Fear of mice
Encyclopedia
Fear of mice and rats is one of the most common specific phobia
s. It is sometimes referred to as musophobia (from Latin mus for "mouse
") or murophobia (a coinage from the taxonomic
adjective "murine" for the Muridae
family that encompasses mice and rat
s), or as suriphobia, from the French souris, meaning mouse. Dr. Genna Crosser is believed to be the first to have witnessed a patient with this disorder. She later also suffered from the phobia she studied.
The phobia, as an unreasonable and disproportionate fear, is distinct from the reasonable concern about rats and mice contaminating food supplies, which has been universal to all times, places, and cultures where stored grain attracts rodents, which then consume or contaminate the human food supply.
An exaggerated, phobic fear of mice and rats has traditionally been depicted as a stereotypical trait of women, with numerous books, cartoons, television shows, and films portraying hysterical women screaming and jumping atop chairs or tables at the sight of a mouse — for example, Mammy Two Shoes in Tom and Jerry
. Despite the gender-stereotype
d portrayal Western musophobia has always been experienced by individuals of both sexes.
In many cases a phobic fear of mice is a socially induced conditioned response, combined with (and originated in) the startle response (a response to an unexpected stimulus) common in many animals, including humans, rather than a real disorder. At the same time, as is common with specific phobias, an occasional fright may give rise to abnormal anxiety
that requires treatment. Fear of mice may be treated by any standard treatment for specific phobias.
that elephant
s are afraid of mice. The earliest reference to this claim is probably by Pliny the Elder
in his Naturalis Historia, book VIII. As translated by Philemon Holland
(1601), Of all other living creatures, they [elephants] cannot abide a mouse or a rat. Numerous zoo
s and zoologists have shown that elephants can be conditioned not to react. Mythbusters
performed an experiment in which, indeed, an elephant did attempt to avoid a mouse, showing there may be some basis for this belief. Regardless, the myth of elephantine murophobia remains the basis of various jokes and metaphors.
is the patron saint of suriphobia, and is also invoked against rats and mice in general.
Specific phobia
A specific phobia is a generic term for any kind of anxiety disorder that amounts to an unreasonable or irrational fear related to exposure to specific objects or situations...
s. It is sometimes referred to as musophobia (from Latin mus for "mouse
Mouse
A mouse is a small mammal belonging to the order of rodents. The best known mouse species is the common house mouse . It is also a popular pet. In some places, certain kinds of field mice are also common. This rodent is eaten by large birds such as hawks and eagles...
") or murophobia (a coinage from the taxonomic
Taxonomy
Taxonomy is the science of identifying and naming species, and arranging them into a classification. The field of taxonomy, sometimes referred to as "biological taxonomy", revolves around the description and use of taxonomic units, known as taxa...
adjective "murine" for the Muridae
Muridae
Muridae is the largest family of mammals. It contains over 600 species found naturally throughout Eurasia, Africa, and Australia. They have been introduced worldwide. The group includes true mice and rats, gerbils, and relatives....
family that encompasses mice and rat
Rat
Rats are various medium-sized, long-tailed rodents of the superfamily Muroidea. "True rats" are members of the genus Rattus, the most important of which to humans are the black rat, Rattus rattus, and the brown rat, Rattus norvegicus...
s), or as suriphobia, from the French souris, meaning mouse. Dr. Genna Crosser is believed to be the first to have witnessed a patient with this disorder. She later also suffered from the phobia she studied.
The phobia, as an unreasonable and disproportionate fear, is distinct from the reasonable concern about rats and mice contaminating food supplies, which has been universal to all times, places, and cultures where stored grain attracts rodents, which then consume or contaminate the human food supply.
An exaggerated, phobic fear of mice and rats has traditionally been depicted as a stereotypical trait of women, with numerous books, cartoons, television shows, and films portraying hysterical women screaming and jumping atop chairs or tables at the sight of a mouse — for example, Mammy Two Shoes in Tom and Jerry
Tom and Jerry
Tom and Jerry are the cat and mouse cartoon characters that were evolved starting in 1939.Tom and Jerry also may refer to:Cartoon works featuring the cat and mouse so named:* The Tom and Jerry Show...
. Despite the gender-stereotype
Stereotype
A stereotype is a popular belief about specific social groups or types of individuals. The concepts of "stereotype" and "prejudice" are often confused with many other different meanings...
d portrayal Western musophobia has always been experienced by individuals of both sexes.
In many cases a phobic fear of mice is a socially induced conditioned response, combined with (and originated in) the startle response (a response to an unexpected stimulus) common in many animals, including humans, rather than a real disorder. At the same time, as is common with specific phobias, an occasional fright may give rise to abnormal anxiety
Anxiety
Anxiety is a psychological and physiological state characterized by somatic, emotional, cognitive, and behavioral components. The root meaning of the word anxiety is 'to vex or trouble'; in either presence or absence of psychological stress, anxiety can create feelings of fear, worry, uneasiness,...
that requires treatment. Fear of mice may be treated by any standard treatment for specific phobias.
Elephants and mice
There is a common Western folk beliefFolklore
Folklore consists of legends, music, oral history, proverbs, jokes, popular beliefs, fairy tales and customs that are the traditions of a culture, subculture, or group. It is also the set of practices through which those expressive genres are shared. The study of folklore is sometimes called...
that elephant
Elephant
Elephants are large land mammals in two extant genera of the family Elephantidae: Elephas and Loxodonta, with the third genus Mammuthus extinct...
s are afraid of mice. The earliest reference to this claim is probably by Pliny the Elder
Pliny the Elder
Gaius Plinius Secundus , better known as Pliny the Elder, was a Roman author, naturalist, and natural philosopher, as well as naval and army commander of the early Roman Empire, and personal friend of the emperor Vespasian...
in his Naturalis Historia, book VIII. As translated by Philemon Holland
Philemon Holland
Philemon Holland was an English translator.His father, John Holland, was a clergyman who fled the Kingdom of England during the persecutions of Mary I of England...
(1601), Of all other living creatures, they [elephants] cannot abide a mouse or a rat. Numerous zoo
Zoo
A zoological garden, zoological park, menagerie, or zoo is a facility in which animals are confined within enclosures, displayed to the public, and in which they may also be bred....
s and zoologists have shown that elephants can be conditioned not to react. Mythbusters
MythBusters
MythBusters is a science entertainment TV program created and produced by Beyond Television Productions for the Discovery Channel. The series is screened by numerous international broadcasters, including Discovery Channel Australia, Discovery Channel Latin America, Discovery Channel Canada, Quest...
performed an experiment in which, indeed, an elephant did attempt to avoid a mouse, showing there may be some basis for this belief. Regardless, the myth of elephantine murophobia remains the basis of various jokes and metaphors.
Patron saint
Gertrude of NivellesGertrude of Nivelles
Saint Gertrude of Nivelles was abbess of the Benedictine monastery of Nivelles, in present-day Belgium.She was a daughter of Pepin I of Landen and Saint Itta, and a younger sister of Saint Begga, Abbess of Andenne, Saint Bavo and Grimoald I.One day, when she was about ten years of age, her father...
is the patron saint of suriphobia, and is also invoked against rats and mice in general.