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How to tell if a guy is actually a creep, according to science

Lutherf

Lutherf

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How to tell if a guy is actually a creep, according to science | Fox News

So let's ignore the fact that the "study" is actually an online survey and online surveys are notoriously NOT scientific. Let's also ignore that the headline also singles out men as being creepy (though the article does note that women can also be creepy).

How accurate is the assessment?

I'd totally agree that not looking someone in the eye when you're talking to them is creepy but I'm not so sure about the other factors they mention. Those, to my thinking, are a bit more contextual.
 
Lutherf said:
How to tell if a guy is actually a creep, according to science | Fox News

So let's ignore the fact that the "study" is actually an online survey and online surveys are notoriously NOT scientific. Let's also ignore that the headline also singles out men as being creepy (though the article does note that women can also be creepy).

How accurate is the assessment?

I'd totally agree that not looking someone in the eye when you're talking to them is creepy but I'm not so sure about the other factors they mention. Those, to my thinking, are a bit more contextual.
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Based on the first paragraph I'd say not at all
 
Fearandloathing said:
Based on the first paragraph I'd say not at all
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Heck, if you look above that first paragraph and note that the by line is "Korin Miller" that's pretty creepy too. I mean, not being able to readily tell if you're dealing with a male or a female always gives me the willies to some extent.:lol:
 
MaggieD said:
Body language is a dead give-away as are, of course, actions. Creepy people usually don't know they're creepy. They're that way because they're oblivious to social cues. Victims of creepy often run into trouble because they don't trust their instincts. I agree with some of these things. Some I don't.

The biggest creepy signal of all is a person's inability to take no for an answer.
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What was that word you used in the last sentence?? "no"???? What is that???

:mrgreen:
 
MaggieD said:
Body language is a dead give-away as are, of course, actions. Creepy people usually don't know they're creepy. They're that way because they're oblivious to social cues. Victims of creepy often run into trouble because they don't trust their instincts. I agree with some of these things. Some I don't.

The biggest creepy signal of all is a person's inability to take no for an answer.
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I had a boss who approached every person he dated like it was a job interview and they were applying to be his wife. It apparently creeped the hell out of a lot of women from what I was told by people who knew him during that phase of his life.
 
Lutherf said:
How to tell if a guy is actually a creep, according to science | Fox News

So let's ignore the fact that the "study" is actually an online survey and online surveys are notoriously NOT scientific. Let's also ignore that the headline also singles out men as being creepy (though the article does note that women can also be creepy).

How accurate is the assessment?

I'd totally agree that not looking someone in the eye when you're talking to them is creepy but I'm not so sure about the other factors they mention. Those, to my thinking, are a bit more contextual.
Click to expand...

theres this creepy guy that just stands on the street corner. everytime I pass him on the sidewalk hes flipping a sign shaped like an arrow and then pointing it toward his apartment. how is that even legal?
 
Lutherf said:
Heck, if you look above that first paragraph and note that the by line is "Korin Miller" that's pretty creepy too. I mean, not being able to readily tell if you're dealing with a male or a female always gives me the willies to some extent.:lol:
Click to expand...

Agreed. It's a weird "study" in any event.

My experience is real creeps don't look and act all that creepy. Every one of Ted Bundy's victims was lured by what they thought was a "nice guy" who had a cast on his arm. Everyone who testified said he looked like an average guy, very handsome. The creepiest guy I ever met was the head of an investment company, another a lawyer.

I could be labeled creepy, shoulder length white hair, a beard and "old", one of the survey's big identifiers. Sometimes I like to underscore that creepy image by shouting at nobody things like "someone stole my Harley!" or smile and say "they're watching" then start laughing. It helps when you talk to people in elevators, as only weird people do that. I like the ones that have a voice telling you the floor numbers. I wait till the third stop, bend over, examine the speaker cover very carefully and say "how'd they get him in there?"

Makes life interesting. Besides I paint now and no one wants to buy anything from an artist who's anywhere near the sane end. If you're totally weird but not openly dangerous you can throw handfuls of paint at a canvas and call it art.

I know, Jackson Pollock already stole that idea...
 
Lutherf said:
How to tell if a guy is actually a creep, according to science | Fox News

So let's ignore the fact that the "study" is actually an online survey and online surveys are notoriously NOT scientific. Let's also ignore that the headline also singles out men as being creepy (though the article does note that women can also be creepy).

