Enter Senator Ted Cruz. Evangelical Republican. Possible Zodiac Killer. Nothing is creepier than that half onion. Or, lest we forget, this beyond chilling video of Cruz attempting to hug his daughter. Professor Frank McAndrew found that 95 per cent of people perceive more creepiness from men than from women.
Of course, men have been creepy from the moment they or their ancestors, at least… emerged from the primordial soup. At the same time though, being a man seems like a quintessentially way of being creepy.
But being abusive anonymously and in caps lock is a decidedly creepy way of doing so. And creepy to their core. Sure, there are plenty of emojis that have literally never been used.
The white circle inside a grey circle. The thumbtack. For example, someone makes a joke or comment that puts their co-worker on the spot to give them a hug or accept a shoulder massage. Naturally, this one can be sexually creepy as well, but people don't always appreciate platonic touching either.
Obviously this is sexually creepy if, say, a guy sneakily snaps a photo of a woman's butt at a bar. The socially creepy version is doing something like going to a festival and taking pictures of strangers for a photography project. It's in a public place and may be technically permissible, but not everyone will like having their privacy violated like that.
They may wonder what you want the photos for. If you want to take someone's picture in a context where it's not expected, the considerate thing to do is ask. Of course, if someone's humor revolves around rape jokes, that's just sexually creepy. If they make one too many jokes about things like kidnapping or dismemberment it makes people think, "What's wrong with them?
Why do they find the idea of hurting others so amusing? For example, playing pranks on people that make them genuinely embarrassed or uncomfortable, or making really cutting jokes that expose someone's deepest insecurities. A nasty sense of humor can creep someone out because they think, "Why do they get such a kick out of other people's pain? How else might they like to hurt people?
You meet someone and they strike you as a little too smooth and confident. Within minutes of talking to them they've used your name several times - a well-known ingratiation technique. They're also obviously mirroring your body language, and seem like they're trying to tell you everything you want to hear.
When we talk to people who are clearly trying to use social tricks to win us over we may mainly think they're fake, insincere, or desperate. However, this behavior can also creep us out. We think, "Why are they being so manipulative? Why can't they get to know me in a more natural way? What do they want from me? Do they often approach social relationships in such a calculating way?
What kind of person does that? For example, when an office manager responds to a co-worker's basic question with a paragraph of vague, evasive corporate PR-speak. Or to make fun of my own profession, when a therapist says something like, "My Helping Self is so honored and appreciative that you can open up space to invite me to explore your system with you. We think, "Why can't they talk normally? Why aren't they communicating like a normal human? Are they being fake? Do they have an agenda?
The sexually creepy example is someone who pretends to want to be friends when they really want a relationship. Here's a more mundane scenario: A friend asks you to go for a walk and suggests a route.
Your stroll takes you past a restaurant. They ask if you want to stop in and get something to eat, and you agree. Later they tell you their plan was to go there all along, but they didn't ask up front because they thought you might say no. Many people would feel a bit rattled upon hearing that. They'd wonder why their friend felt they had to deceive them.
They'd question what else they're lying about. I know, I know. Shy , unconfident people have enough on their plates. Why do they have to contend with being thought of as creepers too? Unfortunately, some shy behaviors can seem creepy. It's not fair, but it is what it is. Fortunately, shyness doesn't always come across as creepy. People can usually tell when someone's behavior is due to nerves or inhibition. Some of us are less-chatty than others. People get that and aren't going to be weirded out if someone chimes into a group conversation a little less than usual.
They can feel creeped out if someone doesn't talk at all for very long stretches. It mainly unsettles them because they don't know what the person is thinking - "They haven't said a word all evening. They're just sitting there and watching all of us.
What's going through their head? On an unconscious level this can make people feel like gazelles that are being sized up by a lion. There's more to it than that though. If you're at a party or bar you may see several people standing off to the side looking at the crowd and not feel creeped out. The following can push a sideline watcher into creepy territory: Spending a lot of time staring at one person or group, instead of looking out over the crowd as a whole Looking tense or calculating, rather than happy or relaxed Seeming to follow a particular person or group around Only ever watching people, not seeming to have other reasons to be there At bars: Being poorly dressed, not seeming like they're a part of that scene or crowd Obviously being there alone, when combined with several of the above if someone's alone, but otherwise seems well-adjusted and there for a reason, most people won't think anything of it You can be at a bar or party, even on your own.
Just don't uncomfortably watch people the entire time. What if you're there to practice your social skills and try to start conversations, but are feeling nervous, and are worried you're going to come off as creepy despite yourself? Here you have to weigh your long-term goals against the short-term risks.
It's possible being thought of as creepy by a few strangers is a small price you'll have to pay to practice and develop your interpersonal skills.
It's also good to remind yourself that if you know you're not doing anything wrong, being thought of as creepy won't instantly ruin your life. Shy, insecure people can be guarded and secretive because they worry they'll be judged and mocked if the wrong information about them gets out. If someone's got an overly mysterious personal life it might get people thinking, "What are they hiding? What unsettling facts about themselves are they trying to keep under wraps?
Here I mean your style and grooming is generally unfashionable, and then on top of that you add a few cartoonishly stereotypically creepy touches like a beige trench coat with sweatpants, glasses with oversized frames, or a bald head with long, greasy hair on the sides.
Most people know better than to look like this, though some can accidentally slip into the creeper zone if their overall fashion sense isn't great. This can put people on edge because when someone has a more severe mental illness they often neglect their grooming and appearance.
Even if they intellectually know the risk is small, most people can't help but feel cautious around those with significant, obvious mental illnesses. Even if you're obviously not having a psychotic episode, if your grooming and fashion sense are a little too below average, it may set off other people's alarms just enough that they feel wary around you.
As I said in the intro to this article, it's often unfair when someone gets labelled as creepy over their hobbies or lifestyle. The good news is someone may find a particular hobby creepy in the abstract, but when it comes to how they react to any specific person with that pastime, they'll consider their other traits. If someone has a "creepy" interest, but otherwise comes across as affable and socially adjusted, most people won't see them as creepy overall.
However, if they seem creepy in other ways, then their hobby will be taken as further confirmation of their creepiness. For example, owning a bunch of knives or swords, reading a lot about guns, or always talking about how you know a dozen techniques to break someone's wrist.
It's not hard to deduce why some people see this as creepy. They think, "Is this person obsessed with violence? Wearing dirty clothes or laughing inappropriately, for example, fall outside what people expect and signal a warning about someone. IE 11 is not supported. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. Share this —. Follow today. More Brands. By Meghan Holohan.
Are you creepy?
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