Serpopsychology (WHAT’S CREEPY?) with Frank McAndrew

Are you creepy? How would you know? What’s “creepy” as opposed to scary or eerie? We talk to the pioneer of this research, Serpopsychologist, Dr. Frank McAndrew, a professor emeritus at Knox College. We chat: dates that give you the willies, Weary Willie the Clown, haunted dolls, college goths, dark alleyways, evolutionary neurobiology, what NOT to get Oprah, the line between horror and comedy, the phobia of balloons, dating tips, and why you should re-evaluate your bathmat. Welcome to Spooktober 2025. We have more waiting in the wings for you this month.
Visit Dr. McAndrew's website (frankmcandrew.com) and follow him on Google Scholar (scholar.google.com/citations?user=MxorsyYAAAAJ…), Facebook (facebook.com/frank.mcandrew.5), and Bluesky (bsky.app/profile/ftmcandrew.bsky.social)
A donation went to WTVP (wtvp.org), the PBS affiliate for Central Illinois
More episode sources and links (alieward.com/ologies/serpopsychology)
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Editing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions (maitlandaudio.com) and Jake Chaffee (jecmusic.com)
Managing Director: Susan Hale
Scheduling Producer: Noel Dilworth
Transcripts by Aveline Malek
Website by Kelly R. Dwyer (kellyrdwyer.com/photo)
Theme song by Nick Thorburn

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