rhollerith_dot_com comments on More art, less stink: Taking the PU out of PUA - Less Wrong

66 Post author: XFrequentist 10 September 2010 12:25AM

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Comment author: rhollerith_dot_com 13 September 2010 01:23:24PM 6 points [-]

Here is a wild guess about creepiness.

Some men are much worse than average at detecting negative reactions (like fear) in the person they are talking to.

So, when a woman has a negative reaction to something in a conversation, it starts to get creepy when the man does not notice that reaction and persists in the behavior that caused the reaction. I gets creepier fast when the woman reacts more strongly than the first time and the man continues to persist.

Just guessing.

Comment author: NancyLebovitz 13 September 2010 01:51:15PM 4 points [-]

I'm guessing too, but the creepiness reaction has a large component of disgust/revulsion-- it isn't just about fear.

I've been trying to think of portrayals of creepiness, and whether it can be done in a movie (or might it be pheromones?)-- it's been a while since I've seen it, but iirc, Beetlejuice is an example.

Comment author: CronoDAS 13 September 2010 03:49:46PM *  2 points [-]

Successful movie portrayal of creepiness: Anakin Skywalker, in Attack of the Clones. Critics commented on the surprising lack of chemistry between Hayden Christensen and Natalie Portman; I think the "romantic" scenes achieved exactly what they were supposed to.