Why Do Some People Like Scary Movies?
Why do some people enjoy fear? Famed researcher and psychologist Arthur Westermayr says the following: “From the beginning of human thought, fear has been regarded with contempt.” If this statement is true, then why do so many people love it?
Perhaps there is no real and absolutely certain answer. However, we will try to pinpoint the root of this unique emotion. Let’s go check it out!
The pleasure of controlled fear
We begin with a reference to the statement by sociologist Margee Kerr, who also has a regular job at an attraction called the House of Terror, in Pittsburgh, United States. For her, the key is in control.
What is the control Kerr is referring to? The answer is simple. If the human brain feels fear in an environment that is free from danger, the physiological response can be very nice, therefore you may feel pleasure in such situations.
Kerr adds to this statement that the fact that our brains managed to solve a situation that caused a lot of stress makes us feel more confident and better. A cocktail that makes our brains indulge in preliminary facts that should be negative.
What is fear really?
Do we know what fear actually is? It is often explained as a set of emotions related to a psychological process that indicates possible dangers, stress or particularly negative situations.
They are actually a number of systems that are physiologically and behaviorally activated in threatening situations. It happens very quickly. After the first look, our brains are already aware of the kind of fear that is aroused in us.
Of course, if our brains interpret fear as existing in a controlled situation, it can be pleasurable. That could be a horror movie, a fairground attraction, carnival costume, a Halloween party…
If our brains feel some kind of fear unrelated to a controlled situation, like the possible death of a loved one, a robbery, that sort of thing, then there is no pleasure and the unmanaged fear that the body and mind experience very powerful.
Condition to be afraid
Can a person be conditioned to suffer from anxiety ? If we consider the “Conditioned Emotional Reactions” experiment conducted in 1920 by Rosalie Rayner and John Watson, we can conclude that this is indeed possible.
In the experiment mentioned above, the researchers created a phobia in a boy of about nine months. In fact, the study described step-by-step the entire process by which they conditioned the fear. Today, this experiment would be considered unethical, but it has shed light on this phenomenon.
It suggests that our brains are perfectly conditioned to experience fear. This fear, when experienced in a context of control, is very rewarding for many people.
Psychological responses to fear
The positive or negative reactions to fear can be understood if we look at the psychological reactions that occur in our brain. According to the stimuli we have received, we can interpret and understand this emotion.
Within our limbic system, in the depth of our temporal lobe, we find the amygdala. This subcortical structure is responsible for determining whether something is a ‘pleasure fear’ or a ‘true fear’.
In a situation where this emotion occurs, we can react in different ways. We may want to run, attack, escape… In any case, our body responds by releasing adrenaline and raising cortisol and blood sugar levels.
Is this huge change in our body normal? A ls you’re in a controlled environment and your mind are sure there is no danger, for the whole body will be a great pleasure. You will be able to enjoy without the chance of a real threat.
So now you know. When everything is under control, the enjoyment of anxiety can be a tool to improve your mood. A way to give your brain a feast of impulses and the chance to enjoy the substances that are released without risk of danger.
