“Scary Enough To Increase Your Heart Rate”: 50 Photos That Are Truly Unsettling, As Shared In This Popular Online Group

The subreddit r/mildlyterrifying is a place for people to share and discuss things that give them a sense of unease or fear, but are not necessarily considered to be "scary" in the traditional sense. The subreddit's name itself is a tongue-in-cheek reference to the fact that the content shared on the subreddit is meant to be more unsettling than outright terrifying. However, looking at these images, we can still feel some chills going down our spines!

Bored Panda spoke with Francis McAndrew, Cornelia H. Dudley Professor of Psychology at Knox College, to learn more about that unsettling feeling of being creeped out. Scroll down to read the whole interview!

There are many things that are generally considered creepy or uncanny. For example, the concept of dolls or mannequins coming to life can be a frightening thought for some people. The idea of these inanimate objects suddenly moving on their own, or even worse, exhibiting human-like behavior, can be a chilling experience. This fear is often exploited in horror movies, but for some individuals, the thought of this happening in real life is enough to give them nightmares. We asked McAndrew how we could cope with our fears. The professor replied that we shouldn't wish to fight our fears in real-life situations, as they may save our life. "However, reminding yourself that a photograph or a movie does not pose a real threat to you may help to ease unpleasant feelings in their presence."

The feeling of creepiness is a complex emotion that is often described as an uneasy or unsettling sensation that can be difficult to define or explain. It is often associated with things that are perceived as abnormal and can be triggered by a wide range of stimuli, including people, places, and objects. But how does the feeling of creepiness differ from other emotions, such as fear or disgust? Or are they linked? McAndrew explained that creepiness is like a form of emotional 'foreplay' before we descend into fear or disgust. "We experience fear or disgust in situations where there is a very clear danger present–something that might harm or contaminate us. We experience creepiness in situations where it is unclear if there is an actual threat or not, and we stay uncomfortably creeped out until we can resolve the situation one way or another."

Talking about the feeling of being creeped out we might also think about how our cultural experiences and exposure can impact how individuals respond to things that are perceived as creepy. To question how the feeling of being creeped out varies across different cultures, McAndrew responded that "the feeling of being creeped out is probably a very universal human experience, but the things that we learn to get creeped out by may be very different from culture to culture."

How does the media (movies, TV, video games, etc.) influence the way we experience and perceive creepiness? According to McAndrew, "the media preys upon our creep detectors. When we get creeped out by something, we cannot stop paying attention to it. Since the makers of movies, TV shows, and video games absolutely do not want you to stop paying attention, they will employ creepy things whenever it is to their advantage."