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A large number of people experience real coulrophobia, the fear of clowns. Even if it isn't a full-fledged phobia, most would agree that clowns can be pretty unsettling. But have you ever considered why? A clown, at its core, is just a person in exaggerated makeup and colorful attire, yet they often evoke discomfort. Why is that?
10. The Everlasting Smile
Clowns' constant, painted smiles are strangely unsettling. Logically, we know that this bright red grin is artificial. However, it creates a barrier in recognizing real emotions, making it harder to connect with the person behind the makeup.
Johnny Depp once shared that as a child, he would have nightmares about clowns. He believes that their painted smiles make it impossible to determine whether they are genuinely happy or secretly hiding sinister intentions, perhaps even plotting to 'bite your face off'.
This artificial smile creates a sense of discomfort for most people. As social beings, we rely on reading each other’s emotional signals to build relationships, make friends, or even engage in casual conversation. Now, picture trying to converse with someone who never ceases to smile, not even for a second.
In an article for Psychology Today, Dr. Jordan Gaines Lewis explained that a clown’s painted grin limits the emotional signals we can interpret from their face. Clowns also often compel us to smile back, even if we don’t feel like doing so at that particular moment. In the best case, this can make us feel awkward or annoyed, but for those who have a true fear of clowns, this pressure only amplifies the terror.
9. They’re Unpredictable and Unreliable
Clowns are wild and unpredictable, and a big part of their humor comes from the surprise of never knowing what they will do next. They might cram 20 of their friends into a tiny car, squirt you with water from a flower pinned to their shirt, or even splatter you with a pie. A clown’s persona thrives on performing outrageous acts that defy normal behavior.
People generally feel more at ease when they can follow a predictable routine, and they often experience stress or anxiety when their lives become chaotic, uncertain, or unsafe. Therefore, it's not surprising that interacting with a clown can be so unsettling.
An article in Scientific American describes clowns as “tricksters,” whose masks provide them with a sense of freedom to abandon conventional social behavior. Since clowns are designed to challenge the limits of what others will accept before reacting, we can never quite predict what they might do next.
8. Fear of the Unpredictable
Dr. Penny Curtis from the University of Sheffield observed that the pediatric hospital was decorated with several clown paintings on the walls. Curious about how the children felt about these images, she conducted a survey of 250 children, aged 4 to 16, who were admitted to the hospital. The results revealed that nearly all of them found the clowns unsettling, even those who had never seen a horror movie featuring clowns.
The study's conclusion is that the children found clowns to be 'frightening and unknowable.' Unlike the image of a kitten, which everyone instantly recognizes as a harmless, familiar creature, a clown’s image is abstract and hard to classify. It's similar to seeing an alien, but unlike an alien, we know clowns are real.
7. They Are Disturbing and Hard to Relate To
Clowns typically maintain their persona while wearing makeup, never breaking character. In contrast, with regular actors, the audience generally understands the character’s background and emotional range, which helps them connect with the actor.
We also recognize the distinction between the image of a person we see on magazine covers and in behind-the-scenes clips, versus the characters they portray in TV shows or movies. It's easy to understand that acting is a profession, but it's much harder to grasp why someone would choose to become a clown as a career.
In the textbook New Ideas in Psychology, researcher Francis McAndrew conducted a study that explored various stimuli contributing to the feeling of 'creepiness.' He defines the sensation of being 'creeped out' as a mild sense of threat, enough to feel uncomfortable, but not enough to prompt an immediate escape.
This results in a lingering discomfort when you're around someone, as you're suppressing your natural instinct to flee in order to maintain politeness. When McAndrew surveyed people about their views on various professions, clowns were ranked as the most unsettling—more so than even funeral directors and taxidermists.
6. Mass Panic
In 2016, the 'killer clown' phenomenon emerged, with increasing reports and video footage of creepy clowns engaging in bizarre and disturbing behavior in cities around the world. Time dubbed it 'clown hysteria.'
Although most of these clowns were merely hanging around and attempting to play pranks, they were perceived as having criminal motives. Many people became outraged, fearing potential clown attacks on their loved ones.
There were even nine clown-related arrests in Alabama. Juveniles dressed as sinister clowns during school hours were charged with making 'terroristic threats' after disrupting classes and scaring students with coulrophobia.
In sociology and psychology, this is an example of mass hysteria—a phenomenon where a group collectively perceives something as a threat. Regardless of how unfounded this fear may be, it sparks widespread panic.
In an article by Erika Engelhaupt in National Geographic, social media is identified as a key factor in the spread of mass clown hysteria. With the ability to instantly share information and the viral nature of videos, it creates the illusion that such phenomena occur more often than they truly do.
