Psychology Facts

▲ Horror Movies ▲

》One reason we consume horror is to experience stimulation. Exposure to terrifying acts, or even the anticipation of those acts, can stimulate us — both mentally and physically — in opposing ways: negatively (in the form of fear or anxiety) or positively (in the form of excitement or joy).

》Another reason we seek horror is to gain novel experiences. Apocalypse horror films, for example, allow us to live out alternative realities — from zombie outbreaks to alien infestations. Some novel experiences can even contribute to our sense of accomplishment, like visiting a notorious haunted house. Being adventurous in this way makes us feel more worldly or daring (not to mention grants us bragging rights).

》Lastly, horror entrainment may help us (safely) satisfy our curiosity about the dark side of human psyche. After all, in real life, we might not have the opportunity to get to know a Hannibal Lecter or wander the streets during The Purge. As an inherently curious species, many of us are fascinated by what our own kind is capable of. Observing storylines in which actors must confront the worst parts of themselves serves as a pseudo character study of the

》72% of people report watching at last one horror movie every 6 months, and the reasons for doing so, besides the feelings of fear and anxiety, was primarily that of excitement.

》Horror movies contain psychological tricks that create illusions of suspense and danger through the manipulation of images, sound, and story.
Although your brain is aware that the threats aren't real, your body simultaneously registers them as if they are.

》Horror films are designed to elicit certain emotions such as tension, fear, stress, and shock. These can cause the release of the hormones in the body such as norepinephrine, cortisol, and adrenaline from the autonomic nervous system.

》Research suggests that we must possess a psychological "protective frame" to be able to derive pleasure from being horrified. There are three different categories of such frames.

1) We need to believe that we are physically safe — a safety frame. For example, although the evil entity in a movie might be committing terrifying acts in front of our eyes, we can derive pleasure from the horror as long as we believe that the evil entity is physically distant from us and hence cannot cause harm to us.

2) The second category of protective frame involves detachment — whether we can psychologically detach from a horror experience. When we see a psychotic murderer chasing down a bloodied victim in a film, we can activate psychological detachment by reminding ourselves that they are just actors

3) The third category of protective frame involves our confidence in controlling and managing the dangers we encounter. If we visit a haunted house, for instance, and a realistic-looking, blood-thirsty zombie charges at us, we can still derive pleasure from the encounter if we feel confident about overcoming the danger.

Research suggests that the absence of any of these psychological protective frames in the moment reduces the preference for horror consumption, which may explain why some people stay away from spooky movies, books, or events.

》You may notice a physiological response from these hormones by way of pupil dilation, increased heart rate, and muscle tension.

》Horror movies can cause a wide variety of side-effects, depending on the individual. One of the most noticeable side-effects is sleeplessness.

》Research has shown that sleep loss or poor quality sleep can negatively affect how the brain processes emotions the following day and can intensify negative emotions.

》Data collected by the MRI scans found that, while the subjects were watching horror movies and experiencing the "preparatory sustained awareness" type of fear, the regions of the brain involved in visual and auditory perception became more active.

》Subjects watching horror movies and experiencing jump scares had brain activity in regions involved in emotion processing, threat evaluation and decision making which researchers said enables a rapid response.

》According to a research study done at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, children under 14 who watched horror movies end up having increased chances of developing anxiety conditions later in adulthood.

》Horror movies can also create new fears through association, also known as classical conditioning

》Yet, there is one side-effect psychologists can agree is not entirely harmful: desensitization. For example, if you were afraid of clowns, then exposure to horror movies about clowns may help ease your fear because you are being continuously exposed to it

Some research indicates that people with a higher sensation-seeking trait (i.e., a stronger need for experiencing thrill and excitement) tend to seek out and enjoy horror-related experiences more. Those with a lower sensation-seeking trait may find those experiences unpleasant and avoid them.

Relatedly, the trait of openness to experience (or the need to engage in imaginative activities) is also a predictor of horror consumption — a stronger openness to experience trait is associated with increased affinity towards horror.

In addition, individual differences in empathy are associated with enjoyment of horror. Those who are not so empathic can enjoy horror more. This is because those with a higher level of empathy tend to feel more negatively about the distress situations others experience, like people being tormented by a devious murderer in a film.

Gender and age also appear to matter. One survey found that, on average, younger individuals tend to be more attracted to this scary genre; men are more likely to be fans of horror than women; and women versus men may like different aspects of a horror experience. That is, women may enjoy a horror movie more when it offers a happy ending (e.g., the evil entity ends up destroyed), whereas men may enjoy a horror movie more when it is loaded with intensely terrifying acts.