
Fear of Spiders Can Develop Before Birth - mariorz
http://www.livescience.com/animals/fear-of-spiders-100218.html
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hopeless
This is the previous study that was cited in the article:
<http://phobias.about.com/od/research/a/snakeandspidpho.htm>

(I'm sure I read it in the dead-tree version on the New Scientist but can't
find it now).

What's interesting is that the children simply paid more attention to
spider/snake-like shapes rather than actually fear them. This seems to have
been the case with both of my children who have been fascinated by spiders
from an early age and will spot them from across the room. I encourage the
curiosity and discourage the fear (we're in Ireland after all).

For some reason, I think it's more plausible that we have a genetic
predisposition to pay attention to spiders/snakes rather than the emotional
fear response. Perhaps that distinction isn't present in crickets?

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bpd1069
This is awesome stuff, esp. in regards to epigenetics.

wiki: "In biology, and specifically genetics, epigenetics is the study of
inherited changes in phenotype (appearance) or gene expression caused by
mechanisms other than changes in the underlying DNA sequence, hence the name
epi- (Greek: επί- over, above) -genetics. These changes may remain through
cell divisions for the remainder of the cell's life and may also last for
multiple generations. However, there is no change in the underlying DNA
sequence of the organism;[1] instead, non-genetic factors cause the organism's
genes to behave (or "express themselves") differently.[2]"
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epigenetics>

A further round of study would be exposure to a spider of female crickets and
male crickets before pregnancy, and another would be to see if there are any
lasting changes passed in successive generations.

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nervechannel
a). They didn't link to the study. Or if they did, not anywhere I could see.
Inexcusable in 'science' journalism!

b). Any control group on the babies to see if it's actually fear of spiders
they learnt, or just fear?

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mfukar

      Any control group on the babies to see if it's actually fear of spiders they learnt, or just fear?
    

What would comprise the control group? Psychopath baby crickets?

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streety
I'm not sure what the cricket equivalent would be but in a mouse model open
space and bright space anxiety tests would be a reasonable approach to
understanding whether the anxiety is general or specific to spiders.

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nervechannel
Exactly. Something else scary that doesn't resemble a spider.

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yhvh
When your mother has spiders in her womb you have a right to be scared.

