Pediophobia

I get the comment about people feeling stared at alot and the 'they're going to kill you in your sleep' too. Alot of people can't seem to place what it is that weirds them out about my BJD. I don't think most people take alot of time to analyze their fears though so that probably doesn't help.
Myself I've not really been scared or weirded out by dolls growing up, although I do believe the jestery looking ones weirded me out as a kid, the make-up took away a human look but it was the beady black eyes that got me. I think that was founded on watching ex-files as a small child though, the only thing I really remember on that show involved peoples eyes turning pure black. It's not something that bothers me so much now though thankfully.
In regards to the mummies, and portraits, I looked them up and for the most part found them sad but not creepy.

 

It's the same with me, one of my Grandmas would buy my a Porcelain doll every other Christmas, I never really liked them so much, but I used to steal their shoeand pretty dresses for my other dolls to wear. However one day when me and my sister were playing, and our dolls were sat on our beds (we shared a room) she suddenly went "AAH, my doll just BLINKED AT ME" I didn't believe her but she kept insisting until I became paranoid and had to leave the room.
After that I couldn't be around them anymore, but I still kept getting them, so I ended up giving them all to my sister.
I just found them so creepy, and still do. She even bought a life size child one and used to sit it in her doorway and it'd stare at me with its lifeless eyes whenever I walked past.

But when I saw photos of BJDs I wasn't slightly scared at all, I thought they were gorgeous, which is a bit of a weird reaction isn't it? I like how they look like people, but at the same time they're not overly realistic. (I admit I'm not too fond of the really realistic looking BJDs, I like the more manga-ish looking ones)
Also the first night I got my boy I had this really random fear that he'd come to life while I was asleep XD I'm not very brave in the dark, but I'm way over that, now.

Even funnier is that my sister now complains how my dolls are creepy and their eyes are too big and they look evil. So now I carry them around with me, hohoho.

 

Generally, it's popular media, but that itself is based out of a simple concept: Uncanny Valley.

 

Ok I'm completely terrified of porcelin dolls and Marrionttes/ventriloquist dummies and no it's not because of the movies or stories I just have never felt "safe" with them it's like something is just dangerously attached there that shuldn't be.I have two porcelin dolls that were given to me as gifts from a great grandmother thats no longer with me and thats the only reason they are still in my posession otherwise they'd be beyond gone. I'm not sure as to why I have this unconsoleable fear but I do and the stories and movies don't help very much either they just add to my deep mental stigma that I have self imposed I guess. But put me in a room wth a BJD or paper doll or even cloth dolls I'm completely and utterly fine. Banraku puppets don't even seem that creepy they are very intruiging to me. I absolutely love muppets they are cute and squishy like stuffed toys. I don't know if it's the fact I know I can easily "get rid of" BJDs or something I'm not sure but porcelin dolls just make something in me shift uncomfortably around and make me go into "fight or flight" mode and BJDs dont make me do that i'm drawn to tem automatically.
When I saw my very first BJD at a Convention I had to go up and ask the individual that had the Bjd what it was etc without the slightest flinch. I could hold the doll no problem the only panic was from the fact that it was someone elses posession and I didn't want to damage it otherwise I was comepletely fine. I actually asked to hold it adn what was what and why i would never do that with a porcelin doll or vintriliquist dummy or marrionette nto in a million years.My mother finds it absolutely hilarious that I'm so comfortable with Bjds that she has to point out my uncontrolable fear of porcelin dolls and marrionettes but she isn't cruel about it and doesn't do it all the time its just when I'm really geeking out that the subject comes up.
The first time I saw a marrionette on a show portraying it the same way I felt about it was on seinfeld and as far as I was concernd it had proved why I was affraid of it and it's kind from my child senseablities. Still to this day I can't see a vintrilequist dummy on a show or anything without almost going into a comeplete panic attack and hiding(which ilisits laughter from various family members depending on who is there to observe my skittering into another toom or behind a kitchen counter). If I go into a Goodwill or antique store and there are Porcelin dolls in the store I have to go and find round-about ways through the store to stay away from them even if what I want is in the general area of the said dolls. Yes there are times I question and berate myself for this technically unsenseable fear but I just can't seem to probverably"kill" it out of my system.
So there is my two cents on this topic.+well more like ten fifty but who is taking tabs right+
*I'm very sorry about my painfully long rant*

 

Okay, why am I reading this while I'm home alone.
When I was a little kid I had baby dolls. There was one doll that my uncle had given me, and I really liked her (coz she had a hamburger that she could bite ). Then my brother and I watched a some movie, (not Chuckie..) and we became terrified of her. We imagined that she moved when the lights were out. Not my other dolls, just her. I don't know why.
As for the Uncanny Valley thing, I generally don't experience it, not even with life-like robots. Only when it's dead people on TV. But then it's more because of the horror stories and stuff. There are some porcelain and baby dolls I don't like, because they're ugly. Ventriloquist dummies, I find ugly too, but not creepy, even though I had read a Goosebumps story about one when I was young. I think BJD's get such different reactions from people because of people have different upbringings? Also some molds are realistic, and others are very stylised. Hmm, interesting topic.

I'm a bit scared right now.

