They look like small ponies. Here you can also find two rats, George and Al, and a tarantula named Matilda. Dr. Baker and his colleagues are using them as stimuli in a study they're conducting. Here's how it works. First, the volunteer is asked to confront the animal.
Pulse rate is measured using a monitor attached to the ear.
Meanwhile, the researcher records the subject's anxiety level as she moves closer and closer to her 6-legged nemesis. Then, during the next 45 minutes, Dr. Baker administers the rather unusual treatment. It's a combination of psychotherapy and self-esteem building. Emotional freedom technique. The cause of all emotional problems is an imbalance of the body's energy system.