people do *not* have this reflex at all. Or why people are generally not freaked by the way a lobster or a crab or a tick moves, who have just as many legs.

Except me, I'm freaked out by them as well. Not as bad, but if I think about it too long, it's getting there. >.<

Actually, a psychologist (specifically an evolutionary psychologist) would be best at discovering the origins of these kinds of traits. Psychiatrists are good at finding out what triggers them in us.

Err, yes, that's what I meant. I keep getting the two mixed up.

Ifreann won the thread.

Others have good points too. Spiders are very common. No one really wants one getting up in your shit. Want a spider in your bed? How about your food? Of course not. Most people have a healthy aversion to spiders and are not actually phobic in a psychological sense. I dislike them, and get them off of me as soon as I see one, but I'm not phobic and most people aren't.,

Whereyouthinkyougoing:
Yet none of them has so many people so irrationally scared of them.

Maybe it has to do with the fact that piranhas, lions, hippos, etc... are rather noticeable things compared to spiders, and one typically needs some degree of higher reasoning to escape them (seeing as they're much tougher than us).

Where as with a spider, you've suddenly got this creepy alien little predator crawling on your face and the required response is to get it off of you as quickly as possible (reflex), rather than carefully appraising the situation.

But of course, just as wisdom can be passed from generation to generation, so can irrational fears and phobias. And this plays a big part too.

Personally, I find spiders fascinating. And know they are more concerned with eating insects then they are with me.(Which I have no problem with whatsoever!)

Black Widows, Brown Recluses, and Wolf Spiders are kill on sight in my eyes. I'm not scared of them as much as I see them as a minor threat to my animals and my family.

The little spiders are just cute sometimes.

Wolf spiders KOS? For why? Harmless! (http://www.ento.okstate.edu/ddd/insects/wolfspider.htm)
And people get arachnaphobia because they are afraid of spiders, duh ;)

Maybe it has to do with the fact that piranhas, lions, hippos, etc... are rather noticeable things compared to spiders, and one typically needs some degree of higher reasoning to escape them (seeing as they're much tougher than us).

Where as with a spider, you've suddenly got this creepy alien little predator crawling on your face and the required response is to get it off of you as quickly as possible (reflex), rather than carefully appraising the situation.
True. But then again we get all kinds of creepy predators crawling on our faces (well, not really, but we could) and there aren't really that many people that are phobic of beetles or moths or, if you want to stay with the "poisonous/dangerous" thing, of centipedes or bees or wasps. Sure, people don't want to be stung by a bee or wasp, but hardly anyone has an actual bee or wasp phobia.

Maybe it has to do with the fact that piranhas, lions, hippos, etc... are rather noticeable things compared to spiders, and one typically needs some degree of higher reasoning to escape them (seeing as they're much tougher than us).

Where as with a spider, you've suddenly got this creepy alien little predator crawling on your face and the required response is to get it off of you as quickly as possible (reflex), rather than carefully appraising the situation.

And yeah, once you have a lion crawling on your face it's probably not worth your while panicking.

I don't know. There aren't really THAT many spiders that can actually kill or seriously injure a person (I think <.<) but there are TONS of other animals that can do so - from poisonous fish and sharks to lions and hippos. Hell, poisonous plants have probably killed more people in the history of mankind than animals have, especially when one is looking (as you are) at "early human history".

Yet none of them has so many people so irrationally scared of them.


I remember reading about a theory that it was because the mere way spiders moved (with their way too many legs) actually triggered some innate reflex in our brains. Sounded much more convincing back when I read it. :rolleyes:

But of course then the question would be why most people do *not* have this reflex at all. Or why people are generally not freaked by the way a lobster or a crab or a tick moves, who have just as many legs.

Except me, I'm freaked out by them as well. Not as bad, but if I think about it too long, it's getting there. >.<
Ticks freak me out way more than spiders. YUCKO!

Wolf spiders KOS? For why? Harmless! (http://www.ento.okstate.edu/ddd/insects/wolfspider.htm)
And people get arachnaphobia because they are afraid of spiders, duh ;)

Pregnant Wolf Spiders are fairly poisonous, and while humans can just about shrug off the affects; dogs don't fair as well. Two inches my ass, I saw one the size of my friggin hand staring at me on the side of my garage just a week ago. I kicked it and watched the little bastard get up unharmed and scurry off.

And yeah, once you have a lion crawling on your face it's probably not worth your while panicking.Unless there's a spider crawling in his belly fur. *nods*

Ticks freak me out way more than spiders. YUCKO!They're a reaaaaaally close second, to me. Mainly because I can't see their legs move so well because they're too small. And of course you don't see them all that often.

With a spider, it's enough to even catch as much as a glimpse of one when switching channels on the TV or when browsing the net to make my heart skip a beat. It's like the optical information of "Spider!" goes from my eyes straight to my central nervous system quicker than I actually consciously realize what I'm seeing.

