On the Nature of Creepiness

[LangCleg]

Came across this study on Spinster yesterday and it's fascinating!

Abstract:

Surprisingly, until now there has never been an empirical study of “creepiness.” An international sample of 1341 individuals responded to an online survey. Males were perceived as being more likely to be creepy than females, and females were more likely to associate sexual threat with creepiness. Unusual nonverbal behavior and characteristics associated with unpredictability were also predictors of creepiness, as were some occupations and hobbies. The results are consistent with the hypothesis that being “creeped out” is an evolved adaptive emotional response to ambiguity about the presence of threat that enables us to maintain vigilance during times of uncertainty.

Conclusion begins:

Everything that we found in this study is consistent with the notion that the perception of creepiness is a response to the ambiguity of threat. Males are more physically threatening to people of both sexes than are females (McAndrew, 2009), and they were more likely to be perceived as creepy by males and females alike. The link made by females between sexual threat and creepiness is also consistent with the fact that females are simply at greater risk of sexual assault and have potentially greater costs associated with it than males. We are placed on our guard by people who touch us or exhibit non-normative nonverbal behavior, or those who are drawn to occupations that reflect a fascination with death or unusual sexual behavior

scottbarrykaufman.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/McAndrew-Koehnke-2016.pdf

the fact that females are simply at greater risk of sexual assault and have potentially greater costs associated with it than males

Oh really? I thought that was an outdated myth? not really- Looks good, will read later.

Wish I'd found it in time for the filibustering!

Surely greater risk is obvious, due to risk of pregnancy Eresh? That part can’t be disputed surely?

That part can’t be disputed surely?

Certain posters will certainly have a go at it.

Interesting article Lang, I'll have a proper read of the whole thing later.

Agree with Eresh ... there is always a poster several popping on to these threads to helpfully contribute that as they personally haven't experienced a situation it's can't be as common as others are making out 'Tis all in our heads ladies!

I don't think I've ever heard a woman being described as "creepy" in real life. Not that surprising I guess.

What do we think to their idea that what they found is likely an evolved adaptive emotional response to ambiguity about the presence of threat?

I'm inclined to see this as very likely. But it does challenge feminist blank slatism somewhat.

I think evolved adaptive emotional response to ambiguity about the presence of threat? is kind of obvious. If feminist theory doesn't like it I think feminist theory has to have a think about it.

We all know we avoid the creeps because we are afraid.

I have met creepy women. Not many. Far far more creepy men but nevertheless I have met creepy women. One turned out to be married to a child abuser. I don't know if she was involved but I felt in my gut she would have been. Creepy creepy creepy.

This makes absolute sense to me. Will also find time to read properly later.

• What do we think to their idea that what they found is likely an evolved adaptive emotional response to ambiguity about the presence of threat?

I'm inclined to see this as very likely. But it does challenge feminist blank slatism somewhat.*

Does it? Isn't it more that both sexes may have this adaptive response but women will have more experience of the phenomenon layered on? And men and women may both see a person as exhibiting the odd behaviours, but the threat element is much less likely to be there for the man.

Does it? Isn't it more that both sexes may have this adaptive response but women will have more experience of the phenomenon layered on? And men and women may both see a person as exhibiting the odd behaviours, but the threat element is much less likely to be there for the man.

Possibly. Could be hard-wired tendencies baked into a recursive nature/nurture feedback loop?

This reminds me of the book The Gift of Fear by Gavin de Becker - he talks about our instincts and several cases of people who found someone creepy who later turned out to be dangerous etc.

Not a study as such, more lots of anecdotes, but his career has been built on assessing risk and enabling others to trust their gut instincts because he believes we have evolved to sense danger even we don’t consciously realise.

I think we should be cautious of labelling people creepy because they are different in an odd way socially. They can end up being victimised - think of Boo Radley in ‘To Kill a Mocking Bird’. Lots of ‘creepy’ people are harmless, although I agree, sometimes our tingly senses are correct.

I don't know why @LangCleg has such a lofty reputation on here seeing as she just nicks all my thoughts and ideas from Another Place & regurgitates them as if they were her own. Recursively.

I don't know why LangCleg has such a lofty reputation on here seeing as she just nicks all my thoughts and ideas from Another Place & regurgitates them as if they were her own. Recursively.

Hello smell! At least I tell you about it. Recursively.

I hope you were nicer to Tyro than you are to me.

(Everyone: lovely woman has excellent ideas about nature/nurture. Just don't feed her ego.)

Freda, do you think people like Boo come across as creepy? I feel I can tell the difference between non typical and creepy. Of course, I'll never know for sure.

Lang's lofty reputation on MN is built on a solid(ish) foundation on WBH.

I'd be surprised if our instinctive alerting systems didn't give false positives. Better safe than sorry. We jump at the thing we see out of the corner of our eye and then refine that reaction according to whether our more developed judgement says adder or slow worm, IYSWIM.

Lang's lofty reputation on MN is built on a solid(ish) foundation on WBH.

As it bloody well should be.

On a serious note: it would surprise me if women did not have a more highly evolved risk instinct. Just as we have better sex recognition pattern skills.

Studies like this are a powerful example of feminist issues. ALL this time, ALL these years, and studies like this are only just happening.

It is both fascinating and enraging that something affecting women on a daily basis isn’t well researched.

Id be interested in a follow up as to what percentage of creepy people actually are a Risk. I’ve had unwitting dealings with 2 men now doing serious jail time for some pretty sickening sex offences and neither trigged my radar. In fact they were thoroughly decent and personable and i can see how they got close to their intended victims. And on the flip side I’ve had bad feelings about peop,e who did indeed turn out to be bad news.

The feelings of eeriness and strangeness evoked by very human-like robots has been named the 'uncanny valley' - the 'valley' part because the measure of people's affinity for the device dips as they become more human yet clearly aren't. An obvious robot appearance is more likeable than a pretend human. I'd guess this is similar: people who are deceptive and hiding their true motivations also come across as creepy because we sense their friendliness is fake.

Xenobio I would love to see studies on whether they are. Both in my school and in DDs, there have been guidance teachers who were widely thought 'creepy' by the kids. Even if they are not any more likely to be 'up to anything' than anyone else, it does seem a bit odd for the schools to employ them in these roles, as the kids are hardly likely to want to discuss their problems with someone they see as creepy. I've often wondered if the school knows the kids think they're creepy? Should they ask?

We call it instinct or gut feeling but it is really risk assessment so rapid that it is practically subconscious. If you study it and practice it you can learn how to trace the thought process back and identify each of the bits of information that went into the conclusion that this person is not safe to be around.

Oh good grief, it's so hard. Of course we should be able to flag up and share concerns. (Except when it's actionable defamation. Then we have to whisper it in code and hope we don't get spotted.) 🤔

It seems to me it is an evolved adaptive response.
Those that don't pay attention are likely to be exposed to danger.
Like when you're sitting in the garden and a small bird lands close by, the temptation to pick it up and hold it, is strong.

Most birds show the correct survival response and flee.

Rightly so.