A phone app using augmented reality helps allay the fears of those who suffer from spider phobia.
- In some people, arachnophobia can lead to avoidance strategies to make sure that you don’t have to cross paths with a spider.
- The app, dubbed Phobys, displays a realistic 3D spider model on users’ hands through the phone screen.
Although spiders are essential to our ecosystem, their appearance is a source of terror for many people. In some, this can even go so far as to create a phobic fear, called arachnophobia. Arachnophobia may not seem so serious to some, but it can seriously affect quality of life in extreme cases. To remedy this, Swiss researchers from the University of Basel have developed an application that helps patients overcome their fear of spiders using augmented reality. They presented their results on July 2 in the Journal of Anxiety Disorders.
A binding phobia
In some people, arachnophobia can lead to avoidance strategies to make sure that you don’t have to cross paths with a spider. This can lead to actively avoiding outdoor events, basements, or other places where spiders typically live. Others can’t help but excessively check every corner of a room before getting comfortable. The methods currently used to try to relieve these patients is exposure therapy, which consists of slowly exposing them to the stimuli they fear in a controlled and safe environment.
With this same desire to gently accustom arachnophobic patients to the presence of spiders, scientists sought a way to confront them without actually exposing them. For this, they imagined an application, called Phobys, which displays a realistic 3D spider model on the hands of users through the phone screen. “It’s easier for people with a fear of spiders to deal with a virtual spider than a real one.”, assures Anja Zimmer, lead author of the study, in a press release published on September 20.
Researchers from the University of Basel (@UniBasel_en) have developed an #augmentedreality app for smartphones in order to help people reduce their fear of spiders. @anja_m_zimmer @quervain_de @AndreasPapasso1 #arachnophobia #gamification https://t.co/GNfA520NDD pic.twitter.com/Dm40M47t3g
— MedTectales (@MedTectales) September 22, 2021
Less disgust and fear
To test the application, the researchers conducted a clinical trial involving 66 volunteers. Over a two-week period, half of the participants used the app for 30 minutes a day, while the others did not use Phobys or any other intervention. Before and after the trial period, the researchers showed each participant a real spider in a transparent box. The volunteers had to get as close to the spider as possible without being overwhelmed with fear.
After two weeks, participants who used the app reported less fear of spiders. They also showed less disgust towards them. They managed to get closer than the others to the little beasts.
Nine levels in the app
Concretely, the application offers nine levels allowing users to approach or physically interact with the digital spider according to their comfort. Additionally, the app incorporates a number of “gaming elements” such as sound effects, rewards, and animations to help users stay engaged. The study authors recommend that people with extreme arachnophobia to use Phobys only under the supervision of a professional.
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