How accurate is the assessment?

I'd totally agree that not looking someone in the eye when you're talking to them is creepy but I'm not so sure about the other factors they mention. Those, to my thinking, are a bit more contextual.
Click to expand...

What people define as a creep is opinion. I however most often see creep asociated with stalker types rather than what the article listed.

But for fun lets do the creep anyways
 
Lutherf said:
How to tell if a guy is actually a creep, according to science | Fox News

So let's ignore the fact that the "study" is actually an online survey and online surveys are notoriously NOT scientific. Let's also ignore that the headline also singles out men as being creepy (though the article does note that women can also be creepy).

How accurate is the assessment?

I'd totally agree that not looking someone in the eye when you're talking to them is creepy but I'm not so sure about the other factors they mention. Those, to my thinking, are a bit more contextual.
Click to expand...



Nothing more than an opinion poll... but then again, "creepy" is a subjective judgement.


Usually it means "person I don't see myself ever sleeping with who won't take a hint."
 
Lutherf said:
How to tell if a guy is actually a creep, according to science | Fox News

So let's ignore the fact that the "study" is actually an online survey and online surveys are notoriously NOT scientific. Let's also ignore that the headline also singles out men as being creepy (though the article does note that women can also be creepy).

How accurate is the assessment?

I'd totally agree that not looking someone in the eye when you're talking to them is creepy but I'm not so sure about the other factors they mention. Those, to my thinking, are a bit more contextual.
Click to expand...

I'd say the profession thing is just down to what the mainstream is comfortable with. I've dated people with interest or an actual career in several of those things. :lol: Personally, I found them no more creepy than average -- just less mainstream.

Aside from that... do you honestly think a guy trying to get a picture or personal info from a woman they don't even know, or immediately wanting to talk about sex the moment he meets her ISN'T creepy? Really?

...And you wonder why guys are more likely to be seen as creepy? I mean, I assume you're a pretty decent guy in life, and I assume you probably wouldn't do those things, from what I gather of you on DP. And yet, despite probably being a reasonably decent person yourself, you think it would be passable for a theoretical man to do those things to a theoretical woman they don't even know.

That complete lack of cultural boundaries with how men should behave around women is why men are more likely to be seen as creepy. Just FYI. Anyway...

Most of that stuff is correct, to my mind. I would certain run, not walk, from a man who did most of those things.

Actually, I think the eye contact thing is far more contextual than something like some stranger trying to take pictures of me. I might not be concerned about lack of eye contact if it's paired with other signs that convey nervousness, as opposed to other signs that convey dishonesty (two of the potential reasons for lack of eye contact). Admittedly, I would probably yellow-flag such an extreme degree of nerves at this age (I generally don't date younger, so we're talkin' about men who are somewhere between late 20's and 30's), but it would be more a concern about whether they were in the same place as me as far as relationships than creepiness, per se. And even now, it wouldn't be a write-off necessarily.
 
Isn't this a subjective subject?
 
SmokeAndMirrors said:
I'd say the profession thing is just down to what the mainstream is comfortable with. I've dated people with interest or an actual career in several of those things. :lol: Personally, I found them no more creepy than average -- just less mainstream.

Aside from that... do you honestly think a guy trying to get a picture or personal info from a woman they don't even know, or immediately wanting to talk about sex the moment he meets her ISN'T creepy? Really?

...And you wonder why guys are more likely to be seen as creepy? I mean, I assume you're a pretty decent guy in life, and I assume you probably wouldn't do those things, from what I gather of you on DP. And yet, despite probably being a reasonably decent person yourself, you think it would be passable for a theoretical man to do those things to a theoretical woman they don't even know.

That complete lack of cultural boundaries with how men should behave around women is why men are more likely to be seen as creepy. Just FYI. Anyway...

Most of that stuff is correct, to my mind. I would certain run, not walk, from a man who did most of those things.

Actually, I think the eye contact thing is far more contextual than something like some stranger trying to take pictures of me. I might not be concerned about lack of eye contact if it's paired with other signs that convey nervousness, as opposed to other signs that convey dishonesty (two of the potential reasons for lack of eye contact). Admittedly, I would probably yellow-flag such an extreme degree of nerves at this age (I generally don't date younger, so we're talkin' about men who are somewhere between late 20's and 30's), but it would be more a concern about whether they were in the same place as me as far as relationships than creepiness, per se. And even now, it wouldn't be a write-off necessarily.
Click to expand...

