Fear of Creepy Crawlies

So, I learned something interesting the other day.

A lot of people are afraid of snakes and spiders.  We know this already.  But what you might find interesting is that we aren't born with this fear.

Photo from mrskingsbioweb.com

You'd think that would make sense, right?  If our ape-like ancestors were afraid of snakes and spiders, which could have been dangerous to us back in our tree-climbing days, they'd probably survive better and pass on those fearful genes to their offspring.

However, this is only partly true.  Yes, it seems to be easier for humans (and monkeys) to learn a fear of spiders and snakes than it is to learn fear of 'nicer' things, like flowers and rabbits.  (That's a matter of opinion, though; I've personally met a few rabbits that I wouldn't want to meet in a dark alley).  You can also teach people to associate mild pain (electric shocks) with photos of snakes and spiders, or rabbits and flowers.  These 'learned' effects last longer with the photos of spiders and snakes, meaning that we're naturally inclined to learn that spiders and snakes could be more harmful than flowers and bunnies.

But, studies have shown that babies aren't naturally afraid of these critters.  These studies show that we're able to notice and recognise these critters more quickly than we recognise other things, most likely because it was very useful for our ancestors to do that in order to avoid getting hurt.  It makes sense, because a lot of the spiders and snakes we lived with while running around the bushes in Africa were venomous.  But we aren't naturally afraid of them; the fear is a learned response, usually learned from our parents, or helped along by the media.

This is something I deal with all the time, especially with conservation education.  It's usually the parents who are afraid, not the kids.  Although it's good to be wary of snakes and spiders, and to teach your kids to be careful so they don't go doing silly things like picking up black widows and rattlesnakes, it's also very detrimental to teach your kids to be afraid of such things. 

Educating kids about a wild garter snake (2010)

Fear generally comes from not understanding something.  Kids who don't get exposed to the 'cool and interesting' side of reptiles and amphibians and insects, and who never get a chance to learn about what these animals are really like, don't grow up with an appreciation for these animals in nature.  Once you lose that appreciation, you close the doors on respect for the natural world.  (Plus, they miss out on a really neat aspect of science!)

Fortunately, lots of kids (and adults!) do get the chance to be exposed to these animals in a positive way at some point in their lives.  Most of the reptile educational events I've been involved with have been incredibly rewarding, because you see both parents and kids learning things they've never had a chance to learn before, and coming away with a new respect for the natural world.  I've even met people who have changed their career goals because they never realised just how neat the natural world can be.


So, if you've never had a chance to get involved with snakes or other creepy-crawlies in an educational setting before, I'd really encourage you to try it out.  They're not nearly as bad as some people (and the media) make them out to be, and you might even come to appreciate them.  It sounds tough if you're someone who's got those fears, but they're truly not as bad as some people seem to think they are.


More about that specific article can be read here. 

Happy herping;
-Tammy