If you’re a fan of Halloween, there’s a good chance you partook in one of America’s favorite passtimes this spooky season: watching a great horror movie. Something about getting cozy on the couch and watching a bloody zombie attack, or a thrilling ghost possession, and feeling all the fear and emotions that come with it can quite the thrill. If any of this resonates with you, I ask you to consider the question, “Why do you watch horror movies out?” In every other aspect of our lives, horror is an emotion we find undesirable and seek to avoid. So why do we, in special circumstances, purposely seek out these feelings of fear? If you love horror movies but have never deeply explored what draws you to them, I encourage you to keep reading. If you are one of those people that hates horror and can never understand how so many people get enjoyment out of watching scary movies, stick around and you might get a better understanding of why.
There are many different reasons that someone could enjoy horror movies, and the appeal can vary based on the individual. One common thread between horror-enjoyers, however, is the thrill that horror provides. Thrill is a difficult emotion to describe, as it can describe emotions associated with extremely positive or negative experiences. A thrill is often defined as a “pierce of emotion” and is often present in high-adrenaline activities, such as skydiving or riding rollercoasters. People who really enjoy this feeling, also known as thrill-seekers, are likely to be especially prone to enjoying horror movies. This relates to the similar concept of sensation-seeking, which is the phenomenon where people desire intense sensations and experiences. Sensation-seeking is a strong indicator of one’s enjoyment of horror films for both genders, but it is notably a stronger indicator for men’s enjoyment of horror films.
Men and women enjoy horror for different reasons. For men, thrill and adventure-seeking personalities are strong indicators for horror enjoyment, whereas for women, disinhibition is a stronger sensation-seeking indicator. Disinhibition refers to a lack of restraint, or a willingness to engage in risky or socially unacceptable behaviors. Women who have high levels of disinhibition are likely to find enjoyment in horror media.
On the topic of gender differences, there is strong evidence that men generally enjoy consuming horror more than women. Proposed reasonings for this are that women tend to be more prone to feelings of disgust and anxiety than men, and this can cause them to be turned off from horror. Additionally, studies have shown that women have higher levels of empathy than men, and will be less likely to find enjoyment in the suffering that typically occurs in horror films.
There are many reasons why people may be drawn to horror, but one of the most widely accepted theories is Dr. Dolf Zillmann’s excitation transfer theory, which poses that we are drawn to horror because of the feelings we get from witnessing high suspense and resolution. According to this theory, as we watch a negative, suspenseful buildup, we experience high emotions that are later converted into euphoria as the suspense ends and a resolution occurs.
Now, you may be thinking to yourself, “What about horror movies that feature suspense without a resolution? How could we find enjoyment in those?” This is an extremely relevant question, as many horror films do not have happy endings, and fill us with a sense of dread by their lack of a resolution, rather than the comfort that a happy ending would bring. I would argue that horror films without a true resolution still allow us to feel the same euphoria by providing a pseudo-resolution that lies within the realization that we are consuming media. Even if a horror movie has a horrible ending, with no hope for the characters or world, we are able to experience the joy of existing in the safety and comfort of our own world and realizing that the fear and discomfort we are feeling is not real. I would argue that this is a resolution in itself, from the perspective of the viewer.
This takes me to my final point about horror enjoyment, which I feel that many people can probably relate to. While we do not usually enjoy experiencing fear in most facets of our everyday lives, film and media give us a chance to experience these strong emotions which we typically avoid, in a safe and controlled environment. The contrast between the visceral fear our bodies are experiencing, and the mental certainty that we are not actually in danger allows us to enjoy an emotion that we usually hate. This embodies the same concept of how we feel riding roller coasters. Our bodies sense danger, but our minds know we are safe.
So, next time you sit down to watch a horror movie, think about what’s really pulling you in. Is it the thrill, the suspense, or the satisfaction of facing fear on your own terms? Whatever it is, remember: fear isn’t always something to avoid—it’s sometimes something to embrace.
Works Cited
Martin, G. N. (2019). (why) do you like scary movies? A review of the empirical research on psychological responses to Horror films. Frontiers in Psychology, 10. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02298
Neurominded. (2023, October 31). The Spooky Science of Horror Movies: Why Do We Enjoy Being Scared?. Inspire The Mind. https://www.inspirethemind.org/post/the-spooky-science-of-horror-movies-why-do-we-enjoy-being-scared
Zuckerman, E. (2017, February 24). Get Out is one of the most terrifying movies in years — because it’s so smart. Vox. https://www.vox.com/culture/2017/2/24/14698632/get-out-review-jordan-peele
