We all get the creeps once in a while. In fact, all kinds of things can creep us out, from walking home alone at night to that creepy neighbor that we’ve all met at least once. But, what is it about humanoid robots or dolls that creep us out so badly? I have quite a few friends that are scared of dolls, and frankly humanoid robots kind of creep me out too.
This feeling of unsettledness is hard to describe if you don’t have the right vocabulary for it. Whenever we look at a human-but-not-quite entity (see Tara the Android or this dental hygiene training robot) and we get that feeling of the creeps setting in, it’s because we’re metaphorically journeying through the uncanny valley. The term was coined in the 1970s by Masahiro Mori, a Japanese roboticist, in regards to creating humanoid robots. He said that the more lifelike a robot is, the more accepting humans are of it as opposed to more mechanical-looking counterparts. However, if the robot is close to human, but falls short somehow, then there is a strong, negative dip in human emotional response. This graph illustrates the concept:
Vsauce also did a wonderful job at explaining what the uncanny valley is. The uncanny valley explains our perhaps irrational distaste for things that look human, but are off in some way. However, even though Masahiro Mori wasn’t including clowns in his original theory, the uncanny valley is also probably the reason why people are so unsettled by clowns.
Disclaimer: I’m personally not scared of clowns. I read part of “It” by Stephen King, and the local-ish amusement park Scarywood, which is actually Silverwood, only Halloween-ified, has a whole area dedicated to clowns. Frankly, they’re more obnoxious to me than anything, and, thankfully, when I do go to Scarywood, by the tenth time I’ve walked through Clown Town, they usually leave me alone because the RBF settles in and they recognize me as being no fun in scaring. However, this is starting to change thanks to all these damn clown sightings that are sweeping the United States.
Part of the reason why humans can be so affected by the uncanny valley, according to the Guardian article that I cited earlier, is likely due to how much we believe a not-quite-human entity has a mind of its own. For instance, a creepy looking robot could be fine until it suddenly begins to act like it has a mind of its own, and THAT’S when onlookers become more unnerved and descend into that characteristically uncanny valley feeling. So, since clowns are basically just humans in costumes, of course, they have a mind of their own, which makes them that much creepier. However, what makes clowns more unique than robots or dolls is simply because they’re other humans that have taken on the clown identity for a time, and there are all sorts of discussions we could have about how humans can sometimes be the scariest things in the world. Take that, coupled with the creepy makeup and exaggerated features, and you’ve got a nice recipe for nightmare fuel.
Although the uncanny valley could explain why people are so afraid of clowns, it’s important to note that a lot of the clown sightings that are happening now are potentially dangerous situations. Under the creepy makeup and whimsical clothing is a person, and that person could be just looking for attention or laughs (cue the “It’s just a prank, bro!”), or it could be a person who is looking to do harm to someone, or something, else. If you see a person dressed as a clown where they probably shouldn’t be, please exercise extreme caution by TURNING AROUND AND GOING THE OTHER WAY (preferably quickly) and calling the police, especially if you’re feeling threatened or if the person seems to be dangerous or in possession of a weapon. Stay safe out there, readers!
