Why do some people find shaved heads intimidating?
Most people are not intimidated by a shaved skull, but some people do have a reaction to it. There are multiple reasons for this. One possible reason is that the shaved head has been associated with some nasty things in the past decade or two, including neo-nazi skinheads, bikers, and convicts. Much of the “nasty-ness” of this image is media-manufactured, but some people hang on to these images and stereotypes. Another reason is that the shaved head is still outside the norm. Though more and more people are doing it, it’s still a small percentage of the overall population. Anything not completely mainstream will tend to provoke some negative reaction. Finally, there may be a connection with our primitive past. The loss of hair on top of our heads, especially when combined with the growth of facial hair, tends to emphasize our jaws and teeth, our natural weapons. This is also a possible evolutionary explanation for male pattern baldness, mentioned in an answer to a question on the Disco