Automatonophobia

Automatonophobia is a specific phobia and irrational fear of mannequins, dolls, animatronics, and anything that looks like human-like figures. This is possibly caused by the Uncanny valley since mannequins and dolls look human but are not human and have a distinct face that looks human but doesn't and rather triggers the Uncanny valley.

This phobia is related to the Uncanny valley and Glenophobia which is the fear of dolls, also known as Pediophobia or simply the Fear of dolls.

Etymology

The term Automatonophobia comes from the Ancient Greek word αὐτο (autó) which means self and ματος (matono) which means thinking, willing, or animated and φοβία (phobía) which means fear.

Description

Automatonophobia is triggered by mannequins, dolls, animatronics, and anything that looks like human-like figures. Automatonophobia is an uncommon fear but it is rapidly becoming pretty common due to Artificial intelligence becoming as lifelike as a human.

Automatonophobia is deeply related to the Uncanny valley although the uncanny valley happens to anyone, even if they don't have Automatonophobia since the brain gets confused and struggles to tell if it is human or not with Wax figures or mannequins but people with Automatonophobia, the uncanny valley will possibly make the person get panic attacks rather than a fright response.

Causes

Learned behaviors can be the cause of it but the uncanny valley is mostly the cause of Automatonophobia since the brain is trying to process what the wax figure could be if it is human or fake which the brain then gets confused and struggles to process what it is.

Treatment

Exposure therapy and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) can be helpful treatments with Virtual reality therapy.

See also

• List of phobias
• Fear of dolls

References

External links

• The dictionary definition of automatonophobia at Wiktionary