The fear of clowns, also known as coulrophobia, would appear to be a strangely common phobia. Many people claim to be scared of clowns, finding them disturbing, somewhat “creepy” figures. Others possess a stronger, abnormal and overriding fear of clowns. Even in their adult lives, true coulrophobics find the very presence of a clown a terrifying prospect. But what are the root causes behind this seemingly irrational phobia?
Please note that images appear at the bottom of this article that may be disturbing for sufferers of coulrophobia.
Fear of Clowns Due to Childhood Experience
Coulrophobia is most commonly found in children. For a child, a clown can be an imposing and unusual figure. This, when coupled with the generally crowded, noisy and hectic environment of children’s parties, fairgrounds, and circuses can be an overwhelming experience for a child. Turn this into a bad or frightening experience through whatever action or event, and the long lasting effect can be magnified leading to a lingering fear of clowns.
A BBC News Online article from January 2008, titled “Hospital Clown Images too Scary” reported the findings of a University of Sheffield study. In this survey of over 250 children between the ages of four and sixteen, most found images of clowns unsettling or scary. Researcher Dr. Penny Curtis is quoted as saying, "We found that clowns are universally disliked by children. Some found them quite frightening and unknowable."
Clown Phobia – Killer Clowns and Evil Clowns from Popular Culture
This childhood fear of clowns can often be reinforced by media imagery. Evil clowns have featured in graphic novels, horror literature and horror movies.
In the Batman comics and movies, the clown-like appearance of “The Joker” has become more diabolic with every incarnation.
Stephen King, regarded as one of the masters of the horror genre, played on the fear of clowns in his novel It. The television movie adaptation was to make “Pennywise” the clown one of the iconic horror incarnations.
It would seem the use of killer clowns or evil clowns in popular culture is no coincidence. Perhaps targeting the more common childhood fear of clowns, creators of horror characters often play to the prevalence of coulrophobia in society for an added fear factor.
However, can negative childhood experiences combined with media imagery really explain such a common and often acute fear of clowns? Or is there something more deep-rooted in human psychology that can explain coulrophobia?
Fear of Clowns – Psychological Elements of Coulrophobia
Can a rational childhood fear of clowns combined with media imagery reinforcement provide a root cause of coulrophobia? If the clown as a tool for instilling horror is based purely on childhood fears, why then is it effective amongst adult audiences and to such a large extent?
Shark attacks in the Jaws movies instill horror due to a largely rational element of fear – fear of the water and fear of being attacked by a deadly predator. Clowns, on the other hand, are colorful, outgoing, humorous characters who smile constantly and are seemingly designed to get on well with children.
However, the very nature of the clown also involves something inherently negative: a mask. The painted face of a clown is associated with deceit; a mask that hides the truth and real identity of the person. This, in turn, promotes distrust; and in the human mind, distrust is often just one step away from fear.
Coupled with this undertone of deceit is the clown's constant smile, an exaggerated expression which is both abnormal and demonstrative of great joy and confidence. The combination, on the subconscious level, can be unsettling – a form of the clown's "unknowable" nature discussed by Dr. Curtis.
Coulrophobia – Why be Scared of Clowns?
Stephen King’s "Pennywise" is a horrific abnormality whose identity is hidden behind a painted face, his evil clown persona more disturbing due to the glee with which he goes about his killings. “Pennywise” is the very embodiment of the fears associated with coulrophobia.
Clown phobia is more than just childhood fears, more than media imagery. Researchers like Dr. Curtis have revealed that there is evidently something psychological at work, something within the subconscious that fears the smiling, masked face of the clown. As the University of Sheffield researchers uncovered, it appears the fear of clowns — coulrophobia — is rooted most firmly in the subconscious fear of the unknown.
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