New Research Into Coulrophobia (the Concern Of Clowns) Suggests Its Fundamental Causes Are Unpredictability And Media Publicity
For those who’ve ever discovered your self feeling uneasy round clowns, you’re not alone.
A new study published on February 2 in the journal Frontiers in Psychology got down to examine the origins of “coulrophobia” (because the concern of clowns is formally recognized), and the outcomes are intriguing.
How prevalent is the concern of clowns?
Coulrophobia has been a extensively documented phenomenon amongst each adults and youngsters in numerous cultures for at the least a century, however its actual prevalence is inconsistent throughout research.
A 2022 survey of adults from 64 countries discovered that 54% of respondents reported having some extent of coulrophobia.
Within the current research, about 47% of respondents mentioned they have been “in no way” afraid of clowns, 34% mentioned “barely afraid” about 14% mentioned “reasonably afraid” and 5% answered that have been have been “extraordinarily afraid” of clowns.
Regardless of the inconsistent figures, there may be clear proof that coulrophobia impacts a good portion of the inhabitants, and the origins and causes of this concern stay unanswered.
Measuring coulrophobia
The researchers, from the College of South Wales within the UK, constructed a device to measure the extent to which a variety of hypothetical causes contributes to the concern of clowns.
They administered their 18-question “Origins of Concern of Clowns Questionnaire” (OFCQ) to 987 adults within the UK, who had a median age of 28.
The researchers discovered broad assist for all the eight components that that they had suspected may play some function. These embody:
- Uncanny valley impact on account of clowns’ “proto” human picture
- Exaggerated facial options that convey a way of risk
- Make-up that hides emotional alerts and creates uncertainty
- (Crimson) make-up that evokes a disgust response on account of affiliation with demise, an infection, or harm
- Unpredictable conduct
- Concern discovered from relations
- Concern discovered from damaging portrayals of clowns in media
- Concern originating from a daunting expertise with a clown.
Surprisingly, the bottom degree was discovered for questions referring to having had a daunting expertise within the presence of a clown.
This means that straightforward, direct conditioning is an inadequate clarification for clown concern within the majority of people.
Topping the checklist: media influences and unpredictability
Although the survey supported a multifaceted clarification, the strongest components have been of media influences and unpredictability/uncertainty about clowns’ (dangerous) intent.
This implies a rational foundation for the concern of clowns. As an illustration, if one has motive to suspect hurt within the presence of a selected stimulus, akin to erratic or threatening conduct, then an aversion to that stimulus is rational.
Likewise, there was numerous assist for information-induced concern by way of the media and widespread tradition. Fright-induced media content material can have sustained results into maturity, significantly from publicity as a baby or teenager. The current research, for instance, makes frequent references to Pennywise, the scary clown from Stephen King’s 1986 horror novel It.
Ladies discover clowns even scarier
The research discovered that extra females reported a concern of clowns in comparison with males, and that their concern was additionally extra extreme. That is much like earlier analysis on different particular phobias like concern of snakes and spiders.
The explanation for this distinction isn’t clear, however some theories counsel that girls could also be extra delicate to potential threats, have stronger reactions to facial expressions, and usually tend to specific their concern.
It will get higher with age
The research additionally discovered that concern of clowns decreases as folks become old, which matches up with different fears associated to particular issues (once more, like spiders or snakes).
A intestine response
The research additionally discovered that there’s a extra instinctive, intestine response concerned in clown concern, much like the response skilled within the presence of fear-relevant stimuli like snakes or spiders.
This implies that there are stimulus properties of clowns that engender such a response, though the precise properties are nonetheless unknown.
Among the clowns which might be usually described as scary do share some widespread bodily attributes, akin to pallor-like make-up with purple accents.
These widespread bodily attributes might contribute to the uncanny valley impact, whereby clowns are not-quite-human in look. And the actual mixture of pallor and redness in a clown’s make-up could also be harking back to illness.
Future analysis
The researchers acknowledge that that is simply the tip of the iceberg in terms of understanding coulrophobia, and that extra analysis is required to uncover the total image.
Nonetheless, this research supplies an enchanting glimpse into the origins of this concern and the way it impacts completely different folks in several methods.
Whether or not it’s by way of hidden emotional alerts, damaging media portrayals, or simply an instinctual response, it’s clear that coulrophobia is a posh and intriguing matter that deserves additional exploration.
Research: “Fear of clowns: An investigation into the aetiology of coulrophobia“
Authors: Philip John Tyson, Shakiela Ok. Davies, Sophie Scorey, and William James Greville
Revealed in: Frontiers in Psychology
Publication date: February 2, 2023
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1109466
