Bigfoot Folklore & and Introduction to Believer Data
The cross-cultural legend of Bigfoot has captivated researchers, adventurers, and skeptics alike for centuries. Bigfoot, thought to primarily inhabit the forests of North America — throughout the United States and Canada — but also reportedly sighted across the globe, is a large, hairy, humanoid creature. Also known as the “Sasquatch”, the creature continues to be shrouded in mystery.
Various regions and cultures record the Bigfoot phenomenon, often with variations in name and location. The Bigfoot is known as “Yeti” in the Himalayas, “Yeren” in China, and “Yowie” in Australia. The cryptid has generated thousands of eyewitness accounts, numerous (albeit questionable) photographs, blurry films, and casts of footprints and handprints. However, Bigfoot’s existence remains elusive due to a lack of concrete physical evidence. To many, the elusive primate is just a popular urban legend.
The term “Sasquatch” originates from Halkomelem, a Native American language of the Pacific Northwest region. The word “sásq’ets” translates to “wild man”
According to a 2020 survey conducted and published by Civic Science, “[m]ore than 1 in 10 American adults believe that Bigfoot is a real, living creature.” Of the 3,455 survey participants (weighted by U.S. Census data), researchers categorized Bigfoot data by generation. According to the results, 13 percent of Gen Z participants (aged 18 to 24) were believers, followed by 12 % of Gen X participants (aged 35 to 54). Baby Boomers (age 55+) and Millennials (age 25-34) demonstrated higher levels of skepticism, with both generational groups indicating that 10% of survey participants believed in Bigfoot.
When Civic Science researchers repeated this survey in 2022 with 3,278 participants (weighted by U.S. Census data), a 248-participant difference was observed compared to 2020, with a +/- 2 percent margin of error. The percentage of American adults who believed in the existence of Bigfoot increased from 11 percent to 13 percent from 2020 to 2022. This data indicated positive correlations between individuals who regularly visit national parks and those who believe in this legend of Native American origin. Additionally, this research suggested a correlation between belief in other paranormal entities and belief in Bigfoot’s existence.
Spatial Trends in Bigfoot Sightings
In alignment with the reclusive nature of this large cryptid, reported sightings are concentrated heavily within Bigfoot’s hypothetical preferred habitat — naturally remote, mountainous, and heavily forested areas. According to data compiled by the Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization (BFRO) within the United States, most reported Bigfoot sightings occurred in the Pacific Northwest.
Sightings are particularly prevalent in Washington, Oregon, and California, especially in the Cascade and Sierra Nevada Mountains. Other Bigfoot sighting hotspots include the Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina and West Virginia. The forests of the Ohio River Valley, and, interestingly, the unique, swampy terrains of central Florida, are also common hotspots for Sasquatch sightings.
Seasonal Distribution of Sasquatch Sightings
Based on data compiled by the BFRO from 1995 to 2023, an individual is most likely to experience a Bigfoot sighting in Washington State during late summer or early autumn. This seasonal trend has remained consistent over the last two decades, though it’s important to note that outdoor activities increase in tandem with warmer weather. Therefore, participation in activities such as hiking or camping may consequently increase the potential for natural observation opportunities during these seasons.
Variation at regular intervals is expected to an extent when interpreting temporal trends, a component known as seasonality in data analysis. Bigfoot may engage in practices unverified by researchers, such as hibernation patterns during the winter months, potentially reducing natural opportunities for human observation. Thus, both the observed and the observer may respond differently to environmental stimuli. Even in the warmer seasons when Bigfoot sightings most frequently occur, factors such as time of day, rain, or fog may create practical barriers to visibility.
Temporal Trends in Bigfoot Sightings
Bigfoot sightings in the United States across the last 100 years indicate several noteworthy temporal trends. According to Geography Realm, sightings spiked in the late 1970s, early 1980s, and early to mid-2000s. The portrayal of Bigfoot within mass media and shifting attitudes toward the paranormal perpetuated a cultural feedback loop, positively correlated with Bigfoot temporal reporting spikes. For example, sightings increased after the widespread media circulation of the iconic 1967 Patterson-Gimlin film footage, believed to capture Bigfoot.
