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Ask Dr. Universe Psychology
University Communications Network > Ask Dr. Universe > Academic Subjects > Social Sciences > Psychology

Insects are scary to me. Should I be afraid of bugs? Can you help me not be afraid please? – Devyn, 6, Ohio

Dear Devyn,

I love insects, but—between you and me—I’m a little scared of spiders. I’ve been nervous around them ever since I was a kitten.

I talked about our fears with my friend Paul Strand. He’s a psychologist at Washington State University.

He told me that anxiety about insects or spiders is common. Some people even have phobias of them. That’s an intense fear that causes distress.

Many common fears involve things that were probably dangerous to our ancestors—like snakes, the dark, heights and social rejection.

Strand told me that being afraid of insects is similar.

“It’s almost like a double whammy,” he said. … » More …

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Why do we get fidgety when we're bored? I have ADHD, and a lot of other people in my school do, too, so I’ve always wondered this. – Amelia, 11, Utah

Dear Amelia,

Sometimes when I’m in a boring meeting, my tail starts twitching. Or I gently rock my office chair.

I asked my friend Amanda Stueber why that helps me. She’s a psychologist at Washington State University. One thing she studies is attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

She told me that boredom happens when you have less stimulation. That means you don’t have much information coming in from your senses. Like what you see, hear, smell, taste and feel.

When there's no new or interesting info coming in, you start to feel bored and tired. The less stimulation you have, the sleepier you get.

But you can’t just fall asleep wherever you are! So you might play with your hands, bounce your legs or shift your whole body. You may doodle, click your pen or twirl your hair.

That’s your body’s way to keep you awake.

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Why can’t we tickle ourselves? – Malcolm, 3, Washington

Dear Malcolm,

I was surprised the first time I saw a human transform into a tickle monster. They curled up their fingers and rhythmically poked someone else’s armpits. That is something a cat would never do.

I asked my friend John Wright about it. He’s a retired psychology professor at Washington State University.

I learned that there are two kinds of tickling.

The first is the light tickle you feel when someone gently brushes your skin. Like when someone uses a feather to barely touch the inside of your arm. Scientists call that knismesis.

It turns out you can totally tickle yourself that way. But the feeling will be much more tickly if someone else does it.

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Why do we change our minds? – Stella, 10, Tennessee

Dear Stella,

As a science cat, I’ve changed my mind a lot over the years. I used to wear a fancy neck scarf called a cravat all the time. Now I’m comfy in my lab coat.

I talked about that with my friend Makita White. She’s a graduate student in the psychology department at Washington State University.

She told me that we change our minds when we get new information or insight that tells us we need to make a different choice.

It turns out that we have lots of opinions and beliefs. They’re also called attitudes. We have attitudes about what we like to eat or wear. We have attitudes about other people and how the world should be.

White told me that having attitudes helps us out.

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Why do some people just seem so much smarter than others, no matter how hard I try to be good at studies? – Alexa, 12, Hong Kong

Dear Alexa,

As a science cat, I talk to some of the smartest scientists on the planet. It can be intimidating. Especially when I talk with people who are experts at things that are hard for me.

I talked about what it means to be a good student with Kira Carbonneau. She’s an educational psychologist at Washington State University.

She told me that everyone grows and learns at different rates. Just like people learn to walk or talk or ride a bike at different rates.

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Why do babies cry? – Camren, 7, Indiana

Dear Camren,

I was a very quiet kitten. I only cried when I needed something. But some kittens in my litter cried all the time.

I talked about this with my friend Masha Gartstein. She’s a psychology professor at Washington State University. She studies how babies develop different temperaments. That’s how you relate to the world around you in a way that’s unique and fairly consistent.

Gartstein told me babies cry because they’re helpless. They need a way to signal that they need something.

“Babies are born into this world needing a lot of assistance—and without a lot of communication tools,” she said. “Crying is a very powerful communication tool.”

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Dr. Universe: Do babies have ways of communicating? –Jalen, 12, North Carolina

Dear Jalen, Babies can communicate in a few different ways. For the most part, they use their emotions. Humans come into the world crying, but that’s actually a good thing. In a way, babies start communicating from the moment they are born. Of course, it can be hard for their caregivers to know exactly what they mean with all those cries. Read More ...

Why do we have different feelings? - Charan and Aishwarya V., 10 & 8, Rutherford, New Jersey

Dear Charan and Aishwarya,

Imagine you are playing a game of soccer and your best friend is on the opposing team. The sun is out, you are having a great time, and you score the winning goal. You’d probably feel pretty happy and so would your team.

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Are we getting lazier? -Aaryan, 9, Timber Ridge

Dear Aaryan,

We cats have a reputation for being lazy. We sleep a lot. But the truth is when I got your question, I didn’t know much about laziness. So, I decided to talk about it with a couple of psychologists here at Washington State University.

My first stop was the Psychology of Physical Activity Lab. That’s where I met up with my friend, Professor Anne E. Cox.

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