# Would most women really scream when finding a dead body? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 20, 2013, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-most-women-really-scream-when-finding-a-dead-body/658815 "2013-05-20T13:30:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Mouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mighty_mouse/32/7776_2.png) [@Mighty\_Mouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Mouse)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2013, 10:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-most-women-really-scream-when-finding-a-dead-body/658815/41 "2013-05-21T10:47:25Z")
A woman at work found a dead body in the dumpster enclosure (drug overdose probably) at the store, where I was Asst Manager. She definitely screamed. She was a tough cookie too. She lived in the drug and violence infested neighborhood that the store was in. Thanks to urban renewal, there is now a Whole Foods there now. ---
**Author:** ![gracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8e7dd6/32.png) [@gracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gracer)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2013, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-most-women-really-scream-when-finding-a-dead-body/658815/42 "2013-05-21T12:14:36Z")
> [@Shakes](#): > > OK. Catching a woman off guard, I get. > > But the other day I was watching this movie, and it was pissing me right the hell off. The girl is running from the bad guy. She finds a hiding spot inside a cabinet (or some such) the guy eventually catches up to her location but still has no idea where she is. All she has to do is NOT scream. > > Of course, she couldn’t help herself, and she wound up screaming anyway letting the bad guy know where she was. The bad guy wound up killing her real good. :smack: > > I wonder, in THAT situation, could a woman control herself? (Typically) Really? You wonder this? You wonder if women have some sort of genetic/hormonal/physiological problem that makes them really stupid? No, I think we can safely say that is just in film. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2013, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-most-women-really-scream-when-finding-a-dead-body/658815/43 "2013-05-21T12:39:16Z")
> [@olivesmarch4th](#): > > This. The other day I mildly electrocuted myself and I shrieked. I believe “electrocute” implies death. I think. I saw someone in a parking lot during summer, all their windows up and their head tilted back, mouth hanging open. I went on with some shopping and twenty minutes later on returning to my car, the person was still like that. I drove away, but had second thoughts and returned to the scene. I went into the closest place, a tire/battery place and told he guy behind the counter. He walked out, returned shortly, and said, “looks like he’s dead”. I concurred. The tire guy was unsure about what he should do, but a coworker called 911. I left before the police arrived, but in a way I hope the guy was dead, otherwise he must have been horribly embarrassed. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2013, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-most-women-really-scream-when-finding-a-dead-body/658815/44 "2013-05-21T14:55:15Z")
I suppose screaming is a good way to get help without having to put the situation into words. “Help, there is a person lying here and I’m freaked out and I’m pretty sure they are dead, can somebody come over here?” Or “EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!” Screaming is easier and more effective. ---
**Author:** ![miss\_elizabeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/838e76/32.png) [@miss\_elizabeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/miss_elizabeth)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2013, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-most-women-really-scream-when-finding-a-dead-body/658815/45 "2013-05-21T16:25:50Z")
> [@Shakes](#): > > OK. Catching a woman off guard, I get. > > But the other day I was watching this movie, and it was pissing me right the hell off. The girl is running from the bad guy. She finds a hiding spot inside a cabinet (or some such) the guy eventually catches up to her location but still has no idea where she is. All she has to do is NOT scream. > > Of course, she couldn’t help herself, and she wound up screaming anyway letting the bad guy know where she was. The bad guy wound up killing her real good. :smack: > > I wonder, in THAT situation, could a woman control herself? (Typically) Is this a serious question? Do you watch Looney Tunes and then try walking off a cliff to see if you don’t fall as long as you don’t look down? ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2013, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-most-women-really-scream-when-finding-a-dead-body/658815/46 "2013-05-21T18:11:44Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > I’ve never seen this except on TV. I still remember the first time I saw it IRL. It was 1978, I’d been working as a paralegal for just a week or two at that point, and I was going over some stuff with the lawyer I reported to. We were in her office, it was early morning, and I was saying this or that about what I was working on, “and…a mouse.” Her: “Excuse me, but I must’ve gotten fuzzy there. I thought you said ‘a mouse.’” Me: “I did. It just went under that credenza.” Her: “A MOUSE!!” And in less time than it takes to type it, she was standing on a chair. ---
**Author:** ![Lindilu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8edcca/32.png) [@Lindilu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lindilu)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2014, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-most-women-really-scream-when-finding-a-dead-body/658815/47 "2014-07-18T06:06:16Z")
In the nursing profession we come across many dead bodies in the course of a career, Can you imagine if we screamed every time we saw one. Very unrealistic. I don’t get why they scream in movies other than to bring attention to the poor unfortunate… ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2014, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-most-women-really-scream-when-finding-a-dead-body/658815/48 "2014-07-18T13:22:54Z")
I hate that screaming thing. As you say it is limited to women. Its sexist and misogynistic and I think it kind of trains women that that’s the appropriate response. Me, i certainly have screamed, don’t get me wrong, but generally they have to train women to do that horrified scream. In real life it is usually just a loud gasp or a short quick yelp. ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2014, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-most-women-really-scream-when-finding-a-dead-body/658815/49 "2014-07-18T14:12:00Z")
I would probably scream if the dead body turned out to be a zombie. ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2014, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-most-women-really-scream-when-finding-a-dead-body/658815/50 "2014-07-18T14:52:02Z")
I can’t even remember \*ever \*screaming in response to fright or surprise. Maybe as a little kid? I’d probably just yell “Whoa!” or “Oh!” or something like that. ---
**Author:** ![Macca26](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/13edae/32.png) [@Macca26](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Macca26)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2014, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-most-women-really-scream-when-finding-a-dead-body/658815/51 "2014-07-18T14:53:56Z")
Well we might as well make the zombie entertaining then and include some [haunted house reaction shots](https://www.flickr.com/photos/nightmaresfearfactory/)so you can get your scream fix ---
**Author:** ![Lowdown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c57346/32.png) [@Lowdown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lowdown)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2014, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-most-women-really-scream-when-finding-a-dead-body/658815/52 "2014-07-18T15:12:19Z")
I’m a dude, but is this really a screaming situation for anyone? Personally, I’d be so _pissed_ if I stumbled across a body. Like, Jesus Christ, there goes the rest of the day. I’ll be talking to cops and filling out stupid forms and who knows what else until the cows come home. I’d leave it for someone else to find, but A) it’s my basement so that’s unlikely, and B) it’s starting to stink down here. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2014, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-most-women-really-scream-when-finding-a-dead-body/658815/53 "2014-07-18T15:52:22Z")
I’m not a woman, but . . . When I was in college, a guy in my rooming house hanged himself. I was the one who discovered his body. I recall shrieking more than screaming. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-most-women-really-scream-when-finding-a-dead-body/658815.md?page=2)