<p><strong><a href="http://www.coulrophobiafacts.com/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Coulrophobia</a></strong> is a fear of clowns.</p>
<p>It is a phobia <a href="https://www.thesun.co.uk/fabulous/4395633/phobias-coulrophobia-causes-fear-of-clowns-symptoms/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">not (yet?) acknowledged by the WHO or the APA as a disorder</a>. Nonetheless it seems to be an accepted phobia in hospitalized children <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27966019" rel="nofollow noreferrer">(Meiri <em>et al</em>, 2017)</a>.</p>
<p>The <strong><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/science/brain-flapping/2016/oct/14/coulrophobia-why-clowns-trigger-our-fear-reflexes" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Guardian has a very interesting popular scientific account</a></strong> on the causes of coulrophobia. The author brings up the following two convincing arguments why clowns can be scary (and others arguments as well - I encourage you to read the article itself):</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>The “<a href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/what-is-the-uncanny-valley" rel="nofollow noreferrer">uncanny valley</a>” effect</strong>: A phenomenon whereby things that look human, but are in fact not quite human appear as highly unsettling. Think of a dead body for example. In case of a clown their elaborate make up and weird behavior contradicts our sense of 'normal'.</li>
<li><strong>Unpredictability</strong> is something which causes distrust and apprehension in humans. Clowns are by their very nature unpredictable, as they always act weird and do not adhere to social standards.</li>
</ul>
<p><sub><strong>Reference</strong><br />
<strong>-</strong> <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27966019" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Meiri <em>et al</em>., <em>Eur J Pediatr</em> (2017); <strong>176</strong>(2):269-72</a></sub></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-07-26T21:14:12.960Z
2022-10-16T13:04:23.810Z
2022-10-16T13:04:23.810Z
AliceD
<p>Most sources on the internet say that coulrophobia is caused due to the unfamiliar face which often triggers fear to people (who suffer from it). What can be some other causes?</p>

<abnormal-psychology><fear><phobia>
What are the possible causes of coulrophobia?
Tapi
# What are the possible causes of coulrophobia?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2019-07-26)

Most sources on the internet say that coulrophobia is caused due to the unfamiliar face which often triggers fear to people (who suffer from it). What can be some other causes?

**Tags:** abnormal-psychology, fear, phobia


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2019-07-26. Score: 3 | Accepted answer

**[Coulrophobia](http://www.coulrophobiafacts.com/)** is a fear of clowns.

It is a phobia [not (yet?) acknowledged by the WHO or the APA as a disorder](https://www.thesun.co.uk/fabulous/4395633/phobias-coulrophobia-causes-fear-of-clowns-symptoms/). Nonetheless it seems to be an accepted phobia in hospitalized children [(Meiri *et al*, 2017)](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27966019).

The **[Guardian has a very interesting popular scientific account](https://www.theguardian.com/science/brain-flapping/2016/oct/14/coulrophobia-why-clowns-trigger-our-fear-reflexes)** on the causes of coulrophobia. The author brings up the following two convincing arguments why clowns can be scary (and others arguments as well - I encourage you to read the article itself):

* **The “[uncanny valley](https://spectrum.ieee.org/what-is-the-uncanny-valley)” effect**: A phenomenon whereby things that look human, but are in fact not quite human appear as highly unsettling. Think of a dead body for example. In case of a clown their elaborate make up and weird behavior contradicts our sense of 'normal'.
* **Unpredictability** is something which causes distrust and apprehension in humans. Clowns are by their very nature unpredictable, as they always act weird and do not adhere to social standards.

**Reference**  
**-** [Meiri *et al*., *Eur J Pediatr* (2017); **176**(2):269-72](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27966019)


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