Do you want to keep a tarantula as a pet? Do you want to hold one of the most hairy spiders ever? Well if you are freaked out about this you probably have arachnophobia.
To get rid of arachnophobia, the best way is to get up close to them. But how do you that if you are terrified of spiders?
Welcome to Spiderworld! It’s a virtual-reality experience created by scientists at the University of Washington in Seattle.
The experience lets arachnophobes face increasingly close calls with virtual spiders. Then you must face the ultimate test: reaching out to grab a virtual tarantula while you are really touching a fake furry one.
Before this virtual-reality progress wasn’t out, people weren’t able to get 5 feet (1.5 meters) of a real tarantula in a glass cage. Now people manage to get within 6 inches (15 cm.) of it. Now that’s progress!
~Why do you think people are afraid of spiders?~
I am afraid of spiders because many of them are poisonous (like our Redback spider) and because of their movement and because they crawl on their bodies.
Not a particularly rational fear, I know! But I like to keep a distance between me and the animals in my life. Being afraid of spiders is not my greatest fear. They do generally come around this time of year.
Thank you for this useful article. A few years ago I wrote about this virtual progress myself, when it first came out. It seems it has progressed since I wrote about it. I would like to thank all the compassionate psychologists, psychiatrists and counsellors who work with technology to help their patients with their fears and anxieties.
Do you think computers will replace doctors at some future date, Zachary?
Posted by: Bronwyn G | February 16, 2006 at 12:53 PM
Very interesting article. My question would have to be why does size seem to make one more or less fearful of a thing. For example, I really don't mind spiders...I see one,say,"hey little fellow" and scoop it in a cup and throw it outside. That's my normal reaction to a spider. But if it's bigger than a quarter I have to get your dad to do it because I get too nervous. My sister Lynn on the other hand is completely terrified of spiders. It could be the size of a pea and she still will totally freak out. I've seen little spiders that I'd let crawl on my hand about bring her to tears. Here's what is interesting to me. We both grew up in the same house and neither of us ever had any particularly bad experience with spiders so what is it do you think causes a person to have irrational fears? Some scientists believe it begins in infancy. What do you think? I remember when I was three, being at Okefenokee Swamp and the people in the car in front of us were throwing marshmallows into the water. All of the sudden a very big alligator came charging out of the water and I went completely hysterical. I thought it was going to eat my stepdad even though we were safe in the car. Ever since then though I've been VERY afraid of alligators. I have nightmares about them. I even did some crazy things when I was a teenager to try to get over my fear of them but I am still very much afraid. Do you think Lynn maybe had a similiar experience when she was very young...maybe even too young to vocalize her experience? Do you think that could explain atleast some irrational fears?
Posted by: Mom | February 16, 2006 at 09:07 PM
I was just sitting here thinking about all of the spiders that live around our house in warm weather. We are very spider friendly around here because of Zach. I remember about two or three summers ago all the books you checked out about spiders. You became very knowledgeable about them and I'm not sure if you remember or not but the same summer you became so enthralled with spiders we found five black widows around the house outside. I was thinking about Bronwyn's comment, too. I think I remember reading that Australia has more venomous spiders than anywhere else in the world. Is that correct? And perhaps someone reading your comments would have some advice about what to do with the Black Widows we find. I usually lure them into a jar with a stick and then my husband takes them out into the woods far away from any house and releases them. I've had someone tell me I should find someone who studies spiders...maybe a college? My sister says I should just kill them because they are dangerous. I think it's more helpful to keep them alive and give them to someone who makes antitoxins. What do you think?
Posted by: Mom | February 16, 2006 at 09:29 PM
I think it's better to keep the Black Widows around for the benefit of anti-venoms, too.
Maybe some spiderologist (and it sounds like you're one already, Zach!) would have better advice.
It was an interesting story about you and your sister, Robin. I will read it in more detail.
Posted by: Bronwyn G | February 16, 2006 at 10:27 PM
My sister is afraid of them. One time I threw a fake spider at her and she started screaming.
Posted by: Jose-Juan | February 27, 2006 at 10:55 AM
I don't have a huge fear of spiders or any other insects for that matter; however, I don't really have a love for them either. For example, I would not want a tarantula as a pet. My husband treats all spiders with care. He is very cautious and examines every spider we find in our house to make sure it isn't poisonous.
Remember to add your hyperlinks to the article so we can read more if we are interested.
You are doing so great organizing your writing. Just think a few weeks ago, everything you turned in was one paragraph. Now your writing has a beginning, middle, and end. I am proud of you!
Posted by: Mrs. Meeler | February 28, 2006 at 07:06 AM
I like spiders alot and I like to scare my sister with spiders.
Posted by: raul | February 28, 2006 at 09:54 AM
Very well done with the paragraphing, Zach!
I think fifth grade (Grade 5 in Australia) is when students really start to get it about paragraphing.
Though Neville's second graders are doing a fantastic job. You should read them some time!
Posted by: Bronwyn G | February 28, 2006 at 02:32 PM
We do have more venomous spiders than anywhere else in the world. The same applies to snakes.
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