Understanding Creepiness: Development of a Typology of Creepy Behaviors and Feelings

Shannon T. Carton, Sean M. Horan, & Brian H. Spitzberg

Research Questions

Literature Review Examples

Researchers’ contact information

1. What interactions did participants identify as creepy? What were the specific behaviors, contexts, and characteristics of creepy interactions or creepy people?

2. What did participants feel when they experienced creepiness, physiologically and emotionally?

Shannon T. Carton, (M.A., DePaul University, 2012) is a PhD student and GTA in the Department of Communication Studies, West Virginia University. Sean M. Horan, (PhD, West Virginia University, 2009) is a professor in the College of Communication at DePaul University. Brian H. Spitzberg (PhD, University of Southern California, 1981) is a professor in the School of Communication at San Diego State University. Correspondence concerning this paper should be addressed to Shannon T. Carton, Department of Communication Studies, 108 Armstrong Hall P. O. Box 6293, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506. Email: stcarton@mix.wvu.edu

Although “creepiness” is known and known discussed, little scholarly research has been conducted on this topic. In the vernacular, creepy refers to things that make us uneasy, afraid, disgusted, anxious, or that give us chilling feelings.

The little research conducted has examined words related to creepiness. This includes words such as weirdness (Ostow, 1963; Paul, 1976), oddness (Brewer, 2008), bizarre behavior (Deporto, 2007), fishy-looking behavior (Bond, 1992), deception (Vrij & Holland, 1998), and deviance (Stewart, 2009).

Creepiness might also be related to other areas of research; however, without first examining creepiness independently, these relationships cannot be examined. Some areas of research that might relate to creepiness include threat detection, formication, fear, anxiety, and disgust. Threat detection and formication are of particular interest in this research. Formication is the feeling that the skin is crawling or tingling (Brandt, 1977). This is a negative, tingling sensation that is irritating, disgusting, and fear-inducing.

Many people experience formication when in danger, and when “creeped-out.” Formication, then, might be a result of creepiness, and could aid in detection of threats. Threat detection is of great importance, as vigilance to threatening stimuli and detection of threats can increase self-preserving behaviors.

Women who were stalked reported feeling “creeped-out” by certain appearances and behaviors of their stalkers (Cupach, in press). In fact, 43% of these women used the word “creepy” in interviews without being prompted to do so. This suggests three important implications that inform present research. First, creepiness is common. Second, creepiness is likely identifiable through communication behaviors. Third, creepiness may precede potentially dangerous situations. If creepiness is legitimized in scholarship and then attended to, people might be better able to avoid dangerous situations.

Purpose of Study

This research examined instances of creepiness. Participants (n = 121) completed open-ended questionnaires about situations that they identified as “creepy.” They reported on the specific interactions, people, contexts, and their feelings (physiological and emotional) when creepiness occurred. This project is the first step in the development of a creepiness scale, which will further help us understand what creepiness is, what it is related to, and what the implications are of experiencing a creepy situation or person.

Results

Question 1What does creepiness look and sound like?

Question 2What does creepiness feel like?

Question 1What does creepiness look and sound like?

Question 2What does creepiness feel like?