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What Makes People Watch Horror Movies?

You know the drill too well. A group of friends get together and discuss which movie they want to see next. There are those who will jump at the idea of seeing the latest scary movie, while others will point blank veto the idea. Why can some people never get enough of horror movies, while others would rather eat chalk than pay to have their heart rate go up and their stomachs turn at yet another gory murder scene?

The most die-hard horror movie fans are those that are first in line when the newest one hits the big screen. If you glance at their bookshelves, you’ll see entire DVD collections dedicated to classic horror movies. They think that the biggest thrill in the world is popping in a scary DVD at midnight and watching it – especially if they’re alone at home.

But why? Why are some people so psyched about horror movies, while others avoid them like the plague?

Physiological Factors

Some psychologists put it down to the way you feel after the movie. When you watch a horror film, your heart rate increases, your blood pressure goes up and your breathing becomes faster. This physiological arousal in some people gives them a pleasant feeling throughout the movie, and that feeling lingers for hours after it.  That feeling is pleasant for many people, and they may want to experience it again and again. That’s where the person’s love of horror movies comes in. They’ll want to relive that feeling again and again and again….

Compare the feeling to that when you play casino games, for example. We’ll even go as far as to say that, psychologically, the reason for our love of horror movies is similar to why people love playing slots. You’ll experience the same volatility, the same ups and downs and the same thrills. For many people, playing slots triggers the same physiological arousal that slot or other casino playing triggers.

And if the feelings are negative?

We’ve established that horror movie lovers experience positive emotions during and after they watch the movie. But if your experience is a negative one (clammy hands, blood pressure too high, palpitating heart, stomach churning), you won’t be rushing over to watch the latest horror flick any time soon.

The Adrenaline Factor

Around 10% of the general population is hooked on physiological arousal, according to contemporary psychological studies.  These are the same people who will ride the rollercoaster at the funfair again and again, or will take up extreme sports such as BASE jumping, big surf waving or solo free climbing.

Dr. Eric Brymer, a professor at Queensland University of Technology in Australia described what adrenaline junkies feel when they take up extreme sports, but the same feelings can be applied to horror-movie junkies.

“The experience is very hard to describe in the same way that love is hard to describe,” he said.  “It makes the participant feel very alive where all senses seem to be working better than in everyday life, as if the participant is transcending everyday ways of being and glimpsing their own potential.”

The Novelty Factor

There’s another theory doing the rounds that some people love horror movies because they’re so different from our real-life environments. Let’s face it:  Your average day doesn’t incorporate a zombie attack, an axe murderer on the rampage or flesh-eating bugs invading your home. People are curious and fascinated with these scenes and story-lines.

Movie directors tap into this fascination for the novel and innovative, and invest heavily in visual effects. The louder, bigger, scarier and more gruesome, the more attractive the movie will be to horror movie fans – but the more abhorred by those who hate this genre.

According to Dr. Glenn Sparks of Purdue University: “Negative emotions are stored in the amygdala [which], in contrast to positive emotions, are particularly resistant to being extinguished.”

Take the example of the horror movie, Jaws. When it was released, it used some of the most up-to-date state of the art film technology to mirror reality, and who can forget that blood-stained water? It’s no wonder then that some people went to see the movie over and over again (and it’s still considered a classic), while others literally stopped swimming in the ocean after seeing the movie.

It’s a Guy Thing

Research shows that more men prefer scary movies than women, although it’s not sure why. It may be the need for men to show their bravery and not allow things like horror effects scare them.

“Men often like scary films as date movies because women are more likely to seek physical closeness when they’re scared, and men can show off their strength and bravery,” explained Sparks.

Summary

Whatever the reason, enjoying horror movies is a very clear cut thing: Either you hate them or you love them!

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