Fear of spiders became part of our DNA

[Still Waters]

Arachnophobia could be a product of human evolution, according to new research.

Spiders presented such a great danger to humans during the early evolutionary stages that a fear of the species became part of our DNA.

http://www.independe...s-10156573.html

[owf]

Interesting theory but a lot of people including myself aren't afraid of them. In fact some people keep them as pets and even breed them professionally. They are also a food source in a few cultures and probably more so in the past.

[karmakazi]

I was scared of them at one time. Then I encountered centipedes, and now spiders just don't seem so bad.

Fortunately only a few insects really creep me out... and any mammals, reptiles, amphibians, etc I'm fine with.

[Zalmoxis]

I would say that females are more arachniphobes than us males. That they are genetically fearful of spiders to a default is not surprising.

[aquatus1]

Heck, I'll take whatever excuse anyone wants to give me, as long as they don't interrupt my systematic destruction of any and all spiders in my vicinity.

[DieChecker]

I'd agree that possibly arachnophobia was breed into us, but with the world making everything so easy no one dies of spider bites anymore, so when a mutation occurs and the fear is lost, it has no impetus to be continued. Thus, in modern people, it is being breed back out of us.

Myself, I have no fear of spiders at all, but my kids and wife are deathly afraid.

[Buzz_Light_Year]

Scientist are the same ones that say man is not born with any instincts and that everything is learned. LOL They slay me. rofl.

[DefenceMinisterMishkin]

Makes perfect sense to me, just like a fear of snakes or any other venomous creature that can do us harm.

[She-ra]

I would be perfectly fine if I never saw another spider again the rest of my life PERFECTLY fine with that! We have the brown recluse here too in my parts - they terrify me!

[DefenceMinisterMishkin]

I would be perfectly fine if I never saw another spider again the rest of my life PERFECTLY fine with that!

This makes perfect sense to me..

[She-ra]

I would say that females are more arachniphobes than us males. That they are genetically fearful of spiders to a default is not surprising.

Well I'm pretty sure *some* males are fearful too.

yes? no? I'd run screaming and never return to this house - EVER!

[DefenceMinisterMishkin]

SWEET MOTHER OF #%*#

[She-ra]

SWEET MOTHER OF #%*#

Awe....don't worry little DMM...The fear is in your DNA hee hee! Still Waters told me so!

[DefenceMinisterMishkin]

Well I'm changing my DNA then..

Do not want spiders in my life..

[She-ra]

The brown recluse I spoke of earlier...after they *bite* you the skin turns like black and brown and dies. I was in the ER once getting my back checked out and a guy came in and had one of the bites. It was horrible. Apparently the doctors have to remove the entire chunks of skin and then you're left with a hole where the bite was...that is terrifying! I always check my shoes before I put them on because I heard once the little buggers like to hide in your shoes! no no no no no Okay no more spider talk for me now. I'm getting the heebie jeebies.

[fred_mc]

Yes, I believe that the instinct to be afraid of spiders might very well be something we are born with. However, I think that instinct might go much further back in time than to our human ancestors. I think it might go back as far as to the carboniferous period when the oxygen level of the atmosphere was much higher than today, which resulted in giant spiders (or maybe rather animals related to spiders but if they look like a spider and move like a spider they are still scary) and giant insects (like 45 cm cockroaches and 2.6 meter millipedes). On the other hand, our ancestors of that time where only small lizard-like creatures, just a snack for a spider of that time .

Edited April 6, 2015 by fred_mc

[mynameisachu]

I knew i was not a wimp!

[Ashyne]

I am not in the least afraid of spiders. However, I am phobic of lizards (not the bigger ones but ones like geckos).

[clare256]

I've heard the same thing said about snakes. I'm not convinced that fear is in our DNA.

[DefenceMinisterMishkin]

I've heard the same thing said about snakes. I'm not convinced that fear is in our DNA.

Because some snakes too are venomous.

Any animals most basic instinct is self preservation, so having a fear of anything that could potentially kill you is a good thing.

[bubblykiss]

Well I'm pretty sure *some* males are fearful too.

yes? no? I'd run screaming and never return to this house - EVER!

My first thought was I could take that arachnid in a fist fight.

[DefenceMinisterMishkin]

My first thought was I could take that arachnid in a fist fight.

I would pay good money to watch this.

My money is on you bubbly..

[RedSquirrel]

I guess in some of us, that part of the DNA is weak. It's odd, because I am afraid of almost everything and yet I have bred tarantulas, scorpions and black widows. Heck, one of my favorite pictures of me is with my baby girl (rip) Chaya on my face.

[DefenceMinisterMishkin]

I guess in some of us, that part of the DNA is weak. It's odd, because I am afraid of almost everything and yet I have bred tarantulas, scorpions and black widows. Heck, one of my favorite pictures of me is with my baby girl (rip) Chaya on my face.

GET OUT!

[lightly]

sure, i think we probably are born with lots of instinctive responses .. to all sorts of things.