Whether you’ve seen a trailer for one, a billboard, or have actually watched one, scary movies are constantly being released, especially at this time of year. From horror, to thrillers, to action, to gore, scary movies have been around for many many years, and many people can’t seem to get enough of the chills and thrills that are scary movies.
Some may ask, “Why would people put themselves through scary movies? Why would people volunteer to feel constantly scared and terrified of what is going to happen next and watch people get murdered and suffer?” This question can be answered with a variety of theories. In a 2005 meta-analysis, 35 journal articles were studied regarding the relationship between viewer enjoyment and scary movies. As a result of this study, four theories were created as a result of this study.
The first theory states that, “Zillman’s excitation transfer paradigm states that views who experience ‘fearful apprehension about deplorable events that threaten like protagonists’ also then experience heightened enjoyment when those threats are satisfyingly resolved.” A second theory sates that viewers of scary movies with more empathy don’t enjoy scary movies as much as those who have lower levels of empathy. Another theory discusses that those who are more detached from what is going on in the film, such as one being chased down by a murderer, enjoy the film more because it is not their problem, they just get to sit on their couch at home and watch it all happen. One last theory states that those who enjoy scary movies tend to share three common traits: sensation-seeking, above-average aggression, and maleness. The sensation-seeking and above-average aggression I definitely could agree with, but the maleness I believe is a false-positive. That conclusion is not authentic because males may say they enjoy scary movies more just because they feel they have to because they want to look “tough”, and don’t actually enjoy them, making this a false conclusion. To understand those who prefer scary movies, involves a look at personality and psychology.
So, why do some like being scared while others don’t? The natural high of the fight or flight response can feel great. Some enjoy this sensation more than others, leading them to be bigger fans of scary movies. This is about brain chemistry rather than just solely about preference. Research shows that people chemically respond differently in thrilling situations. Dopamine is the main hormone that is released in such situations and some may enjoy the dopamine response more than others.
To really get a detailed look at how people respond to thrilling situations, a study could be done to understand this. This study could have hundreds of people watch the same scary movie, and analyze how they respond by observation, and by examining their brains while they watch these films, by looking at how they are responding to dopamine. It would be difficult to make this study a double-blind, but it might not matter because people may not necessarily be able to even control how they respond to the scary movies. I think a study similar to this could give a glimpse into how people respond to scary movies, which could lead to a deeper understanding of trends and common reactions when watching scary movies.
Scary movies could be thought of as a mixture between a dream and being awake. People are able to sort through what is going on and learn skills that apply to everyday life. People are able to analyze what they would do in the situation and learn from the characters mistakes in how they handle the scary and thrilling situations that they encounter.
Scary movies come in many forms from paranormal to blood and gore, and just like scary movies vary in what they’re about, people’s preferences and brains vary on how much they enjoy scary movies.
http://www.promises.com/articles/research/over-production-of-adrenaline-linked-to-stress-related-illnesses-in-adults-and-children/ After reading your article, the first thing I felt most necessary to think more critically about was the link between the adrenaline of fear and the pleasure associated with seeing these kinds of movies. Is there any kind of age link between the level of pleasure one can get from watching these flicks constantly? Is there some kind of pattern between the thrill of watching a dire situation go down on the screen and say, going basejumping or mountain biking or any kind of extreme activity? I know that I personally love scary movies but scream and jump just like anyone else, gender or personality-independent. I think you’re onto something about the maleness being a false-positive. I see it as a form of stress-relief! What if rather than the effect of pretending to be “tough” and saying one likes scary movies when they actually don’t, what if the effect of the movie itself is simply the pleasure of feeling like escaping from stress or feeling more “brave” as a person just by sitting through movies, regardless of whether or not they scare you? Just food for thought.