The Psychology Behind Your Fear of Clowns A 2008 study found that coulrophobia, or a fear of clowns, was quite common in children. Another "creepy" study published in 2016 That same study found that one of the main characteristics that made something creepy was unpredictable behavior. Frank T. McAndrew, social psychologist, via Insider Adding to this idea is a theory Rami Nadar, Canadian psychologist, via Insider Jordan Gaines Lewis, neuroscientist, via
'Psychology Today'