The picture thing throws me for a loop. Back in the day, yeah, it was creepy but now with everyone being into selfies and facebook and stuff I don't know what to think. That's why I say it's contextual The same goes for conversations about sex. Sometimes things just turn that way. I think it's more a matter of how the conversation heads that direction than just that it ended up there.
 
Lutherf said:
How to tell if a guy is actually a creep, according to science | Fox News

So let's ignore the fact that the "study" is actually an online survey and online surveys are notoriously NOT scientific. Let's also ignore that the headline also singles out men as being creepy (though the article does note that women can also be creepy).

How accurate is the assessment?

I'd totally agree that not looking someone in the eye when you're talking to them is creepy but I'm not so sure about the other factors they mention. Those, to my thinking, are a bit more contextual.
Click to expand...

I don't think the criteria listed are an accurate indication at all. I work with a man that displays most of those behaviors but he has autism and not even close to being a creep. Like Fear mentioned people can completely hide being creepy until it's too late. Not trying to say that as a general rule you shouldn't avoid people that appear creepy upon meeting them, but it's not so cut and dry.
 
Lutherf said:
How to tell if a guy is actually a creep, according to science | Fox News

So let's ignore the fact that the "study" is actually an online survey and online surveys are notoriously NOT scientific. Let's also ignore that the headline also singles out men as being creepy (though the article does note that women can also be creepy).

How accurate is the assessment?

I'd totally agree that not looking someone in the eye when you're talking to them is creepy but I'm not so sure about the other factors they mention. Those, to my thinking, are a bit more contextual.
Click to expand...

Why, did the study say that you were a creep?
 
Lutherf said:
How to tell if a guy is actually a creep, according to science | Fox News

So let's ignore the fact that the "study" is actually an online survey and online surveys are notoriously NOT scientific. Let's also ignore that the headline also singles out men as being creepy (though the article does note that women can also be creepy).

How accurate is the assessment?

I'd totally agree that not looking someone in the eye when you're talking to them is creepy but I'm not so sure about the other factors they mention. Those, to my thinking, are a bit more contextual.
Click to expand...

Certainly bad news for older introverted thin undertakers with tourettes. I feel bad for them.
 
jet57 said:
Why, did the study say that you were a creep?
Click to expand...

Since "old" was one of the signs of being a creep it kind of did. Actually, I think you're around my age too so maybe they thought you were creepy as well.
 
Women call all guys creepy in the right context. Basically women have finely engineered "hurdle creation brain areas" (scientifically speaking) that make it hard for guys to get in their good graces. Take the same guy and have it be a shy girl, and she finds him cute. Basically don't look for affirmation from someone you casually meet. If you want to ask them out, ask them out. At least that way you're just a dork/loser, and not a dork/loser + creep.

Any time you talk to a girl that doesn't really at that time want to talk to you, you're creepy.
 
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Lutherf said:
Since "old" was one of the signs of being a creep it kind of did. Actually, I think you're around my age too so maybe they thought you were creepy as well.
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No, because I don't read crap like that.
 
There are also some behaviors and nonverbal cues that make someone come across as a creeper:

  • Being extremely thin
  • Not looking you in the eye
  • Asking to take a picture of you
  • Watching people before interacting with them
  • Asking about details of your personal life when you don’t know them
  • Displaying too much or too little emotion
  • Being older
  • Steering the conversation toward sex
Click to expand...

All I can say to that list is, "Thank Christ I'm not in the dating scene anymore."
 
A handy instructional video.

 
Mach said:
Women call all guys creepy in the right context. Basically women have finely engineered "hurdle creation brain areas" (scientifically speaking) that make it hard for guys to get in their good graces. Take the same guy and have it be a shy girl, and she finds him cute. Basically don't look for affirmation from someone you casually meet. If you want to ask them out, ask them out. At least that way you're just a dork/loser, and not a dork/loser + creep.

Any time you talk to a girl that doesn't really at that time want to talk to you, you're creepy.
Click to expand...

?!?!? I'm going to disagree with you.
 
Lutherf said:
Heck, if you look above that first paragraph and note that the by line is "Korin Miller" that's pretty creepy too. I mean, not being able to readily tell if you're dealing with a male or a female always gives me the willies to some extent.:lol:
Click to expand...

Really?? Why?
 
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