Automatonophobia

Automatonophobia can be loosely defined as the fear of wax figures, humanoid robots, audio-animatronics, or other figures designed to represent humans. Only rarely does the fear become a full-blown phobia, but it is relatively common to experience hesitation or nervousness when confronting these figures.

It is currently unknown precisely what causes this phobia. It may be partly due to our own innate expectations of human behavior. We tend to mistrust people who stare blankly, remain quiet, or act in ways that we do not consider “normal.” Whether programmed to move or simply standing silent, automatons look but do not behave like humans.


In addition, the level of craftsmanship can vary widely from figure to figure. Today, most look startlingly lifelike, but closer examination shows that they are slightly “off.” Smooth, perfect skin, vacant eyes, and other qualities are shared by automatons but do not perfectly represent human bodies.