 

I never really thought of dolls as creepy, I had no interest with dolls until I first saw pullips which then lead to my interest with bjds. Though I understand what people mean when they're scared about the dolls looking at them, I have the same feeling with posters/pinups

My friends say that my dolls look scary coz like their wigs look realistic? Another friend of mine was telling me how she prefers blythe dolls to bjds coz they looks less realistic though I don't like blythes xD

 

I think some people are scared of dolls because they resemble humans so much, but they're still inatimate objects. Like, they might think it's TOO lifelike. I know there was someone on here that said their mother was like "It might have a SOUL in it!!" XD Can't remember who or where it was, but I thought it was amusing ;D

 

My Friend has a fear of dolls too, i collect them i have lots of pot dolls but getting my frist BJD soon, she hates dolls and complains at me alot over it, i dont know why she fears them of why she hates them... only know she has something bad to say to me about them lol... i find it funny at times but i think its cause when the dolls sat or stood and stareing not looking around or moving just staring it creeps people out where as collectors are used to this stare and dont mind it at all... so i think its the stare that creeps others out more... but thats my views since my friends like she is lol... maybe i will take a few pics of some of my pot dolls and show them off here if i am allowed....

 

Porcelain dolls, baby dolls, ventriloquist dummies ... the whole lot of 'em give me the willies. I wouldn't say it's a phobia, as I have other greater fears ... so I think this is just a general distaste of most dolls. I find absolutely no appeal to them - and rather than maintain an indifference, most of the time they actually repel me.

I never had dolls as a kid - I had animal plushies and toys, but I couldn't abide by Barbies or baby dolls. I only ever had ONE Barbie I think, and my brother and I had more fun tossing her head around than I ever did playing with her.

BJDs on the other hand ... can't get enough of 'em. They're the beautiful, enchanting exception to the rule. :'D

 

I am actually terrified of most dolls. I used to have a large collection of porcelain dolls when I was younger and I would be terrified to sleep at night because of them. But with these bjd I don't know, there is something more human about them in my eyes. I think the dolls faces seduced me into feeling safe with them. I admit dolls with immense gothic face paints or gruesome mods will still spike fear into me.

 

I always use to find dolls creepy. I wouldn't play with barbies, brats, or anything else. And don't even get me started on China and ceramic dolls. But, there's something about Bjd's that just draws me in. When my mother directed me to the booth were they were selling dolls, I was very reluctant. It took me the entire weekend to finally get him (Chen-wi). The booth was right next to the exit, so every time I exited the Dealer's room, I had to stop by the BJD booth and look at the dolls. One in particular was my favorite, who is now my boy. And every time I see him or pick him up, I feel rather calm. I don't know why. And I wouldn't wish it any other way!

 

I have a co-worker that for one reason or another has a fear of clowns and dolls. I've shown her a doll I modded and painted and she was freaked out by it. On one hand I can kind of see why (though the doll is actually cute and not scary) but on the other, I see no reason for it. Maybe if it's real enough it may seem freaky because like others have mentioned something related to death and not living (like in horror movies, etc.) So far most seem to like the doll I currently have. Maybe it's because you got something that is "staring" at you. I remember having a fraggle rock doll with those big eyes "staring" at me and it freaked me out to where I put it up in storage.

 

I think its the blank stares and people have extensive imaginations at night.

 

I think I understand the fear of dolls -- they're, in my opinion, life-like, but not imbued with life. Sometimes people don't like the idea of that--something staring at them. I've heard a number of people say that.

 

I use to have a slight case of pediophobia (due to seeing parts of Child's Play and Dolly when I was very young), but BJDs got me over it (overall). I still have a tiny paranoia of dolls, but now it's just rag dolls and antique looking dolls (though they're so pretty T^T).

 

I have close friends that I won't share my dolls with because I KNOW it creeps them out. Most of them say it was that Damn Twilight Zone (for USA'er's) episode that has them freaked out (kinda like Chuckie but in black and white.) I think that is kinda silly but respect how they feel...the dead theory is interesting. I will be thinking about that one for awhile, hmmmmmmm.

 

Porcelin dolls, baby dolls, ventriloqiust dummies ect. creep me out- to the extent if I have to be near one I have to be looking at it constantly to feel "safe". I can't really explain why...My BJDs live at the end of my bed [It's a looong bed] and I feel fine with them there. Though my Moon has this odd quality about him that I know would unerve others- he really does glare, his eyes reflect light alot and almost glow, and tends to just tilt to the side ever so slightly when stood up.

Clowns also genuinly scare me. Painting a happy colourfull face to mask who you are underneath, creeps me out!

Parts of the n64 Zelda game, majora's Mask, scared me to. Happy mask salesman, anyone? I think all these fears are linked for me. The feeling that something intangible is wrong. Mabey that's how others feel about our dolls?

 

My husband tends not to like dolls. Apparently his grandma kept all of her dolls (a bunch of dang dolls) on shelves lining a couple of walls in the attic, which was converted into a guest room. My poor husband had to sleep in that attic with tons of dolls staring at him. I've seen some of her dolls- they're the creepy porceline kid dolls. I guess that would scar me for life, too.

I myself find certain dolls creepy or ugly, but for the most part I love dolls. I don't know what makes me so attracted to them.

 

It all comes down to one concept -- Uncanny Valley. Dolls resemble humans too closely, but yet, not completely. And that "close, but not quite!" thing is what makes them freaky for some.

Of course, movies like Child's Play don't help things much.

I think that's partly why people weren't as scared of the elf doll -- it's not as human-like as they "normal" one.

 

I love dolls (except for those plastic baby ones the little children play with...), I really don't understand this fear so well.

All the people I go to school with are scared of dolls and they are afraid of mine even though i've told them a million times the dolls can't hurt humans. Pupiless eyes make them feel like the doll is staring into their soul...?

I think their fear stems from too many horror movies. (I'm a horror movie nut, but I've long learned the fact none of the movies are real events, some may be based off but they aren't real.)

It doesn't bother me if people are scared of dolls, but I might have a hard time to try and avoid the subject.