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ruel
New Member
USA
18 Posts |
 Posted - 07/26/2001 : 23:50:53
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I've noticed that alot of people are scared of clowns -- I'm talking adults here, not children. Why do you think this is? Do any of you have "coulrophobia"?
Since I have some experience in experimental psychology, I was thinking of maybe doing some tests to find out what visual features of clown faces are rated as most frightening by observers. Would anybody be interested in starting up such a project? If there's enough interest, maybe we could get something going. Email me at ruelm@hotmail.com .
Thanks, ruel
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Bradley
Skeptic Friend
USA
147 Posts |
 Posted - 07/27/2001 : 12:57:34 [Permalink]
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Many find clowns to be scary because they represent chaos and mayhem. In the scary clown genre, I reccomend the following videos: "It," "Shakes the Clown," "Killer Klowns from Outer Space," and both the original and the remake of "Carnival of Souls." I think the proliferation of evil clown films is due to an existential nausea peculiar to the boomer generation.
Anyone else have a take on this?
"Too much doubt is better than too much credulity."
-Robert Green Ingersoll (1833 - 1899) |
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Valiant Dancer
Forum Goalie
USA
4826 Posts |
Posted - 07/27/2001 : 13:01:51 [Permalink]
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quote:
Many find clowns to be scary because they represent chaos and mayhem. In the scary clown genre, I reccomend the following videos: "It," "Shakes the Clown," "Killer Klowns from Outer Space," and both the original and the remake of "Carnival of Souls." I think the proliferation of evil clown films is due to an existential nausea peculiar to the boomer generation.
Anyone else have a take on this?
"Too much doubt is better than too much credulity."
-Robert Green Ingersoll (1833 - 1899)
Also, a possibility lies in three little words. John Wayne Gacy.
I've also known people who were scared of clowns before the horror films featuring clowns. Usually they said there was something sinister about the facepaint. It could be that the patterns that clowns use, could frighten some people.
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ruel
New Member
USA
18 Posts |
Posted - 07/27/2001 : 13:22:49 [Permalink]
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Yeah, it seems to be a combination of things, with Gacy and Wisepenny (the "It" clown) being prominent in the minds of people my age (20-somethings). I hadn't realized how widespread the fear was until recently, though. It was even mentioned by two participants on a recent episode of Blind Date!
But on top of all this cultural conditioning, I think, as Valiant Dancer said, there may be some visual features that correlate to a fear response. This could be easily tested by creating computer-generated clown faces that vary for things like the size of their eyes and mouths, nose & ear shapes, etc. etc.
I think I'm gonna do it, just to see what kind of responses turn up. Who knows? We might even be able to create the ultimate 'killer clown' face in time for Halloween!
Edited by - ruel on 07/27/2001 13:24:38 |
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Marc_a_b
Skeptic Friend
USA
142 Posts |
Posted - 07/27/2001 : 14:00:19 [Permalink]
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Snake
SFN Addict
USA
2511 Posts |
Posted - 07/30/2001 : 00:24:03 [Permalink]
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quote:
Yeah, it seems to be a combination of things, with Gacy and Wisepenny (the "It" clown) being prominent in the minds of people my age (20-somethings). I hadn't realized how widespread the fear was until recently, though. It was even mentioned by two participants on a recent episode of Blind Date!
But on top of all this cultural conditioning, I think, as Valiant Dancer said, there may be some visual features that correlate to a fear response.
Geeses Krist! I was never afraid of clowns until I saw that image. Sheesh!!!!!
But I'd rather talk about why people are afraid of snakes.
Snakes:
One of the most evolved.
Beneficial.
Beautiful.
Varied.
Animals on the planet.
: )~~~<
OK, I'm done.
VHEMT |
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ruel
New Member
USA
18 Posts |
Posted - 07/30/2001 : 12:10:44 [Permalink]
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There may be an instinctual relationship between the fear of clowns and the fear of snakes. Alot of poisonous snakes have bright warning coloration to deter potential predators. Perhaps the colorful faces of clowns evokes the same visceral response?
Edited by - ruel on 07/30/2001 12:14:27 |
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Snake
SFN Addict
USA
2511 Posts |
Posted - 07/30/2001 : 19:10:41 [Permalink]
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quote:
There may be an instinctual relationship between the fear of clowns and the fear of snakes. Alot of poisonous snakes have bright warning coloration to deter potential predators. Perhaps the colorful faces of clowns evokes the same visceral response?
Hum! I never thought of that. But that's not the only reason snakes have those colors. In fact, some of the most poisious snakes don't have bright colors. The Black Mamba, comes to mind. And a lot of Pit Vipers have earth tones, browns and such. Good idea though.
