The present research examined “creepiness,” a commonly referenced but little understood construct. In Study 1, 185 undergraduates (74% women) provided qualitative data on the defining characteristics of “creepiness.” “Creepiness” was found to reside in the eyes, and was associated with men with ectomorphic-like bodies, with a dishevelled appearance, between 31 and 50 years of age. In Study 2, 48 students (71% women) rated black-and-white photographs of Caucasian male faces on a 7-point Likert-type scale for “creepiness,” trustworthiness, and attractiveness. Pictures included 15 neutral images from the Sterling University Psychological Image Collection, 15 images from America’s Most Wanted website, and 15 images rated most “creepy” in a pilot study. “Creepy” faces were perceived to be significantly less trustworthy, less attractive, and more “creepy” than the other 2 groups. There was a significant correlation between trustworthiness and attractiveness across all 3 groups, with between 25% and 58% of the variance in trustworthiness ratings explained by attractiveness. Results are discussed in terms of how judgments of “creepiness” are made, how “creepiness” may be less about physical peril and more about ambiguity of threat and violations of social norms, and implications for stigmatized populations such as the mentally ill.
