Insect-Human Connection

There are many ways that entomology intersects with a wide variety of fields. Insects are helpful to people in many ways, whether that help be in the form of a protein dense source of food [6], ladybugs providing biocontrol for pests in the field of agriculture [14], or even bees inspiring engineers to make a new kind of surgical needle [4]. Psychologists, however, recognize that insects are not always helpful to every person. While research is lacking on the exact number of people who suffer from entomophobia (fear of insects) it is clear that around 6% of the population has a specific animal based phobia, this of course including insects and other “creepy crawlies”. The fear of cockroaches specifically is among the most common [3]. The treatment for the fear lies within the feared itself. Exposure therapy is the route that most psychologists explore for specific phobias, and small interactions with cockroaches slowly leading up to a general tolerance for the insect can greatly improve understanding of the creature, and quality of life for the person with the fear [10]. 

Because of the prevalence of Katsaridaphobia, people in many different industries have been able to profit off of keeping bugs away. Insecticide brands like Raid and Advion have built their entire enterprises off of people fearing or disliking bugs, and specifically cockroaches, in the home. In addition to this, television and movie media have been able to profit off of fears like this by including bugs in horror productions to creep out audiences everywhere.