Selective arachnophobia - psychology?

[Jackuul]

I used to pretty much kill any intruders (major wolf spider issues in this house) but recently I have figured out that if you use an old jelly jar, and an index card, you can pretty much catch them no matter what. They also cannot climb up the glass from the 20 or so I have captured this month, and they're easy to release.

However if one makes a move toward me and it is on the ground, I react without thinking and usualy pull an air-Jordan, followed by the hunting for anything to trap it with.

 

[VESPidA]

I'm wondering if for those who fear true spiders, does that fear extend to scorpions, etc? I love Ts, am not inclined either way towards true spiders (most likely attributed to lack of exposure), but am really creeped out by scorps. I think that tail just really scares the crap out of me, and they certainly aren't cute and fuzzy in my mind. Not that I would expect to see one running around my house in Philly, but perhaps therein lies the difference? Thoughts?

 

[Sooner]

Tarantulas really don't bother me but I still have a mild arachnophobia when it comes to spindly leg spiders.

Wolf spiders, orb spiders, jumping spiders, and most other spiders don't bother me. But long skinny legs...meh. For some reason, camel spiders and other solifugids bother me..probably from their giant jaws.

Scorpions, centipedes, and millipedes don't bother me at all. I guess it varies from person to person.

 

[tabor]

i've introduced about 100-200 people over the last three years alone to the hobby. most of them are computer nerds who, prior to me making videos and posts about T's, HATED spiders. People would literally weekly post a pic of a hunstman or wolf spider and everyone would be like "OMG the stuff of nightmares!"

Now those same people are some of my best customers.

I think it is an inherent fear, nurtured by other people/society to ridiculous levels. Fortunately, once people see a baby A. versicolor, or hold a G. auerostriata for the first time (or even see a person doing this), they change their minds. Once they see that each spider and species has their own quirks and actually DO stuff... well... then they become addicted

an example: a month ago this young woman HATED spiders. She saw pics of a few slings, ordered a simple G. rosea from me, and now a few weeks later she is up to almost 10 tarantulas