Having to watch the classic horror flick 'It' through your fingers, or hoping your friends didn't hire a clown for their child's birthday party could point to signs of having a common, yet misunderstood, phobia.
The fear of clowns, or coulrophobia, can make a person feel uneasy, distressed and even disgusted when they see a clown—maniacal or not. While there is little research on why a character that is supposed to bring joy to people can make them run the other way, one study suggests this fear could be linked to a clowns` exaggerated facial features and behaviour, particularly the way it`s portrayed in popular media.
Researchers at the University of South Wales in the U.K., conducted an international survey online, asking 987 people between the ages of 18 and 77 about the most common reasons why clowns can strike fear into them.
While only five per cent of the respondents said they were "extremely afraid" of clowns, more than 50 per cent said they were afraid to some extent. The study also found this extreme fear was higher among people with other types of phobias including animals, blood, heights and flying.
Researchers found that one of the top reasons why people are afraid of clowns is because of their exaggerated facial features, similar to dolls or mannequins. The study suggests it's the "near-human" makeup that can make a person feel uneasy about clowns. Additionally, the makeup can hide their actual facial expressions which could make a person feel afraid of never knowing exactly how the clown looks and whether they're happy or angry.
"This creates uncertainty as to the character’s intentions; the clown’s painted smile may be concealing anger and aggression and therefore be a potential threat to our safety," the study read.
The "killer clown" depicted in popular media was also a factor in the negative feelings about clowns. This persona can even make harmless clowns, such as McDonald's Ronald McDonald mascot, make people feel uneasy even if those clowns are nothing like the actual killer clown in Stephen King's "It" novel. In 2016, before the film adaptation of King’s novel, a disturbing trend was reported where people in scary clown costumes chased and threatened people in parts of Canada and the U.S.
Research out of the University of Cape Town suggests this phobia should be approached with a more clinical perspective. A 2022 study suggests coulrophobia may have ties to other mental health disorders such as severe anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder or a panic disorder.
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