5. Influence of Popular Culture
Humans experience two kinds of fear: innate fear and learned fear. An example of innate fear is the fear of heights. Many people feel intense fear when standing near the edge of a cliff or on the top floors of tall buildings. Fear is a natural part of our survival instincts.
A classic example of the learned fear that clowns could have murderous intentions is John Wayne Gacy. A serial killer who used to dress up as a clown in his free time, Gacy's horrifying story has fueled nightmares and contributed to the rise of coulrophobia in those who hadn't been afraid before.
In the years following his crimes, clowns became iconic characters in horror films. Watching movies like Stephen King’s It or Poltergeist can be enough to instill a fear of clowns in many people.
However, this fear of clowns isn't a new phenomenon in popular culture. Joseph Grimaldi, one of the most famous early clowns, died from alcoholism. Charles Dickens, who was tasked with editing Grimaldi’s memoirs, painted a grim picture of the man. Dickens included this chilling Grimaldi quote in the book: “I am grim all day, and yet I make you laugh all night.”
This was possibly society’s first encounter with the hidden darkness beneath a clown's cheerful facade. English professor Andrew McConnell Stott credits Dickens for sparking the societal fear that clowns may not be as they seem.
4. Traumatic Childhood Experiences
In a documentary produced by National Geographic, a woman who experienced a traumatic childhood encounter with clowns breaks down in terror when she sees them again. Even toys and images of clowns, shown as part of her therapy, disgust her. When the therapist brings an actual clown into the room, the woman struggles to control her fear.
An article in Psychology Today tells the story of a woman who relives a traumatic experience from her childhood as a volunteer on the Bozo the Clown TV show in the 1960s. Forced to sit on Bozo's lap, she saw that he was frowning despite his painted smile, and he reeked of alcohol.
Overcome with fear, she vomited all over Bozo, who reacted by cursing. The illusion of the joyful clown was shattered, and the traumatic event has haunted her ever since. Many others with severe coulrophobia may have encountered similar distressing experiences at circuses or birthday parties that contributed to their fear of clowns.
3. Freud’s Uncanny Theory
In his 1919 work “The Uncanny,” renowned psychologist Sigmund Freud explores the idea that something can be both familiar and strange at the same time. He uses the example of a human with severed limbs or head, where the focus shifts immediately to the missing parts rather than the intact ones.
A real-life example of this phenomenon can be seen when children encounter amputees and are frightened because they cannot understand why the person’s legs are missing. For many adults, this scenario also evokes feelings of sadness or discomfort.
Harvard professor Steven C. Schlozman applies the “uncanny” theory to clowns, noting that while clowns have human-like features such as a mouth, nose, ears, hands, feet, and hair, these features are exaggerated. The giant shoes, oversized lips, and massive red noses draw attention to the differences, which can trigger fear and unease, similar to the reaction to amputees.
2. They Just Aren’t Funny Anymore
Comedy has evolved over time, shifting with current events and cultural preferences. For example, the sight of a clown slipping on a banana peel or striking a friend with a giant hammer represents physical or 'slapstick' comedy. However, slapstick has fallen out of favor as society has developed a deeper empathy for the pain of others.
Our discomfort with clowns may stem, in part, from changing cultural tastes in humor. Linda Rodriguez McRobbie noted in an interview with NPR that while clowns were once met with suspicion, their popularity surged in the 1960s with figures like Ronald McDonald and Bozo the Clown. McRobbie believes this was just a passing trend, and that society has since returned to seeing clowns as creepy rather than comedic.
Both children and adults may feel confused and uneasy when expected to laugh at something they don’t find amusing. It’s common for people, especially children, to experience social anxiety and fear in situations where they are uncertain of how to respond.
1. Inferiority And Superiority Complexes
Historically, clowns have served to boost the self-esteem of spectators. Court jesters, also known as 'fools,' were meant to be laughed at for their foolishness, a role that clowns often share.
A study by Theodora Foundation involved researchers traveling with clowns to pediatric hospitals in Ontario, Canada. Their findings suggested that children, especially those with terminal illnesses, may feel better about themselves by laughing at someone else's silliness, giving them an essential ego boost.
However, this form of humor may not be ideal for everyone. According to Psychology Today, those who belittle others to feel superior are often deeply insecure and seek external validation to boost their self-esteem. Greater Good, a publication from the University of California, Berkeley, further asserts that genuinely happy people don’t feel the need to assert superiority over others.
In essence, people with a healthy sense of self-esteem and happiness do not derive satisfaction from laughing at someone like a clown. As many do not desire or need this type of humor, it can feel awkward to be around a clown trying to force it upon them.