Patterson-Gimlin Bigfoot sighting video
Independent scholar Joshua Blu Buhs argued that the rise of Bigfoot in the 1970s was a direct result of the shift from the conformist cultural mindset of the 1960s to the subsequent rise of consumerist culture in America. The Bigfoot likely appealed to working-class men during this rise in consumerism by allowing them to relate to older male archetypes. The regend reaffirmed traditional, rugged masculinity by emphasizing activities such as hunting and exploration. Unlike what some religious devotees may suggest, Bigfoot didn’t grow out of mythology based on evil entities.
In essence, Bigfoot symbolized the wild and untamed. It provided an escape from modern, domesticated life.
The reporting spike observed in the early 2000s may stem from technological advancements that transformed reporting practices. Over the last twenty years, a steady downward trend in total Bigfoot sightings across the United States has emerged. Perhaps this is indicative of shifting societal views on the Bigfoot phenomenon after decades of sensationalization.
Commodification of Bigfoot & Impact on Tourism
Brands and tourism companies have commercially exploited the iconic Bigfoot image in a variety of forms. Bigfoot’s likeness has been used to market brands such as Jack Link’s beef jerky. This furry cryptid has emerged on everything from lunchboxes and hoodies to action figures and monster trucks. The 1987 film Harry and the Hendersons, and the subsequent 1991 TV series, reimagined the fearsome beast as a lovable, family-friendly, pop-culture staple.
According to Islands, Willow Creek, California, has declared itself the “Bigfoot Capital of the World”. By doing so, Willow Creek has successfully leveraged the legend of Bigfoot into tourism. Cryptid enthusiasts spend over a million dollars annually to participate in guided “squatching” tours, to view museums, attend themed festivals, and purchase Bigfoot merchandise.
How Pareidolia, Cognitive Bias & Eyewitness Misidentification Effect Cryptid Sightings
Eyewitness reports are the most commonly presented evidence for the existence of Bigfoot. Extensive criminological research has concluded that memory is malleable and constructive, contrary to the misconception that it functions as a factual recording of events. That is, humans are suggestible by nature, and stressful or traumatic events may lead to faulty memory encoding and retrieval.
The human brain is wired to perceive patterns, such as forms or shapes, even in random stimuli. According to EBSCO, this is a psychological phenomenon known as pareidolia — exemplified by the projective psychological assessment, the Rorschach Inkblot Test. Consequently, individuals may perceive Bigfoot in dense, shaded forests or in ambiguous photographs or films.
Further, the lens of confirmation bias may lead to the unconscious misinterpretation of Bigfoot evidence to align with their belief system. Post-event contamination can also potentially influence an individual’s recollection of events by subconsciously shifting their memories to align with newly learned information. Additionally, environmental factors such as duration of the Sasquatch sighting, distance, lighting, and weather conditions may impact the ability to perceive events accurately.
The Innocence Project is an American organization that promotes criminal justice reform and uses DNA evidence to exonerate individuals who were wrongfully convicted. Research conducted by The Innocence Project has concluded that “eyewitness misidentification contributes to an overwhelming majority of wrongful convictions that have been overturned by post-conviction DNA testing”.
Gender-based Insights Into Sasquatch Eyewitness Testimony
Historical scholarly views assume that Bigfoot has overwhelmingly appealed to males. However, available data on whether males or females report Bigfoot sightings more frequently is severely limited and somewhat contradictory.
Some sources suggest that women are more likely to encounter the cryptid because of their less threatening, empathetic nature compared to men. In a 2016 interview with Vice, Melissa Hovey-Larson, President of the American Bigfoot Society and a Bigfoot researcher with 20 years of experience, suggested that males are significantly more active in Bigfoot research and search expeditions.
