By Grace De Morgan (Provisional Psychologist)
Ever wondered why certain people love to scare themselves silly with horror films (or games or books) about haunted dolls, masked serial killers, or cursed rental properties? It seems counterintuitive to actively seek out content explicitly created to inspire fear, terror, and shock, right? So, let’s explore some reasons why that might be.
A way to practice emotional regulation in a safe space?
In a recent study of 1,070 participants by Clasen and Johnson (2020), it was found that seeking out scary stimuli in a safe environment may act as a form of imaginative exposure, leading to an improved sense of control and confidence in coping with fear.
Think about it: unlike real-world anxiety, the contained fear you experience in horror media has a clear start and end point. In a horror film - the lights go off, the film begins, you brave the simulated threats, the monster is (hopefully!) defeated, the mystery is solved, the credits roll. Regardless of the plot, you always end up returning to the world safe and sound. You can experience anxiety in your body (think: racing heart, queasiness in your belly, your shoulders pulled up by your ears), followed by the welcome feeling of relief after (think: nice, slow sighs and feeling relaxed in your body). In this way you gather positive data that, regardless of feeling big, scary feelings in your body, those feelings will eventually pass and you are resilient enough to survive them.
A study by Scrivner and colleagues (2021) even found that those who enjoyed horror and ‘prepper’ films exhibited greater positive resilience and lower psychological distress during the COVID-19 pandemic. Fans of prepper content (featuring zombies, alien invasions, and apocalyptic threats) even reported feeling more equipped for the uncertainties of the global crisis. It further supports the working theory that seeking out horror simulations can help us prepare for real world encounters with negative feelings and intimidating opponents (Clasen & Johnson, 2020).
Intelligent sensation seekers?
Clasen and Johnson (2020) found that people who seek out horror tended to score high on Intellect/Imagination and Sensation Seeking, suggesting that these individuals use horror media as a form of intellectual and creative stimulation. They found that these individuals not only wanted to experience negative emotions (like fear), but they also expected to experience positive ones (like anticipation and joy) too. A mix of fear and pleasure was enjoyed by simultaneously engaging their threat-detecting amygdala and their reward-loving dopamine system (with the positive impact ultimately outweighing the negative one).
Further, they found that individuals with stronger beliefs in the supernatural were more likely to seek out horror media featuring paranormal themes. While those with less of a belief in the supernatural tended towards horror movies with more ‘natural’, psychological content. This suggests that people who love horror seek out scary stories they deem to be most plausible to them. In the words of horror novelist Stephen King,
“A good horror story is one that functions on a symbolic level, using fictional (and sometimes supernatural) events to help us understand our own deepest real fears.” (King, 2011).
A form of morbid curiosity?
Morbid curiosity tends to refer to an interest in morbid things, particularly death. The interest appears to be less about the morbid object or event, and more to do with an individual’s need for novel stimulation and new experiences. In Scrivner and colleagues’ (2021) study of 310 participants, they found that trait morbid curiosity was associated with greater psychological resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic. They were also watching more pandemic-themed films during the early weeks of the outbreak. This probably explains why they also reported feeling more prepared for the pandemic.
So, in conclusion, recent studies suggest that horror media may be more popular amongst individuals with high scores in Intellect/Imagination, Sensation Seeking and Morbid Curiosity. It may also be a unique way to face your fears and practice regulating your emotions in a safe, simulated environment. So, next time you find yourself drawn to a scary movie marathon, don’t be surprised – your brain might just be strengthening its psychological resilience.
References
Clasen, M., Kjeldgaard-Christiansen, J., & Johnson, J. A. (2020). Horror, personality, and threat simulation: A survey on the psychology of scary media. Evolutionary Behavioral Sciences, 14(3), 213.
King, S. (2011). Danse macabre. Simon and Schuster.
Scrivner, C., Johnson, J. A., Kjeldgaard-Christiansen, J., & Clasen, M. (2021). Pandemic practice: Horror fans and morbidly curious individuals are more psychologically resilient during the COVID-19 pandemic. Personality and individual differences, 168, 110397.