Do Spiders Ride on the Fear of Scorpions? A Cross-Cultural Eye Tracking Study.

ABSTRACT: Deep fear of spiders is common in many countries, yet its origin remains unexplained. In this study, we tested a hypothesis based on recent studies suggesting that fear of spiders might stem from a generalized fear of chelicerates or fear of scorpions. To this end, we conducted an eye tracking experiment using a spontaneous gaze preference paradigm, with spiders and scorpions (previously neglected but crucial stimuli) as threatening stimuli and grasshoppers as control stimuli. In total, 67 participants from Somaliland and 67 participants from the Czech Republic were recruited and presented with a sequence of paired images. Both Somali and Czech people looked longer (total duration of the gaze) and more often (number of fixations) on the threatening stimuli (spiders and scorpions) when pres

SUBMITTER: Rudolfova V 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9774548 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature