Why do we like horror movies?
There are many people who love watching scary movies, while others try to avoid them at all costs. In theory, we should stay away from things that scare us, but the popularity of the horror genre proves otherwise! So it is quite logical asking ourselves why we like horror movies: why do we like something whose biggest goal is to induce fear? There are many theories about that actually, so keep reading to find out the answer!
The Journal of Media Psychology published an article about the main reasons why people like the horror genre. According to this study, there are three principal motives: tension, relevance and unrealism. We all agree with the fact that watching a scary movie can be an overwhelming experience due to the mystery and the shock, so many people are in some way ‘’attracted’’ to this feeling of great anxiety. As a matter of fact, according to Dr. Brownlowe (who works at the Ohio State University in the Departments of Neurology and Psychiatry), the experience of our brain calming itself down after a creepy scene is very pleasurable. This is because the dopamine released increases the sense of well-being.
Scary movies also challenge our beliefs about risk. For example, many people said they were not scared to ask their boss for a raise or prepare to go give a public speech after watching a horror film. As a matter of fact, when we watch something creepy, we are involved into an experience that seems risky or scary and then come out safe, because nothing bad happens to us at the end of the movie. We feel more courageous and think we are quite invincible, so we are more inclined to take risks.
A research published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology analyses the fact that many experts believe that scary movies can help a person to get closer to their partner. If a couple watch a horror film together, they will probably show each other a very vulnerable part of themselves and this will be useful to increase intimacy with the other.
Of course, everyone experiences things in a different way, so scary movies may be too intense for very sensitive people, but, as you can read above, they can also have some positive and comforting effects on you, and maybe on your partner as well!
Anna Donà, 4D
