Fear of Clowns – Coulrophobia

It is suspected that the fear of clowns, or coulrophobia (pronounced cool – roe – phobia) may
commence when one is a young child or infant, and as this little person looks at the clown, the clown appears as larger than life, with very different features than what the child is used to seeing in daily life.

The clown’s features of the big nose, the painted face and big hair and costume completely prevent you from judging facial expression so any means of discerning the real emotional nature of the clown is totally prevented.  This mask means that reading emotional expression is nearly impossible for a child or an adult, and they may be so anxious that they cannot judge whether the person behind the mask is going to be positive or negative. 

Children learn from a young age to read the emotional barometer from facial expressions, and the clown’s makeup, nose and hair, plus the costume, is thought to prevent this from occurring. If you are having a party with a clown and someone who has a fear of clowns is there, do not force him or her to watch or go close to the clown. Instead, ask the clown to remove the nose and the hair, so that they look more like a regular person. 

Another lovely suggestion to resolve this fear, is to get the child or the adult to get dressed up in a clown suit.  This can be a fun activity for both children and adults alike and it is unlikely that you will be frightened of yourself in the mirror. You may have to start with just looking at costumes first, and then gradually dress the child, showing the child or the adult the results in the mirror at each stage.  Make sure there is happy, upbeat music and perhaps a party atmosphere.