Exposure to terrifying acts like stories of demonic possession or alien infestation can be stimulating both mentally and physically. These experiences can give rise to both negative feelings, such as fear or anxiety, and positive feelings, such as excitement or joy.
These long-ago experiences have granted people a highly responsive, albeit mostly unconscious, threat detection system. Because horror movies do such a good job of simulating threatening situations, this means our emotional responses to them are similar to those we'd experience if we encountered a real-life threat.
Today, with the improvement of special effects and the rise of streaming services, horror films have become more accessible, creative, and realistic. There are fewer taboos and restrictions and contemporary themes to explore, such as social media, global conspiracies, artificial intelligence, and pandemics.
What is the psychology behind enjoying horror movies?
Horror entertainment can trigger the fight-or-flight response, which comes with a boost in adrenaline, endorphins, and dopamine. The brain can then process surroundings and conclude that the experience is not a genuine threat. This knowledge of personal safety is one reason horror fans habitually watch scary movies.
Horror movies are in a very special place in cinema right now. 2022 was considered a renaissance of the genre, with many movies considered some of the best pieces of cinema released during the year.
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Why are horror films exploding in popularity?
Thanks to a mix of box-office hits with crossover appeal, prestige projects with top-tier directors and major stars, and creatively ambitious indies, horror movies have become essential communal experiences that spark important conversations while delivering a whole lot of fun.
Perhaps, but we think the more accurate answer is that we're in a horrorwave that lasts all year round. Horror is going – dare we say it – mainstream. The number of horror movies made each year has been growing steadily, but in the past two decades or so, there's been a notable shift.
Horror fans can be classified along three dimensions: Adrenaline Junkies, White Knucklers, and Dark Copers. Dark copers are a newly-identified type of horror fans, who use horror to cope with problems like feelings of anxiety. Adrenaline junkies get a mood boost from the intense experiences of horror.
Not surprisingly, some research indicates that people with a higher sensation-seeking trait and those who are more open to new experiences tend to seek out and enjoy horror-related experiences more. Additionally, if you have more empathy, you tend to react more negatively to what happens in horror shows.
People with phobophobia tend to avoid any situation where they think they might become fearful. This might mean avoiding normal “scary situations” such as horror movies, roller coasters or skydiving.
Horace Walpole wrote the first Gothic novel, The Castle of Otranto (1764), initiating a new literary genre. The 18th century saw the gradual development of Romanticism and the Gothic horror genre.
Its visceral and often explicit nature feeds into a type of sensationalism that fuels the discourse around a given film. As a result, the themes and craftsmanship within a horror film go virtually unnoticed, which makes it less likely to be analyzed and taken seriously.
Horror movies have become less scary and more focused on psychological thrills, losing the classic bone-chilling scares of the past. Directors like Jordan Peele sometimes try to be too clever with convoluted plots, taking away from the simple and terrifying pleasure of seeing a deranged killer in action.
Horror isn't the most important film genre because it's innovative, or inexpensive. It's not because of the boundaries it pushed or the talent it incubated. Horror is the most important film genre because it's flexible enough to reflect the times, the tastes, and the traditions of the entire world.
These low costs are a product of the horror format as much as they are a savvy financial strategy. Scary movies often eschew expensive special effects, A-list actors, grand sets, or expansive locations, instead maximizing the potential of limited settings, practical effects, and innovative camera techniques.
Horror movies can be a form of escapism for those struggling with anxiety. Instead of facing their issues straight on, it may be easier to drown them in another person's narrative.
“When kids are exposed to excessively scary movies, images, or even haunted houses, they tend to have some of the symptoms of Acute Stress Disorder or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder,” Dr. Scanlon explained. The phenomenon of being scared is an experience that all humans can relate to, according to Dr. Scanlon.
Just like there are many reasons for enjoying horror, there are many reasons for not enjoying horror. If you tend to ruminate; have a tendency to overthink; or you're simply less sensation-seeking.” I encompass all of these traits.
The fairly predictable plots provide a reassuring roadmap, yet they're absorbing enough to keep your attention glued to the screen (and away from your own thoughts). "If someone is feeling anxious, they may find that horror helps them stop ruminating about other things in their life," Scrivner says.
As of October 2022, almost two-thirds (64 percent) of adults aged 30 to 44 surveyed in the United States said they either liked or loved the horror movie genre. Among respondents aged 18 to 29, that share was 10 percentage points lower, at 54 percent.
Victor Salva wrote the "Every 23 years for 23 days it gets to eat" rule in Jeepers Creepers (2001) so there would be no sequel unless the movie was set in the future, and he knew the studio wouldn't want that.
