I was watching The Walking Dead when my dad entered the room and asked, “What’s the point of watching something scary when you can just watch the news and the world around you?” As a fan of the horror genre, I felt it was necessary to research this topic to properly address his question.
In no particular order, below is a list of topics that I’ve researched in an attempt to answer his question:
Adrenaline Rush:
Scary scenes from horror movies tend to trigger the flight-or-response in your brain, which releases adrenaline, dopamine, and endorphins. Your brain receives a thrilling “false high” from this, and then it feels relief when it realizes that you’re safe. It’s an easy way to experience fear without any actual threat.
Control/Anxiety Management:
Horror movies provide a “safe space” for viewers because they can control their exposure. You can choose to turn off the movie if it’s too terrifying, unlike with real-life fears/anxieties. This helps with coping skills, too, since repeated exposure to scary situations can build a sense of emotional resilience and the ability to self-soothe. Surprisingly, this can be compared to exposure therapy.
Catharsis:
Catharsis is the act of releasing strong emotions and experiencing relief. Horror movies can provide a roller coaster of emotions through manufactured scares that make you tense up, even when you know they’re not real. This allows you to confront scary feelings and let them go. After the movie is over, you’ll most likely feel calm because all of those emotions have passed. Again, it feels like a safe place for you to release whatever you may be repressing without actually being in danger.
After all of that, I can finally produce a reasonable answer to my dad’s question, and hopefully this gives you a better understanding of the genre’s popularity and its fans!
Do any of these topics resonate with you?
Leave a comment below regarding any thoughts or questions you may have!
