Last updated on September 14th, 2022 at 10:53 pm
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Last updated on September 14th, 2022 at 10:53 pm
If you’re anything like me and have grown up watching the “Chucky” series, then you probably already know what I am talking about. The infamous movie about a doll that comes to life and kills anything that comes in its way has surely left a mark on millions of kids of this generation.
But Chucky’s not the only creepy doll out there. There are plenty of dolls with tales of horror attached. Hence, if we were to address the question “are porcelain dolls haunted?” the answer can be tricky.
Porcelain dolls are not inherently haunted or evil. However, there are many stories that have convinced many people to believe otherwise.
There are stories rooted in the use of dolls to perform magic, voodoo, and other highly questionable practices around the world. Hence, it’s only reasonable to explore them and figure out whether porcelain dolls are haunted.
In this article I will explore some of the stories and practices from across the globe to help you understand why porcelain dolls are deemed creepy by many people.
Moreover, in this article I will also break down certain myths associated with voodoo dolls.
Are Porcelain Dolls Really Haunted?
Seven years ago, a town in California was left shocked when a batch of porcelain dolls was left at the doorsteps of around eight families. However, this wasn’t the spooky part.
The weird part was that the dolls resembled the little girls who lived in those houses, making the situation seem downright eerie.
Fortunately, investigators got to the root of the matter and found out something rather surprising. The dolls weren’t sent to creep the residents out. They were, in fact, created by a woman from the local neighborhood church the residents used to attend.
However, the real question is, why did the families freak out?
Haunted Dolls In Media
Horror movies have always seemed to depict dolls as demonic or eerie. From the “Child’s Play” series to “Annabelle,” dolls are often shown as otherworldly entities possessed by evil.
If you find them, you’re doomed. If you throw them out in the trash, they’ll somehow make their way back inside. If you mess with them, they’ll kill you.
That’s the typical perception associated with dolls in mainstream Hollywood horror movies. Fortunately or unfortunately, this is not it. Movies are not the only reasons behind our perception related to “creepy porcelain dolls.”
Other mainstream channels such as digital media and online news platforms aren’t much further behind when adding spice and painting a picture to garner attention.
If you don’t believe me yet, here’s the article about “Doll Island” portrayed as a haunted spot and associated with a story about a dead little girl.
Doll Life-Like Appearance
Here’s a more credible explanation behind the notion that porcelain dolls appear creepy. The owner of Becca’s Doll Creations, Rebecca Hisle, believes that porcelain dolls look realistic and very similar to human beings.
In fact, their eyes are often the most believable part about them, which puts some people off. People who have been in the business for long do not find these dolls spooky at all because they know the real deal about them.
In fact, there are many people who may actually find these dolls charming. Eventually, it all comes down to different perceptions.
The Myth About Voodoo Dolls
In western movies, we often see the concept of voodoo reduced to a cult, black magic or pin-stuck dolls meant to cause harm to someone. However, the origins of voodoo are unlike anything your mind has been made to believe so far.
Voodoo originated in Benin, a country in Africa. When thousands of Africans were trafficked and sent to Haiti to work on French plantations, the concept of voodoo was also introduced to Haiti.
Initially, it began as an underground practice where believers would gather to make contact with a spirit that ran the universe according to “voodoo” belief. The practice is also meant to honor Bon Dieu, a chief god, and care for the spirits of one’s dead family members.
Pediophobia
At this point, it’s only reasonable to get into a bit of psychology and understand why we think what we think. According to Dr. Rosmarin, a renowned psychologist who has studied the field of pediophobia, our fear of dolls is more rooted in pop culture than in our psyches.
If we are to further explore the question “are porcelain dolls haunted?” it’s important to first understand what gives rise to such a question after all.
We often develop a fear of non-threatening things by observing how others around us adopt those fears or react to them.
For example, if you introduce a child to a doll in a non-threatening and comfortable playroom, they’ll probably be okay with it. However, if you introduce them to it in a dark, shadowy, and eerie environment with creepy music playing in the background, they’ll probably not receive it well.
Final Thoughts
In other words, porcelain dolls aren’t inherently creepy. Pop culture is one of the biggest reasons behind our existing perceptions about them.
Hence the answer to the question “are porcelain dolls haunted?” has to be no.
There are several reasons behind our minds fearing dolls, with pop culture being on the top of the list. The good news is that there are ways to deal with that fear.
Just like other phobias that are treated using exposure therapy or by gradually increasing contact with the source of fear, it’s also possible to treat pediophobia.
Again, whether porcelain dolls are haunted or not is something we should leave to individual perception. As long as we can learn to differentiate between movies and real life, we should be safe from Annabelle’s wrath- if you know what I mean!
Last updated on September 14th, 2022 at 10:53 pm
