For the Fun of Fear, Pt II: The Pros

For the Fun of Fear:

Horror Lovers
and other People Who Like Being Scared

Part II: The Pros

Horrific situations in real-life are certainly anything but enjoyable. However, an augmented version of a terrifying situation -- a horror movie, a haunted house, a skydive -- can be rather delightful.

But while some people enjoy a good scare, many don't and will go out of their way to avoid goosebumps. I can only imagine those who do not enjoy scaring themselves have a difficult time fathoming why on Earth anyone else would want to do such a thing. To tackle the subject, I covered the cons of loving a good scare in a previous blog post. This time, I'll focus on some of the pros. I'm not sure this will solve anything, but maybe it's worth taking a look at. 

Fight or Flight or High

One of the main reasons some people seek out scarier forms of entertainment is for a certain kind of rush they get from the fight or flight response, according to many including Dr. Margee Kerr.

This response, of course, releases dopamine in the brain. For some people, terror can cut off the release of dopamine, while for others it lifts the floods gates. And then there are some people who ride in the middle. 

Confidence Booster

Dr. Kerr also suggests that a good scare can boost self-esteem.

​Consider the horror movie. Most people like to watch them in the company of others. Kerr suggests that there is a sensation of accomplishment, which thus boosts confidence, once the film is over. It's as though the couple or group survived the journey themselves. 

Little of Column A, Little of Column B

"The Excitation Transfer Process"

"After the film is over, this physiological arousal lingers, . . . That means that any positive emotions you experience – like having fun with friends – are intensified." 

I'm not entirely sure if this one counts as a pro or a con or something in between, but here we go nonetheless. ​

Whenever you experience something horrific, whether real or not, your body goes through some consequential changes, including a change of heart rate. Your senses are on alert. You're a little on edge. Even once it's all over, there's a little bit of a hangover from the experience. For instance, Freddy Krueger made some kids not want to sleep at night. 

This can work a couple of ways.

There is a theory that you can be more attracted to someone during and/or after a scary situation -- even one as simple as a horror movie. When there is stress, there is generally more emotion. And if there is a positive outcome and all the stress and emotion is involved, there is a stronger memory. We grow close to the people who helped us through scary stuff.

As long as your interest likes to be scared, a horror movie or haunted house is a great place to go on a date.

However, this same excitation transfer process can cause harm. In fact, in films such as The Exorcist, people had to be treated because "upon its initial theatrical release the film affected many audiences so strongly that at many theaters, paramedics were called to treat people who fainted and others who went into hysterics." - IMDB. 

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