Contrary to the norm These features are uncanny in humans

New study: What makes people look uncanny to others?
The convicted murderer, who was released in yesterday's crime scene, was truly scary. His way of dealing with other people, especially the chief inspector, made for goose bumps. But why do some people seem "creepy"? Researchers have now found answers in a new study.

When people act on others "creepy"
In the Frankfurt "Tatort" which aired on Sunday, murder was a minor matter. Much more sinister was the convicted murderer, who - again at large - sought in various ways contact to the chief inspector. In "The story of the evil Friederich" the policewoman comes to the limit because of the creepy and unpredictable ex-inmate. Alexander Nolte (as the film name of the murderer) has a lot in common with US presidential candidates, Bestattern, sex shop owners and clowns: They all act on their fellow man "creepy", somehow scary. The "World" reports online on a study that has investigated what triggers this unpleasant feeling.

Clowns, undertakers or people whose gestures and facial expressions deviate from the norm often have an eerie effect on other people. (Image: moccabunny / fotolia.com)

Disquieting feeling by fellow human beings
Even though it is often not justifiable, the mere presence of some fellow human beings is enough to make one feel uncomfortable. The tone can play a role, the strange grin or the eyes. The US scientists Francis T. McAndrew and Sara S. Koehnke have studied in a study, where the disturbing feeling actually comes from. The results of her work entitled "On the nature of creepiness" are published in the journal "New Ideas in Psychology". Researchers working at Knox College, Illinois, have sometimes gained startling insights into why some people - for no good reason - seem strange, downright disturbing, or uncanny to others.

Scary occupations
In the study, 1,341 people were observed at the mean age of 29 years. According to "Welt", there were a total of 44 characteristics that had to be evaluated by the study participants. It was about the behavior, everyday habits, quirks, hobby, professions, gestures or very superficial appearance. According to the information, it became apparent that there are some professions that seem uncanny at first glance. These include butters, sex shop owners, animal preparers or clowns. There is even a morbid fear of clowns, the so-called "coulrophobia". The University of Sheffield in the United Kingdom has shown in an older study that nowadays more and more people suffer from coulrophobia. Nevertheless, clinic clowns help to make patients healthy again, and even in retirement homes, they are often the doctor for the mind. And in the circus, they make many laugh.

Weird characters among the US presidential candidates
In the current study, the "world" also found some peculiar characters among the Republican presidential candidates. Thus, some subjects Marco Rubio was scary, because he always seems to have a dry mouth and have a funny facial expressions. Donald Trump showed that his constant sexual allusions to his large hands and long fingers are not perceived as quite appalling. According to the scientists, his repeated focus on certain issues with a sexual context is increasingly irritating to others.

Deviations from the norm
Ted Cruz was attested to his constant lip licking as a "creepy" feature. Richard E. Cytowic, a professor of neurology at George Washington University, recently wondered why Cruz 'facial expression would permanently irritate him in the journal Psychology Today. The presidential candidate therefore deviates from the norm, because the corners of his mouth did not go up but down. However, he and other persons perceived as "uncanny conspecifics" can usually do nothing to make them disturbing others.

Especially men are perceived as scary
A post on the Slate portal cites study participants who talk about the most common optical features that cause discomfort. These are greasy hair, dirty clothes, strange smiles, circles under the eyes, faded skin or glaucous eyes. However, it was noticeable that it was mostly men who were perceived as weird and disturbing. An explanation for this could be that 75 percent of the study participants were women and the result could be falsified. According to "World," the study's biggest finding is that if we can not predict its behavior or misinterpret its facial expressions and gestures, then we find other people uncanny. (Ad)