Choosing Illustrations of Spider (Faces) for Best First Impressions in Natural History Interpretive Programs A Program Component Analysis

This study demonstrates that faces of spiders that are neotenic are perceived as less scary than others, if not cute. A convenience sample of adults (n=69) at a university distributed 15 photographs spider faces along a ruler based on perceived scariness. Six of the seven photographs of jumping spiders (Family Salticidae) were ranked as least scary. Results suggest that using illustrations of jumping spiders to create a positive affective first impression in interpretive programs about spiders is a reasonable assumption. Spiders in the jumping spider family may be viewed as a –gateway spider.” This study illustrates a research and design approach termed Program Component Analysis (PCA), in which a design question for only a component of a program is subjected to systematic analysis.