If dolls give you the chills, you’re not alone. Many people think they’re scary but rarely ask why.

Dolls have been around for thousands of years, dating back to the earliest civilizations. Many cultures used dolls in ceremonies, rituals, and forms of witchcraft.

Ancient Egyptians used them to represent evil forces and believed dolls were made from the bodies of humans who died a violent death.

In 18th-century Europe, parents would hang wax dolls in their children’s bedrooms to scare them into staying there at night. This practice became known as “doll torture” or “doll hanging.”

Finally, in the 19th century, dolls became more popular and more realistic. Children started collecting porcelain dolls instead of rag dolls because they looked prettier and cost more money. Porcelain dolls also became popular gifts for young girls because they looked like real babies.

It’s predicted that more people will have a belief in haunted dolls than ever before in years to come, as more ‘life like’ dolls are being produced than ever before.

One reason to why we may find them so creepy is what is referred to as the ‘Uncanny valley phenomenon’.

The term was coined in the 1970s by Japanese roboticist Masahiro Mori in his essay, “Bukimi no Tani,” which translates to “valley of eeriness”.

Dolls look almost human, but our brain recognises some of the qualities of the doll such as the eyes, and regonises it isn’t human but is very similar, which then can trigger a primal panic response. This is because our brains recognize the face as human but regonises something is not quite right, which signals a potential threat to us.

Lifelike faces
The more lifelike a doll’s face is, especially its eyes, the more likely we are to perceive it as aware. This is because our brains use eyes to detect life in a face.

Lack of emotion
Dolls look familiar and lifelike, but they lack emotion. This can create an uneasy feeling that the doll is watching you.

One of the most significant explanations for doll phobias is their role in pop culture. Films such as ‘chucky’ portray dolls as cursed or haunted antique dolls, which adds to society’s curosity with this phenomenon and fear.

Finally Dolls can have painted expressions, handstitched garments, and human hair, glass eyes, which can make them seem like they have a past life or a life of their own.