Nature relatedness and snake/spider phobia

We sought to test whether nature relatedness and residence size serve as protective factors to the most common animal fears and phobias (i.e., that of snakes and spiders). We used the Nature Relatedness Scale (NR) to measure the individuals’ subjective connection with nature. Participants (N=1071, aged 18-65 years) were also asked to complete the Snake and Spider Questionnaire (SNAQ and SPQ, respectively) and to rate pictures of snakes and spiders according to valence, arousal, and dominance. To explore complex relationships between various explanatory and response variables, we employed a generalized linear model, redundancy analysis, and structural equation modeling. Results show that snake and spider fear is strongly associated with the NR total score. Participants scoring higher on the SNAQ and SPQ also evaluate snake and spider images more negatively, are more aroused by the stimuli but feel less dominant over them. Moreover, subjects with higher snake or spider fear scored lower on the NR scale, especially its two subscales, Experience and Perspective.本研究旨在检验自然联结性（Nature Relatedness）与居住规模能否作为最常见动物恐惧与恐怖症（即蛇与蜘蛛恐惧）的保护因素。本研究采用自然联结性量表（Nature Relatedness Scale, NR）测量个体与自然的主观联结程度。本研究共招募1071名年龄介于18至65岁的被试，要求其完成蛇恐惧问卷（SNAQ）与蜘蛛恐惧问卷（SPQ），并根据效价、唤醒度与支配度对蛇与蜘蛛图片进行评分。为探究各类解释变量与响应变量间的复杂关联，本研究采用了广义线性模型、冗余分析以及结构方程模型。结果显示，蛇与蜘蛛恐惧与自然联结性量表总分显著相关。在SNAQ与SPQ上得分更高的被试，对蛇与蜘蛛图片的评价更为负面，受刺激物唤醒程度更高，但对刺激物的支配感更低。此外，蛇或蜘蛛恐惧程度更高的被试，在自然联结性量表上的得分更低，尤其体现在其两个子维度——体验子维度（Experience）与视角子维度（Perspective）上。