Spiders used to freak the living shit out of me... This was, of course, because one bit me on my left eyelid when I was two years old.

I get a bit of a shock when I see a rather large one crawl out from behind something, though. They're kill-on-sight monsters, because they're a wee bit aggressive for my taste. The smaller ones are free to live in my house, because they get rid of the really annoying bugs.

Black Widows and Brown Recluses (the latter being all too common in my area) are to be killed the second they're spotted, because even if they're small, they're still far too dangerous.

Pregnant Wolf Spiders are fairly poisonous, and while humans can just about shrug off the affects; dogs don't fair as well. Two inches my ass, I saw one the size of my friggin hand staring at me on the side of my garage just a week ago. I kicked it and watched the little bastard get up unharmed and scurry off.

I've seen Brown Recluses that were almost as big as my hand (and I don't have a small hand by any measure). And oh yes, they were Recluses, not these "House Spiders" I've read about.

One look at the abdomen is a sure sign of a Brown Recluse. And one bite can do enough damage to require a goddamn finger to be amputated.

I've seen Brown Recluses that were almost as big as my hand (and I don't have a small hand by any measure). And oh yes, they were Recluses, not these "House Spiders" I've read about.

One look at the abdomen is a sure sign of a Brown Recluse. And one bite can do enough damage to require a goddamn finger to be amputated.

My uncle lost his calf (leg not baby cow :p) because of one of those bastards. I've only seen the ones that are about the size of a quarter, but I've also seen friggin banana spiders the size of my hand before. Talk about a sick looking thing.

Alright, we seem to have reached the point in the thread where it's only a matter of time until 1) the stories creep me out too much and 2) someone's going to post a pic, and not as a friendly link like Curious Inquiry did, either.

So I'm totally running away now. If they find an explanation for the OPs question, somebody send me a TG, will ya?

My uncle lost his calf (leg not baby cow :p) because of one of those bastards. I've only seen the ones that are about the size of a quarter, but I've also seen friggin banana spiders the size of my hand before. Talk about a sick looking thing.

Banana Spiders are... Well, I don't think words can describe them. They jump, so that's enough to make anyone a bit queasy around them.

And about Recluses being so huge, it's probably a local thing, just like the unbelievably gigantic skunks in central Texas (read: the middle of fucking nowhere). I'm talking the size of an Alaskan Husky.

Unless there's a spider crawling in his belly fur. *nods*

Haha, well yes, that would be time to panic :p

One look at the abdomen is a sure sign of a Brown Recluse. And one bite can do enough damage to require a goddamn finger to be amputated.

The violin shape is not a distinguishing characteristic. Several spiders have them, including a wolf spider, which is probably what you saw. Oh, and necrosis only occurs in a small fraction of brown recluse bites.

Most people would argue that it is a throwback to our ancient past, the same for snakes etc..

Now this may be true, but I was reading something, somewhere a few weeks back that suggested all such behaviour is learnt.

I'm scared of the little devils myself and as far as I can remeber I always have been, but so is my Mum. Now did I pick that up from her, or is it some deep rooted fear left over from our cavemen times? I dunno!

Also, arachnophobia is a mental disorder.

People with arachnophobia can't even look at pictures of spiders without screaming. My half sister is arachnophobic and she had to quietly call me whenever she saw one, and after I shuffled the little guy outside she'd sit against a wall acting as if she'd nearly died.

Most people aren't that bad, just don't like the little buggers.

Cause they're regarded as dirty vermin. People used to be the same way about rats and mice, until those were turned into pets.

For me, I remember a time when I was small when spiders wouldn't scare me. But then, in kindergarden, my best friend started the "I'm scared of spiders" thing, screaming at the top of her lungs whenever she saw something that looked remotely like it might have 8 legs, and I screamed along with her. For fun at first. And then, after a while, cause they suddenly really scared me... :(

Half of them haven't even been bitten by a spider. Why the irrational fear of little eight-legged critters, most of which aren't dangerous at all?

They give me the creeps - they're so alien and eerie.

Cause they look ugly

They give me the creeps - they're so alien and eerie.

I'lld half second that, nice title btw *pimp*

They give me the creeps - they're so alien and eerie.

Damn so we have had alien contact?

Remember Zapp Brannigan and the "Spiderians"?

"They actually weaved this tapistry of me killing them while I was killing them."

Damn so we have had alien contact?

Remember Zapp Brannigan and the "Spiderians"?

Remember Zapp Brannigan and the "Spiderians"?

Ummm nope?:confused:

Half of them haven't even been bitten by a spider. Why the irrational fear of little eight-legged critters, most of which aren't dangerous at all?

I dunno why. I encourage the spiders. I like 'em.

