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Humans are weird. We’re always sweating, crying, getting irrationally angry while watching reality TV, and pursuing people who just don’t give a f*ck about us. Yet somehow, these things aren’t deemed “creepy.” Besides, they’re all pretty normal considering we all do them. But a new study published in the New Ideas in Psychology journal has proven that all of those habits you find relatively normal are actually downright creepy. Which is actually pretty rude, but whatever.
According to British Psychological Society, below are the 18 creepiest human habits. You’re definitely guilty of more than half of them:
1. Odd/dirty clothes
2. Pale skin
3. Bags under eyes
4. Unkempt hair
5. Steering conversation toward one topic (especially sex)
6. Asking to take a picture of you
7. Greasy hair
8. Standing too close
9. Peculiar smile
10. Bulging eyes
11. Having a mental illness
12. Long fingers
13. Licking lips frequently
14. Laughing at odd times
15. Making it impossible to leave without seeming rude
16. Displaying unwanted sexual interest
17. Being very thin
18. Displaying too much/little emotion.
This sounds relatively normal to me… but they elaborate:
While they may not be overtly threatening, individuals who display unusual patterns of nonverbal behaviour, odd emotional characteristics or highly distinctive physical characteristics are outside of the norm, and by definition unpredictable. This may activate our ‘creepiness detector’,” the researchers said.
The four most creepy professions, in order, were clown, taxidermist, sex shop owner and funeral director (least creepy was meteorologist). The creepiest hobbies were those that involved collecting (especially body parts like finger nails, or insects) or watching or photographing other people.
Consistent with the researchers’ theory that creepiness stems from ambiguity, participants said the typical creepy person makes them feel uncomfortable because they cannot predict how he or she will behave.
WTF?! So just having a pulse is creepy? What’s wrong with having dirty clothes and being pale? WHY IS THAT A CRIME?!
Rest assured knowing that we’re all freaks — dirty laundry and all.
[H/T: BroBible]