A study published in the journal New Ideas in Psychology, unfortunately behind a paywall, reviewed by Dr. NerdLove. [1]
Some highlights:
*"So we’re not allowed to give women compliments? – No, telling a woman how sexy she is isn’t a compliment, especially when you don’t have that level of intimacy with her."
*"One of the keys to what made someone creepy was the potential for
ambiguity. The study’s authors suggest that because one’s creep-radar is
keyed towards finding potential threats, the ambiguousness of
somebody’s behavior could make people uncomfortable. After all, if
you’re continually wondering if this person actually poses a threat to
you, you’re left in a state of anxious paralysis; you’re continually on
edge trying to determine just what the appropriate reaction to the
situation is. Guessing wrong can have consequences, after all; misjudge a
potential threat and now you’ve made yourself vulnerable to someone who
means you harm."
*"One of the most common ways guys are creepy is by ignoring issues of
boundaries and demonstrating that they have more information about
somebody than they should." Example from Instagram: He: "So I take it you're staying at the Excalibur?" She: "Excuse me, do you not seriously realize how f*cking creepy it is for a stranger to message a woman out of the blue insinuating he knows where she is?"
*From the comments: "Someone who comes close to that line and manages not to cross it obviously knows where it is."