science+museum+goosebumps

The Science Museum of Minnesota
In order to further research fears and phobias, I visited the //[|Goose Bumps]// exhibit in the [|Science Museum of Minnesota]. Everything there was completely safe.

//Four Rooms of// __Fear __

 * 1) You are attached to a platform that slowly, then very fast, flings you backwards (while still being attached). This is showing the fear of falling.
 * 2) In the second room, you sit in front of a computer. The computer records you while it plays soft, then loud, noise. The computer records your reaction and plays it back to you afterward. This is showing the fear of loud noises.
 * 3) Along the wall is 3 glass cages containing three animals: snakes, tarantulas, and giant african centipedes. Below the cages is a closed area -you can't see behind it- where some animals may have "escaped" their cages and you can reach in to find out. This is showing the fear of animals.
 * 4) You sit down at a table. There are three areas where you can place your finger to recieve a mild shock. You press a button at the station you're sitting at, then, within a few seconds, you will get your shock. This is showing the fear of being shocked.

After you try each room (or not), you turn around and behind you is a rating system on a computer from 1-10 (10 being the most afraid).
 * [[image:http://smm101.blog.friendster.com/files/fearoffalling.jpg width="199" height="300" align="center" caption="The First Room" link="http://www.smm.org/"]] ||
 * The First Room ||

//The Freezing Game//
You wait in-line to go in front of a screen. While you're in front of the screen, the camera basically casts a shadow of your body and projects it onto the screen. The object of the game is to collect as much fruit as you can with your arms, while trying not to be eaten by the cheetah (who is guarding the fruit tree). If the cheetah sees you, your body on the screen turns red with an outline. If the cheetah sees you (and is going to catch you), your body turns red on the screen, If the cheetah doesn't see you while catching fruit, your body is white. The cheetah may see you if move a lot, the less you move, the less of a chance it will see you. This game show how in the wild, poor responses to fear can cost you your life.

//Picture of a// Crowd
Near the freezing game is a life-size picture of about 100 people, sitting in auditorium chairs staring at you. This represents the fear of crowds and of people (social-phobia/anxiety).