- Joined
- Dec 29, 2002
- Messages
- 285
I was doing a school presentation for a few classes today and I found some really interesting things about stereotypes and peoples fear of spiders. The first class had one kid that kept saying how spiders where in his house all day so that didn’t last to long. But that’s to be expected of a first grader, the second was when I noticed the stereotype in action. Some of the younger girls where scared of the spiders and they didn’t want them near them. But after a while they calmed down and saw that they where not a threat and I was able to walk around with the kitter keeper in my hand so they could see it.
So, compare this to the other classes I had during the day….
The next two where mostly k-3 grade and the teachers where really interested the kids mainly wanted to see the big bugs lots where curious. Those went very well.
However what happened when I got to the 5th graders was unexpected even after a time to adjust to the spiders being there they where still very scared of them unlike the curious 1st graders. I have finally seen for the first time how the media affects the image of spiders of course they do have the instinct not to get near them but the media fuels the engine that makes them look terrifying. The younger children although some where scared after a while showed great curiosity. Then as they where getting closer to teenagers they started to see them as terrifying and tons of them where scared out of there wits. If they have a fear after this stage when their teenagers they usually wont get within 6 feet of a spider. If constantly scared of spiders by the time their adults they get arachnophobia or Severe arachnophobia. My boss had severe arachnophobia she would never put her hand anywhere dark, she wouldn’t sleep because she though spiders where gona come in her sleep if she saw a spider she would freak out and start crying. From her I learned arachnophobia is a severe condition. But I’m starting to think is it mainly fueled by the media or are some people just born with it?
I mean I have never seen someone around 6-7 years old with an extreme fear of spiders.
So, compare this to the other classes I had during the day….
The next two where mostly k-3 grade and the teachers where really interested the kids mainly wanted to see the big bugs lots where curious. Those went very well.
However what happened when I got to the 5th graders was unexpected even after a time to adjust to the spiders being there they where still very scared of them unlike the curious 1st graders. I have finally seen for the first time how the media affects the image of spiders of course they do have the instinct not to get near them but the media fuels the engine that makes them look terrifying. The younger children although some where scared after a while showed great curiosity. Then as they where getting closer to teenagers they started to see them as terrifying and tons of them where scared out of there wits. If they have a fear after this stage when their teenagers they usually wont get within 6 feet of a spider. If constantly scared of spiders by the time their adults they get arachnophobia or Severe arachnophobia. My boss had severe arachnophobia she would never put her hand anywhere dark, she wouldn’t sleep because she though spiders where gona come in her sleep if she saw a spider she would freak out and start crying. From her I learned arachnophobia is a severe condition. But I’m starting to think is it mainly fueled by the media or are some people just born with it?
I mean I have never seen someone around 6-7 years old with an extreme fear of spiders.