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Re: [Phys-l] ophidiophobia



Very good!

bc thinks that also explains the reaction to excremental smell, etc.

p.s. according to the, unfortunately discredited. Boas student, the Maasai have their dogs lick clean their babies' bottoms.

John Denker wrote:

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.


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