Grown adults screaming when excited... just WHY?

[peakyblenders]

Inspired by last night's Big Brother - granted, people who go on Big Brother aren't exactly representative of the average person, but I'm noticing this in real life too and it bugs me no end.

I lost count of the number of times in last night's episode housemates randomly went 'AAAAAH!' for no reason whatsoever other than (presumably) being excited. Granted I'm an introvert, but I just can't understand why an adult would express excitement by screaming. Exclaiming loudly, yes, that's pretty standard. But that wordless 'AAAAAH!'? It truly baffles me.

This has been in the back of my mind lately because I feel I'm noticing it more in day-to-day life. I'm not talking young things in nightclubs, I'm seeing it in how people interact generally when excited. Example: I passed a woman on the street a few weeks ago who seemed to have spotted someone she knew and, as far as I could gather, hadn't seen in a while. She was clearly excited to see the other person, but instead of using actual words to express that she stood on the spot, assumed a position like she was laying an egg, and literally just went ‘AAAAAAAAAH!’ Then a very shrieky, huggy greeting as you'd maybe expect in the circumstances, but that initial ‘AAAAAAAAAH!’ totally bemused me. As does adults screaming in excitement generally. It just wouldn't occur to me to scream because I was excited.

AIBU to not get why grown adults do this?

I live so far away from my friends and family that if I saw someone I hadn’t seen in a while I’d scream too. It just comes out of some people- we can’t help it!!(sorry!🙈)

It's going to be on reality TV, because they are the kind of people who want to be on TV. Normal people might watch them on TV and think that's a reasonable way to behave. Just guessing

I feel the same op! It’s something I’ve never got, or ever done! I’m an introvert too! I would just use words to express excitement.

Not just TV. I was listening to a classical concert on radio 3 yesterday and clapping when the piece ended now isn't enough, audience has to whoop as well.

Didn't realise Elgar got people so excited.

Let people express excitement in the way they want to, mind your own business.

Because they’re attention-seeking morons

I do have some friends who scream when we all meet up as well.

I’ve only ever seen women or gay men do it. (Is that a bad thing to say? Genuinely I’ve never seen a heterosexual man do this).

I assume in that situation it's an affectation. A performance.

Didn't realise Elgar got people so excited.

They are likely expressing high praise and appreciation for a particularly exceptional performance?

Last time I checked, people were allowed to comment on/question other people's behaviour. It's called freedom of speech.

Yes I have noticed this too. Some people seem to greet each other rather than using their words. At a lunch I attended recently there was a table of ladies next to us who screamed in excitement each time a member joined their party. I agree with the person who says it is attention seeking. Do people shout out in excitement when they meet someone in a church or a chapel of rest?

Didn't realise Elgar got people so excited.

😄 😄 😄 😄

They do if it's the Sistene Chapel.

I’ve never been particularly excited to enter a chapel of rest, so not sure what you are doing in there that’s so exciting?

I do get excited when I see family or close friends I haven’t seen in a while though, which I think is quite normal? I’m quite shy so not an attention-seeker by any means but I do get excited to see people I love and care about 🙂

She's allowed an opinion on what bugs her surely?

The OP wasn't questioning people being excited. She was questioning how it is expressed.
Maybe because I'm not the screechy type I always assume that it's fake? Just people exaggerating their emotions for show.

Only if they snap and fart too....

I did a postgraduate degree at a women’s college 25 years ago and I used to avoid the porters lodge because of all the undergraduates screaming and hugging friends they hadn’t seen for a day or two. It definitely seemed like a consciously hyperfeminised behaviour but judging from tv I think men do it more now.

It was a lunchtime concert at the Wigmore Hall. What's wrong with sustained and hearty applause?

I listened, nothing 'particularly exceptional' about it - whatever that is.

‘Assumed a position like she was laying an egg’

this is brilliant 😂

Touched a nerve?

Incidentally, touching a nerve that is one of the few genuine reasons that screaming might be acceptable. I even hate it when I’m sat next to one on a roller coaster - I have a low tolerance threshold for non-essential screaming. Especially in adults. YANBU op.

I think there’s truth in the old saying, ‘empty vessels make the most noise,’ OP.

Don’t hate me but this is a gentle parenting fall out tbh

I didn’t let my kids run around screaming when they were little, I told them not to. If they were excited I still told them politely to keep the noise down as it’s considerate of other people. They were free to play but at a non ear piecing decibel. We lived on a street with a pub that had a play area and the screaming was just ridiculous - no idea if someone had mortally wounded themselves or just relentless screaming.

However so many parents just tune out and allow their kids to run around screaming (park, street play, parties, playground) never saying anything so the kids have no concept of how loud they are and they then become loud screaming adults with no consideration for anyone else.

YANBU! I can't abide all the OTT screaming.

I only saw the party with the contestant on the mobility scooter. Christ, the screaming