Therefore, the underrepresentation of females in Bigfoot research may help explain discrepancies in reports of Bigfoot encounters by gender. Further, other data sources suggest that males and females are equally likely to believe in the existence of Bigfoot. This could indicate that gender may not be a significant differentiator in reporting behaviors. As such, the likelihood of confirmation bias of encountering Bigfoot is similar across the male-female centric binary.
Research on eyewitness testimony suggests that gender differences may influence recall and reporting behaviors. Males demonstrate greater accuracy in reporting spatial and environmental details, whereas females are generally more accurate in reporting people-related details, such as physical characteristics.
Additionally, differences in gender-based threat perception can affect attention to details and recall abilities. Research has indicated that females may experience greater anxiety than their male counterparts in high-stakes encounters. In this context, females may provide more detailed reports as a result of their stress-related mental processing.
that some hoaxers have tried to
(unsuccessfully for the most part)
pass off as legitimate evidence
A Lack of Empirical Bigfoot Evidence
In the quasi-scientific discipline of cryptozoology, historical DNA testing of alleged Bigfoot hair samples has failed to conclusively support Bigfoot’s existence. According to The Royal Society, in 2012, a team of researchers from the University of Oxford and the Museum of Zoology (based in Lausanne, Switzerland) acquired 57 hair samples. Many claimed that these samples, gathered from around the world, belonged to anomalous primates, including Bigfoot. Of these samples, researchers discovered that several were too degraded for use or consisting of glass or plant fibers.
Of the remaining thirty hair samples, scientists matched each to an already known species. According to Science, one sample was human hair, and ten belonged to various bear species. Additionally, four originated from wolves or dogs, four belonged to horses, and the rest matched porcupine, raccoons, bears, and deer.
The FBI investigated Bigfoot for several decades and tested several hair samples thought to belong to Bigfoot as well, but ultimately was unable to confirm the legend.
Scientific analysis or admissions have also revealed dozens of photographs and other forms of Bigfoot evidence (such as fossils and footprints) as fake. In 1982, Rant Mullens admitted to creating fake Bigfoot tracks in the 1920s with giant feet carved from wood. A “frozen Bigfoot specimen” found by two men on a 2008 hike turned out to be a gorilla costume. Consequently, experts have called the credibility of all Bigfoot evidence into question, with no definitively authentic films, photographs, fossils, or scientific evidence in existence at the time of this article’s writing.
Statistical Link Between Bigfoot Sightings & Black Bear Populations (U.S. and Canada, Historically)
The American black bear has a large stature, thick fur, and preferred habitat of the mountains and forests of the Pacific Northwest. In light of the black bear’s known propensity to ambulate bipedally, the suggestion that Bigfoot sightings are, in fact, largely misidentified bear sightings has continued to gain traction.
Scientist and data analyst Floe Floxon expanded upon historical analysis of the potential correlation between black bear populations and Bigfoot sightings. Floxon’s study adjusted for population density and landmass. He expanded the analysis to include the entire United States and Canada and conducted regression analyses of Bigfoot sightings on black bear populations.
Foxon’s analysis demonstrated a positive, significant association between black bear populations and Bigfoot sightings. According to Newsweek, the average Bigfoot sighting correlates with 900 black bears in a given area. As such, Floxon indicated that Bigfoot sightings are more likely to be reported by residents of areas with higher bear populations.
Key Takeaways about the Bigfoot Phenomenon
The Bigfoot phenomenon demonstrates the importance of interdisciplinary research, critical inquiry, and skepticism within the discipline of cryptozoology. Bigfoot’s existence as a biological species is not currently substantiated by sufficient empirical evidence and never has been. Nevertheless, the mystery of Bigfoot’s legend persists. The question remains: Is the absence of proof in and of itself evidence that Bigfoot does not exist, or is agnosticism inherent in our human perception of the Bigfoot phenomenon?