VHEMT |
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Kristin
Skeptic Friend
Canada
84 Posts |
Posted - 07/31/2001 : 05:25:38 [Permalink]
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quote:
Hum! I never thought of that. But that's not the only reason snakes have those colors. In fact, some of the most poisious snakes don't have bright colors. The Black Mamba, comes to mind. And a lot of Pit Vipers have earth tones, browns and such.
Was thinking the same thing... ie. African Green Cobra, Taipan, etc. Froggies, however, have bright colors when poisonous, and so do a lot of bugs. Fear of frogs? Or maybe .. fear of flamboyantly, eyewrenchingly dressed people of any sort? I know the people at the mall with bright plaid polyester pants and striped shirts on scare the shit right out of me.
Good judgement comes from experience: experience comes from bad judgement. |
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Snake
SFN Addict
USA
2511 Posts |
Posted - 07/31/2001 : 20:07:12 [Permalink]
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quote:
Was thinking the same thing... ie. African Green Cobra, Taipan, etc. Froggies, however, have bright colors when poisonous, and so do a lot of bugs. Fear of frogs? Or maybe .. fear of flamboyantly, eyewrenchingly dressed people of any sort? I know the people at the mall with bright plaid polyester pants and striped shirts on scare the shit right out of me.
I must say this 1st, Ruel did say a lot, not all. So we won't argue the color thing anymore.
It's just that I love snakes and wanted to set the record stright. Maybe I was being to picky.
Next, Kristin. Guess we can never be friends. You don't want to know how flamboyant I can be. LOL.
This is really true, today I wore my pirate hat. At least two people complimented me on it. Granted it's black with a white skull on it but still not something you see people wearing every day. Most of my other stuff is very colorful though. 
VHEMT |
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Kristin
Skeptic Friend
Canada
84 Posts |
Posted - 08/01/2001 : 07:23:15 [Permalink]
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quote:
Next, Kristin. Guess we can never be friends. You don't want to know how flamboyant I can be. LOL.
This is really true, today I wore my pirate hat. At least two people complimented me on it. Granted it's black with a white skull on it but still not something you see people wearing every day. Most of my other stuff is very colorful though.
I think snakes are quite cool as well (my handle is Venoma elsewhere on the Net) and as long as you don't wear multicolored pastel plaid, I think I could likely stand it! However I'm one of those icky female things so you might not like to anyways 
Good judgement comes from experience: experience comes from bad judgement. |
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Snake
SFN Addict
USA
2511 Posts |
Posted - 08/01/2001 : 14:50:20 [Permalink]
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quote:
I think snakes are quite cool as well (my handle is Venoma elsewhere on the Net)
Cool.
quote:
and as long as you don't wear multicolored pastel plaid, I think I could likely stand it! However I'm one of those icky female things so you might not like to anyways
Pastels, (hardly)Never...too feminine. Hey, I have a few nice lady friends. I just don't get involved with any conversations about babies and cooking with them. Otherwise they can be good companians. 
Canadians are nice people, well except for my mother and most of her family, ha ha.
VHEMT |
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ruel
New Member
USA
18 Posts |
Posted - 08/02/2001 : 15:44:41 [Permalink]
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1. "babies and cooking with them"
Uh-oh; better not look at this clown picture then:
Pretty scary; I found it on www.clownz.com.
2. The Snake Farm in Bangkok is always a fun site to see. Right next to where my aunt works at Chulalongkorn Hospital.
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Snake
SFN Addict
USA
2511 Posts |
Posted - 08/02/2001 : 16:36:58 [Permalink]
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quote:
1. "babies and cooking with them"
LOL, now that I look at that sentence, hum! I meant talking about cooking and talking about babies. Not cooking babies but since I don't like them, I don't know, maybe! Ha ha.
quote:
Uh-oh; better not look at this clown picture then:
Pretty scary; I found it on www.clownz.com.
Looks like it could be something from a Steven King book.
quote:
2. The Snake Farm in Bangkok is always a fun site to see. Right next to where my aunt works at Chulalongkorn Hospital.
Been to the Snake Farm many times. Have a photo of me with a Boa around my neck. And I also have some great shots of a Cobra. I was only about 7 ft. away from it with no wall in between. So cool. I'll try to get it back up on my web site.
I wonder if your aunt knows any of my in laws, some are doctors and there's a niece who's a nurse.
VHEMT |
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Wendy
SFN Regular
USA
614 Posts |
Posted - 08/18/2001 : 11:32:16 [Permalink]
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Yikes! I think maybe you should consider changing this topic to the Rational Fear of Clowns.
Wendy Jones |
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NubiWan
Skeptic Friend
USA
424 Posts |
Posted - 08/19/2001 : 04:13:57 [Permalink]
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Ya know why cannibals won't eat clowns?
Cause they taste funny...
"If we believe absurdities, we shall commit atrocities." -Voltaire
Edited by - NubiWan on 08/19/2001 04:15:16 |
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Topic Locked
