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  • Horror is one of the most popular fiction genres today.

  • Big names like It, Saw, and The Last of Us prove over and over that many people love to be scared for entertainment.

  • This might raise the question, what makes creepy clowns, massive sharks, and brain-eating zombies such popular topics in the world of fiction?

  • In this video, we want to explore the psychology of horror and what draws people to being scared or terrified.

  • The rush

  • What do math finals, talking to a crush, and slender man have in common?

  • They're effective in inducing fear.

  • And even though these experiences may all be different, your body produces very similar reactions.

  • According to Medical News Today,

  • when you feel that you're in danger, your brain triggers a fight-or-flight response,

  • your pupils dilate, your heart beats faster, and your blood pressure increases.

  • These are evolutionary responses that help you stay alert when the body senses danger ahead.

  • By exposing you to scary images, horror movies and games have a way of making your mind believe that it's in danger,

  • which creates a rush of adrenaline and feelings of fear and excitement.

  • But of course, it's important that real danger is kept at bay, which brings us to safety net.

  • Imagine being a night guard at a family pizza restaurant.

  • Your shift starts from midnight to six AM.

  • Your job is to sit in a room and monitor four animatronics that come to life and roam around the restaurant.

  • You turn your eyes away from the camera for two seconds.

  • When suddenly the fox animatronic runs into your room and starts shrieking.

  • If this were to happen in real life, would this situation be exciting?

  • Probably not.

  • But of course, if you knew that this was just a game, you would know that it's safe even though the scenario is terrifying.

  • And this is the main difference between real and fake danger.

  • In his book, The Dangerous Edge, Psychologist Michael Apter explores how people find excitement from extreme activities.

  • He theorized that people raise their levels of excitement from risky activities by having just enough safety net to keep the activities from being lethal or fatal.

  • This is how people can enjoy roller coasters, bungee jumping or even horror movies.

  • The fact that the terror behind the screen isn't real creates a safety net for the viewer

  • while maximizing the level of excitement.

  • Age and gender

  • Who do you think would be more likely to enjoy horror movies or games?

  • Your teenage brother or your grandma?

  • Researchers, Classen and Johnson, attempted to answer this question in 2020.

  • They conducted an online survey among 1070 individuals

  • and asked them questions about their personality traits, gender, age, and their feelings about horror movies.

  • So, what did they find?

  • They found that people who enjoyed horror movies tended to have a vivid imagination, low neuroticism, and strong belief in the paranormal.

  • The researchers also noticed that males were more likely to enjoy horror movies than females.

  • Their study also showed that there was a negative correlation between the enjoyment of horror and age.

  • This means that if you're going to play a horror game,

  • make sure you play it with your teenage brother and not with your grandma.

  • The narrative

  • Have you ever enjoyed a scary movie or game, even if you typically don't enjoy horror?

  • What made it enjoyable?

  • Philosopher Noel Carroll believes that there's something far more significant than jump scares that draws people to the genre of horror.

  • In his book, The Philosophy of Horror,

  • Carroll argues that what ultimately draws people to horror more than anything else is curiosity.

  • With the right narrative, the horror genre is able to raise curiosity among the audience

  • and compel people to not only watch horror movies but even come up with their own theories about the story.

  • While horror might not be your favorite,

  • you might be surprised with the right movie or game that can play on your curiosity and draw you in with this fascinating story.

  • So how about a good horror film for your next movie night?

  • What about you?

  • Are you a big fan of horror?

  • What are your favorite horror movies or games?

  • If not, what makes you dislike the genre?

  • Tell us in the comments below.

  • And if you like this video, hit that like and subscribe button.

  • Thanks for watching.

  • Until next time. And remember, you matter.

Horror is one of the most popular fiction genres today.

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