For the past couple of months, there have been clown sightings that have spread fear and panic throughout the country. Citizens have claimed to see these frightening clowns near schools and parks, threatening innocent people. Videos of these clowns standing near busy destinations have gone viral on social media such as Instagram and Twitter. These clown attacks have passed as pranks as many teenagers have dressed up as clowns for followers on social media.
![Hysteria over clown sightings has been growing. [Source: www.theguardian.com]](http://www.jstudentboard.com/reporter/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/10-25-clowns.jpg)
[Source: www.theguardian.com]
There is a psychological reason for why people find clowns so terrifying. Frank T. Matthew talks on CNN about the theory behind the clowns and why people hate clowns.
“A 2008 study conducted in England revealed that very few children actually like clowns…[and] that the common practice of decorating children’s wards in hospitals with pictures of clowns may create the exact opposite of a nurturing environment. “
A study has been conducted by CNN to rate creepy occupations, behaviors of hypothetically “creepy” people, and to determine which statements about creepy people were true. The survey showed that people found a “creepy” person to have bulging eyes and a strange smile and one of the top creepy occupations listed by the surveyors was being a clown.
People are mostly scared of clowns for their disguises and inability to show their true selves. Because of this ongoing clown epidemic, many citizens are now frightened about clowns coming to their school or neighborhood. Because of the citizens view of clowns, this ongoing epidemic might be hard to calm down.