Half of them haven't even been bitten by a spider. Why the irrational fear of little eight-legged critters, most of which aren't dangerous at all?

That fear makes life interesting for people like me.

I used to have a spider in my bathroom, and I let him live there and if he left his house, I would put him back in. He kept the bugs out, so, I liked him. he paid his rent unlike my stupid, useless cat.

The best art was telling my best friend, who has acute arachnophobia, after the fact, that she had shared a bathroom with a spider. Her reaction was interesting and I didn't turn as black and blue as expected.

I'll admit, from what I know, it is pretty irrational.

In the third LoTR movie, there is a scene where Sam has to fight big spiders, after Frodo gets his wee little hobbit ass kicked, my friend can't watch it and she loves the trilogy...

She can't watch this part, but in the themed-gamed, in the same scene, she will play through, but according to her mother there are is a lot of screaming...

"They actually weaved this tapistry of me killing them while I was killing them."

"Show them my medal Kiff."

People with arachnophobia can't even look at pictures of spiders without screaming. My half sister is arachnophobic and she had to quietly call me whenever she saw one, and after I shuffled the little guy outside she'd sit against a wall acting as if she'd nearly died.


My girlfriend is affected by a severe ophiophobia (fear of snakes) and she can't even look at a drawing (not a photo!) of a snake; she also doesn't like even talking or thinking about the slithering things. Severe phobias usually make people act like that.

Damn so we have had alien contact?

Well, don't you find interesting that, when in sci-fi you have to picture a completely "alien" (both in looks and behaviour) extraterrestrial life form, spiders and buggers are the most used? They are extremely different from the descendants of prehistorical fishes like mammalians, reptiles, birds... they got composite eyes, external mandibles, exoskeleton, more than 4 legs...

Examples: the Buggers (Formics) in the Ender books. The "spiders" in Starship Troopers. The Verpines in the Star Wars EU. The "spiders" (again) in one of the Orion books. "Tarantula" from its namesake movie...

Frickin' aliens.

Half of them haven't even been bitten by a spider. Why the irrational fear of little eight-legged critters, most of which aren't dangerous at all?
Well, I've never been shot before, but I know enough to understand that it's generally bad. :p

I fucking HATE spiders. HATE THEM.

How I react is usually dependant upon how close they are to me and what kind of surface they're on.

If they're more than ten feet away from me, I'm able to judge their size and see if I wanna take them out. If they're farther, I'm usually too scared to get closer. If they're closer, I usually flip out.

If I can gauge them, and they're on a hard, flat surface, their ass is fucked by a napkin being propelled by a fist. If they're too far, I get my gf to kill it. If it's too close, I flip out and either dive across the room or pound my fist directly at the spider wildly, being increasingly crazed by the idea of having dead spider bits on my fist but still going - until eventually I dive across the room and look behind me to see if it's still there, and if not, I begin the pat-down of myself to make sure nothing's on me, and it's THOROUGH shit.


I HATE SPIDERS.

I fucking HATE spiders. HATE THEM.

How I react is usually dependant upon how close they are to me and what kind of surface they're on.

If they're more than ten feet away from me, I'm able to judge their size and see if I wanna take them out. If they're farther, I'm usually too scared to get closer. If they're closer, I usually flip out.

If I can gauge them, and they're on a hard, flat surface, their ass is fucked by a napkin being propelled by a fist. If they're too far, I get my gf to kill it. If it's too close, I flip out and either dive across the room or pound my fist directly at the spider wildly, being increasingly crazed by the idea of having dead spider bits on my fist but still going - until eventually I dive across the room and look behind me to see if it's still there, and if not, I begin the pat-down of myself to make sure nothing's on me, and it's THOROUGH shit.


I HATE SPIDERS.


^^This sounds awfully similar to my reaction, except the killing part, I always get my fiancee to do it, without exeption...
I love spiders, as long as I don't have to see them, think about them or hear about them... brrr!

I fucking HATE spiders. HATE THEM.

How I react is usually dependant upon how close they are to me and what kind of surface they're on.

If they're more than ten feet away from me, I'm able to judge their size and see if I wanna take them out. If they're farther, I'm usually too scared to get closer. If they're closer, I usually flip out.

If I can gauge them, and they're on a hard, flat surface, their ass is fucked by a napkin being propelled by a fist. If they're too far, I get my gf to kill it. If it's too close, I flip out and either dive across the room or pound my fist directly at the spider wildly, being increasingly crazed by the idea of having dead spider bits on my fist but still going - until eventually I dive across the room and look behind me to see if it's still there, and if not, I begin the pat-down of myself to make sure nothing's on me, and it's THOROUGH shit.


I HATE SPIDERS.

