Why Are We Afraid of Horror Movies? | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Entertainment

Why Are We Afraid of Horror Movies?

​Why do we feel fear? The answer is simple, it’s meant to be a warning, but what about when there is no danger, like when watching a movie? Why are we afraid then?

984
Why Are We Afraid of Horror Movies?
Steven Kings "It"

Why do we feel fear? The answer is simple, it’s meant to be a warning. In every instance where something threatens your safety, there is a fight or flight response. Our body prepares to either fight off the threat or run away. But we also experience fear when there is no immediate threat, for example with horror movies. When watching a horror movie, we know we are in no immediate danger and yet we still feel fear.

It has been ingrained in our minds to react to certain stimuli with fear so we would survive. It was taught to us before our species was evolved enough to have houses and guns, back when we were cavemen and feared poisonous snakes and animals with sharp teeth and now when we see sharp teeth we experience fear. It is so ingrained into our developmental psychology that children as young as three have an easier time spotting snakes on a computer screen than they do spotting flowers as discovered through research by Nobuo Masataka. According to respondent or classical conditioning, people can become afraid of something if it is associated with something bad, like a shock each time they encounter it. However, not every three year old has been attacked by a snake to be afraid of it. Instead they learn from their environment. In the snake situation that means the older members of the group; if a parent sees a snake and is afraid it shows the children that they should be afraid. This is so that we as a species can learn what is deadly and have a better chance of survival.

So why do we experience fear when we are watching a movie and are in no immediate danger? Well, it seems that our brains don’t understand that there is a difference between real life and what’s on the screen. Our brain sees claws, even if they aren’t real, and senses danger, sending warning signals to the rest of the body that you are in danger even when you know you’re not.

But why watch something that scares us? In a 2013 interview for IGN (formerly Imagine Games Network), Dr. Jeffrey Goldstein, a professor of social and organizational psychology at the University of Utrecht talked about why people watch horror movies. He said that people wouldn’t do it twice if they weren’t frightened. “You choose your entertainment because you want it to affect you” and goes on to say that people can choose how much they pay attention to in order to control what effect it has on them. Meaning that if someone wants to be afraid they can choose to watch a horror movie and pay attention so that it scares them. But if they don’t want to be afraid for longer than a moment they can pay little attention and miss all of the things that would otherwise scare them.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Featured

15 Mind-Bending Riddles

Hopefully they will make you laugh.

180139
 Ilistrated image of the planet and images of questions
StableDiffusion

I've been super busy lately with school work, studying, etc. Besides the fact that I do nothing but AP chemistry and AP economics, I constantly think of stupid questions that are almost impossible to answer. So, maybe you could answer them for me, and if not then we can both wonder what the answers to these 15 questions could be.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Most Epic Aurora Borealis Photos: October 2024

As if May wasn't enough, a truly spectacular Northern Lights show lit up the sky on Oct. 10, 2024

7216
stunning aurora borealis display over a forest of trees and lake
StableDiffusion

From sea to shining sea, the United States was uniquely positioned for an incredible Aurora Borealis display on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, going into Friday, Oct. 11.

It was the second time this year after an historic geomagnetic storm in May 2024. Those Northern Lights were visible in Europe and North America, just like this latest rendition.

Keep Reading...Show less
 silhouette of a woman on the beach at sunrise
StableDiffusion

Content warning: This article contains descriptions of suicide/suicidal thoughts.

When you are feeling down, please know that there are many reasons to keep living.

Keep Reading...Show less
Relationships

Power of Love Letters

I don't think I say it enough...

452452
Illistrated image of a letter with 2 red hearts
StableDiffusion

To My Loving Boyfriend,

  • Thank you for all that you do for me
  • Thank you for working through disagreements with me
  • Thank you for always supporting me
  • I appreciate you more than words can express
  • You have helped me grow and become a better person
  • I can't wait to see where life takes us next
  • I promise to cherish every moment with you
  • Thank you for being my best friend and confidante
  • I love you and everything you do

To start off, here's something I don't say nearly enough: thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart. You do so much for me that I can't even put into words how much I appreciate everything you do - and have done - for me over the course of our relationship so far. While every couple has their fair share of tiffs and disagreements, thank you for getting through all of them with me and making us a better couple at the other end. With any argument, we don't just throw in the towel and say we're done, but we work towards a solution that puts us in a greater place each day. Thank you for always working with me and never giving up on us.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

11 Signs You Grew Up In Hauppauge, NY

Because no one ever really leaves.

23269
Map of Hauppauge, New York
Google

Ah, yes, good old Hauppauge. We are that town in the dead center of Long Island that barely anyone knows how to pronounce unless they're from the town itself or live in a nearby area. Hauppauge is home to people of all kinds. We always have new families joining the community but honestly, the majority of the town is filled with people who never leave (high school alumni) and elders who have raised their kids here. Around the town, there are some just some landmarks and places that only the people of Hauppauge will ever understand the importance or even the annoyance of.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments