About four percent of the adult, American population has arachnaphobia — a fear of spiders — and of that percentage, women are four times as likely to be afraid.
Researchers concluded that girls have a genetic predisposition to be afraid of dangerous animals like spiders. Coded into our DNA, apparently, is the desire to stay away from dangerous things and protect our children, where men are supposed to be risk-takers and generally less likely to be afraid of spiders. You know — they're the hunters.
The researchers' conclusion seems to be a huge leap to me, but then again, a lot of these studies feel that way! I happen to love spiders and think they're beautiful. If I see one — I consider it good luck and try not to accidentally squish it. Maybe I'm just Goth that way. What about you?
Fornarina
I also love spiders, (dunno if this is Goth, I mean Goths can fear spiders too) I think they're absolutely gorgeous and the bigger and hairier they are the more likely I am to go all wobbly and coo over it. I kinda see them as puppies with too many legs and big fangs.
My partner however is scared crapless of spiders. He HATES them. It's kinda funny when I find one and try to show him.
1OH MY GOD, yes. I can't even look at that picture. They terrify me completely, even the little ones.
2Yes and no. It depends on the spider and whether or not it is touching me.
3that picture's freaking me out!
4Oh my god, just the picture attached to this made me gasp like a little girl!
I have a fairly good reason to have the phobia, though. When my brother was about 3 or 4, a spider laid eggs in his HEAD. EURGHHH!!!! Some breeds of spider do that ... he was at the park with my grandmother and came home with this big pustule on his head. My mom thought it was a mosquito bite, but when he got sick and it got bigger she took him to the doctor. Turns out that a spider had laid eggs in his forehead. The Dr. told my mom not to give him any advil or medication, because if his fever went high enough the eggs would die and dissolve. If it didn't .... they'd hatch (ewww!). Thank the LORD, the eggs dissolved.
I've been utterly petrified ever since.
5I like spiders when they're outside and not on me. Insects are one of those things that fascinate me as long as I'm in control of the situation... but if I see one in the house, or it catches me off guard, I will cry.
6i don't like them or dislike them. I have two tarantulas that I got from my teacher when I was in the 3rd grade, they are only supposed to live a few years but I graduated high school last year and they are still alive.
7I can deal with tiny spiders. But anything large within a foot of me and I will break out in hives all over my body instantly!
8Not really.
9i love spiders but my boyfriend hates them, so this study doesn't really apply always.
10It depends on the spider. If its a tarantula, then yes.
11Actually tarantualas don't bother me so much. I think it's because they're fuzzy and therefore somewhat cute. This reminds me that there is a pretty creepy spider living in my side view mirror. I feel bad killing him, but he's gross.
12I like spiders, but I'm afraid of them at the same time. That probably doesn't make much sense, but it's true. It's kind of how I also like snakes, crocodiles, and sharks. I find all these species incredibly interesting, but that doesn't mean I would want to get up close and personal with any of them.
13I'm not afraid of spiders. I'm afraid of rodents. OMG, rodents terrify me.
14I love spiders! I don't know , I feel like they are a lucky charm
I've been in the
Amazonian jungle and believe I've seen some humongous spiders but I find them kinda mysterious and elegant. Worms on the other side...
15Oh my god, yes! I can't think of anything scarier. Whenever I see one-no matter what size- I start freaking out!
16VERY scared of them. Nearly all insects freak me out, but none as much as spiders.
17I don't go out of my way to touch one and leave them alone if I see one. If it's in the house I just step on it. I don't have a fear of them, but I stay clear. I have an insane fear of cockroaches. Hate those things.
18Holy crap stardust, I think that story may have just scarred me for life.
19Spiders not so much. Mice and snakes scare me.
20I think I have the worst case of arachnaphobia EVER!
21I get really annoyed when people get freaked out by stupid little house spiders (the ones you sometimes find creeping around). I mean I'm not about to make out with a spider, but they don't really bother me.
22I'm okay with most spiders, but FURRY spiders. No. Absolutely not.
That picture is making me squirmy. And yeah, @stardust...I may not sleep very well until I thoroughly exterminate my room. Last thing anyone needs is to become a foster home for baby spiders.
23Not really scared of them, but I definitely don't like them! I'm the spider killer in the house...cuz the male house mate is a squealer when it comes to spiders! Show me a picture of a snake though and I am outta there!!
24I really don't like them. I'm the spider-murderer at home. My method is usually more hands-on, while hub usually uses Raid on 'em.
25Eww, I hate them!
26Yes! I can handle the ones that have very thin legs and look like mini daddy longlegs, but large, thick-legged ones terrify me.
27I used to be crazy afraid of spiders, but not anymore. I lived in Germany for many years and they have these huge, hand sized, furry spiders there that are always in the houses due to there not being any screens on the windows. One night I went to close the window and a spider fell into my long hair. There is nothing worse that can happen to a woman than having a very large spider fall into your hair (as far as spider encounters go, that is). That cured me of my fear. Nothing worse can happen to me.
28It really all depends on the size and danger level!
29Hey superjules- what's with your pic??
30I'm not afraid of them per se, but if I see one, I have to kill it. Kill it dead.
31Terrified! I'm that girl that freaks out, and I've tried to stop but they just freak me out so incredibly much! We were over at a friend's house who had a bunch of gigantic spiders outside and I couldn't sleep that night from having spider nightmares.
32i liked them till i bit by a brown recluse
33Spiders are cute! I think it's weird that grown adults can have so little control over themselves that they freak right out over something so tiny... My roommate has an absolute fit, complete with screaming and crying, that would embarrass most 2-year-olds every time she sees a spider and it's really, really annoying.
You know in your right mind that a teeny bug on the ground poses no threat to you, so how does your brain possibly interpret its presence as a justifiable reason to act completely mental? I just don't get it... I catch them & put them outside (like I do with any pest) and it's no big deal, get over it!
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