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Re: [Phys-l] ophidiophobia



On 10/17/2007 03:53 PM, Bernard Cleyet wrote:

I've read, without much authority, that ophidiophobia is hard wired.

Not in my gene pool it isn't.

I've watched lots of babies interact with snakes and tarantulas.
Starting before they can walk, babies orient on the creature and
move toward it.

Part of the deal is that in my tribe, the first time a baby sees
such a creature, their big sister (or Uncle John) is holding it
(or, more likely, wearing it on their shoulder).

From everything I've read (on the authority of Konrad Lorentz and
others) and from everything I've observed, I reckon such phobias
are easily learned. For example, if there were a tarantula in
the middle of the floor and everybody started screaming and running
away, the baby would learn to fear tarantulas.

There's a rule in my tribe that nobody is allowed to pick up a
wild snake unless they can say what kind of snake it is. But
they have to be taught that rule; it is not hard-wired.