For 15 years, psychology professor Philip John Tyson has been teaching classes on phobias. At the start of every semester, he asks his students the same question: What are you afraid of? Students ...

They didn't start out to scare anyone. Clowns have held a favored, albeit slightly outcast place throughout history – first, as comic relief to those in power, performing magic tricks, pranks or ...

Research reveals why clowns often elicit extreme fear. If watching Pennywise in the movie “It” was utterly terrifying for you, you are not alone. A 2022 study conducted globally found that ...

A childhood fear of clowns is common, with Stephen King using this phobia to create the terrifying Pennywise in It. King's inspiration for Pennywise came from his own fear of clowns, heightened by a ...

The circus is coming! So this would be a good time for clown haters to re-examine their attitudes toward clowns. Or if you're afraid of clowns, there's good news. "Coulrophobia" is very treatable. And ...

No one I've checked with knows the origin of the word coulrophobia, the term for maladaptive fear of clowns. I've searched many sources, checked with various professionals, and asked a Twitter army of ...