Well, compared to you, I'm practically in love with them. I actively move them from harm's way, up to and including putting them out of the reach of people like you. When I walk through strands of spider-silk at night, I'm always careful to (gingerly) pat myself down - so as to avoid killing them inadvertently in the folds of my clothing.

ive thought long and hard about this one over the years, its my opinian that a fear of spiders could be a legitimate evolutionry response to much harder times.
lets go back a few billion years to one of the earliest stages of life on earth when there were were only two main groups dominating the seas. the arthropods ( mainly scorpions some of witch were the size of large cars) and theyre prey the vertabrates ( plucky little blind fish that would eventually become all mamal, bird, amphibious, fish and even dinosaur life on the planet)
back in the day a fear of such arthropods would have kept many vertabrates alive, the vertabrates without the fear would have died. the scorpions direct descendent is the spider and though they pose little danger to us now we may still have that peice of genetic memory residing in our brains.
similar to the way that newborn babies can instictively hold their breath in water or grip so hard that they could support themselves on a washing line for hours.

So you mean to say that our arachnophobia is a result of the several billion year conflict between descendants of vertebrates and arthropods that we have been hitherto largely unaware of? Interesting.

We've been at war with spiders for years and never knew it.

So you mean to say that our arachnophobia is a result of the several billion year conflict between descendants of vertebrates and arthropods that we have been hitherto largely unaware of? Interesting.

We've been at war with spiders for years and never knew it.

High time we make our peace with them, imo.

So you mean to say that our arachnophobia is a result of the several billion year conflict between descendants of vertebrates and arthropods that we have been hitherto largely unaware of? Interesting.

We've been at war with spiders for years and never knew it.

all out war too. one of the earliest spiders was a burrower, i cant remember its name right now, its body was about the size of a human head. it would set up a network of webbing outside of theyre burrow ( much like the funnel-web spider does today) and wait for a passing mamal to pass by, when the trap was activated the spider would spring out andf pull the animal into the burrow, it would then deliver a poison that would liquify the creatures insides to make it into a tasty drink. the burrows were always the right size too because the spiders, having no natural digging ability, would steal them from mammals in the first place.

http://www.amonline.net.au/factsheets/funnelweb.htm check out this link and just imagine a giant version that wants you in its belly!

talking about irrational fears? watch this. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tUk_3eKL9Xk)

Well, don't you find interesting that, when in sci-fi you have to picture a completely "alien" (both in looks and behaviour) extraterrestrial life form, spiders and buggers are the most used? They are extremely different from the descendants of prehistorical fishes like mammalians, reptiles, birds... they got composite eyes, external mandibles, exoskeleton, more than 4 legs...

Examples: the Buggers (Formics) in the Ender books. The "spiders" in Starship Troopers. The Verpines in the Star Wars EU. The "spiders" (again) in one of the Orion books. "Tarantula" from its namesake movie...

Frickin' aliens.

Heheh say thats not a bad theory, excepting that it sorta all falls down when we comsider the Ewoks!:p

I don't know. I for one do have Aracnophobia, I'm not sure why really, maybe something bad happend to me when I was but a young child. Personally I know not all spiders are toxic but there is that unknown quality. Which one is a garden variety spider and which one is a brown recluse (which has some pretty bad effects if bitten) Obviously some are easy to tell like a Black Widow but still, it's the fear of the unknown which will kill you and wich will make you itch for a few days?

ive thought long and hard about this one over the years, its my opinian that a fear of spiders could be a legitimate evolutionry response to much harder times.
lets go back a few billion years to one of the earliest stages of life on earth when there were were only two main groups dominating the seas. the arthropods ( mainly scorpions some of witch were the size of large cars) and theyre prey the vertabrates ( plucky little blind fish that would eventually become all mamal, bird, amphibious, fish and even dinosaur life on the planet)
back in the day a fear of such arthropods would have kept many vertabrates alive, the vertabrates without the fear would have died. the scorpions direct descendent is the spider and though they pose little danger to us now we may still have that peice of genetic memory residing in our brains.
similar to the way that newborn babies can instictively hold their breath in water or grip so hard that they could support themselves on a washing line for hours.


Heh well I refer you to post #40

Because its "cute" for women to fear bugs.

Also, its a cultural trait. People learn from their parents/movies/friends etc,

Once I was at my grandma´s house in the country, and when I went with my mother and sister to the kitchen, there was a huge spider there. We all thought it was a toy, because it COULDNT be real, since it was as big as my open hand.

Then it moved. My sister ran away outside. It went to the floor. My mother started running. Then, it started coming at me. I ran like there was no tomorrow.

Looking back, I saw the spider coming towards me. Then my 75 years old grandma saw the spider, and got a broom. Then it was the SPIDER that was running.

So, you see, even big spiders like the caranguejeira ( http://www.bioterium.com.br/imagens/Aracnideos/CaranguejeiraNaMao.JPG ) are nothing but bugs, and are much weaker than any human. Even grandma´s.

I don't know. I like spiders, they eat the flies.