Some people can’t get enough of scary movies. They’ve seen scores of scary films – over and over. They catch horror flicks on opening night. They have DVD collections at home.
Personally, I wouldn’t be caught dead watching a scary movie. They freak me out, leaving me unsettled for days — the images a record player in my mind. In fact, I have a hard enough time sitting through the scarier scenes of “Sons of Anarchy.” (I watch it with my boyfriend, and sometimes need to leave the room.)
With Halloween upon us — the prime season for horror films — I was curious to find out why some people savor scary movies. And others, like me, can’t stand them.
Before posting, please read our blog moderation guidelines. The comments below begin with the oldest comments first. Click on the last comments page to jump to the most recent comments.
Before posting, please read our blog moderation guidelines.
Post a Comment:
Copyright © 1995-2013 Psych Central. All rights reserved.
Site last updated: 23 May 2013
|
Although this was alluded to in the article, a huge factor in this is PTSD. Anything that stimulates either the memory of something or the physiological fight or flight response is not only “not enjoyable” but can bring on flashbacks and dissociation significant enough to render me helpless–turn me into a terrified 2 year old. Again, alluded to under “hypersensitive”, some of us have empathic responses to our environment and avoid crowds or situations where people’s emotional distress or physical illness become overwhelming. Violent images can elicit that same empathic response, especially when they are stark and well-acted.
Happy Halloween! You can get a healthy helping of hellraising terror on my artist blog today with some terrifying artwork and the Top 20 Horror Movies of ALL TIME at http://dregstudiosart.blogspot.com/2012/10/top-20-horror-movies-of-all-time.html
I think I’m a complete contradiction to everything in this article. I am obsessed with horror movies simply because I like them and the subject matter. I am scared to death of roller coasters and have an anxiety disorder with depression, although horror films do not frighten me in any way. I am also female, and I’ve watched horror films with men where they were the frightened ones instead of me. I think I’m just a weird type of girl, haha.
Oh, I also forgot to add that I am highly empathetic. I guess I just must be a rare exception to the study
Either that or I am just an interesting study myself.
I’ve counseled adolescents for most of my professional career, the question of who likes horror movies and why has always been interesting to me.
The stereotype-breakers are most compelling:
One of my clients, among the most “innocent” young ladies I know, enjoys horror movies immensely.
And, one of my “goth”-clients does not.
People are amazingly complex!
Thanks for the essay.
This was an interesting article. I direct a horror-themed film festival, as well as host a podcast that looks at horror in history, art, literature, and film. I have taught about horror in university settings and been asked to lecture about it in various venues.
The characteristics within us that draw some of us to the horror genre while repelling others has also been a subject of keen interest to me. I would like to read more about some of the physiological things discussed in this article–the “different wiring” if you will.
One thing that I can’t help but to wonder at is this idea of the empathetic person. Granted, my own experiences are anecdotal, but I spend my entire life with people in the horror community, and they are by and large the most empathetic people I have ever met. I have always been under the impression that horror breeds empathy. Conversely, some of the cruelest experiences I’ve had have been from people who malign the horror genre. Again, all anecdotal, but something I have definitely observed.
Actually, the reason I prefer horror movies (and note that I’m female, contrary to the article) is because they show more creativity and plot twists. They are less likely to be predictable. Yes, there are formulaic ones. There are also different genres within the genre – slasher vs psychological for instance. Slashers are like you roller coasters. But psychological thrillers take vast creativity and knowing triggers. There’s also the ability to twist expectations and alter traditional storylines. I just find more imagination and ability to surprise a viewer that doesn’t exist in standard dramas or chick flicks. Most importantly, you are never guaranteed a happy ending. There is more to stimulate the creative mind. It’s really not about adrenaline at all. It’s creative stimulation.
Interesting perspective Michele. I also find that horror films are more sincere, and more apt to be comfortable with what they are and what they are trying to convey. There is far less pretension with films in the horror genre. I suspect your views and mine will confuse those who don’t prefer these particular films, though.
I would also like to note that attendance at horror conventions like Monsterpalooza I have gone to have skewed over 50% female. Horror has traditionally been a male-dominant genre, but I think the tide is turning for the better!
NB: This comment gets slightly off-topic and might offend someone – but that’s not intentional. It is just an honest description of my feelings and I hope for some honest thoughts.
I read this with great interest because it deals with one of three paradoxes that have troubled me for years. All bother me because; not only do I not like these things, but I cannot comprehend the mind of a supposedly sane person who could. I have thought of these as separate issues, but I have recently begun to wonder if they might be related since they all seem to stem from a common theme: I’m a nice person, so I try to be nice to others and I want them to be nice to me.
The paradoxes I am referring to are:
- I hate horror. (I seem to be in a very small minority here).
- I hate practical jokes. (Again – I seem to be the only person I know who thinks this way).
- I dislike BDSM. (I made genuine attempts to understand the BDSM mindset to please a former partner, but I just couldn’t.)
In all these things, people seem to enjoy causing distress to others – and in the last (admiteddly a ‘specialist’ area) – people seem to enjoy being in distress. I cannot comprehend seemingly normal people enjoying such cruelty and sadism and yet (for the first two) almost all of my friends and family seem to do so.
I have ended up rationalising these by assuming that these people must have a very mild insanity; but that seems somewhat illogical. Please can someone explain?
So some questions.
Does anyone else notice any connection between these? If my dislike of them stems from a common principle, would thier enjoyment of them also be connected?
Thanks in advance, Richard.
You’re right. People are by nature cruel and sadistic- this is human default. I find it incredibly fucked up someone could delight in another’s pain, but many people are like this, secretly. They like to see another fail to rise themselves. It’s all for the ego boost, it’s very animalistic and base.
However, with horror films, we easily dissociate from the people. While I am highly disturbed by anyone who seeks torture porn horror, who likes to hear the screams or feels pleasure from the depiction of the such cruelty, not all horror films are just gorefests. I’m more interested in psychological horror for the mystery and how it keeps my adrenaline up, it keeps me guessing.
I love them because I enjoy the feelings after the film. Although I’ve seen over 40 horror films, it had to be really scary to scare me. I’m not that easily scared. But when I am, even if a bit or much more, I enjoy these moemnts because it’s that intensity that I like. I also like knowing I’m safe and am grateful it’s not happening to me. Some of my friends are neither scared of them. We enjoy seeing them together, sometimes even laughing how the f****ng good it was and feel really happy. I can never get enough of horror movies, especialy those involving graveyards, ghosts, ghouls, poltergeists, or anything supernatural. best are the older, 80s movies though many modern-time are very good too.
I for one HATE scary movies. I have always wondered why one would watch such horrible things. I am one of those people that empathize in every situation. I immediately start to feel how the character would feel and thus can’t watch horror movies. I also feel like I experience enough bad in life why would I want to live it on the screen. I want my movies to take me away from the world and it’s problems. Happy ALL THE WAY!!
I don’t like horror movies because they’re boring, predictable, not scary, stupid, repetitive and full of shitty nonsensical plot devices.
In fact, I don’t like movies for the above reason. Trashy fiction is just retarded and uninteresting. Learn to read, proles.
I used to love horror movies, I must have seen hundreds of them. But nowadays I can rarely finish watching one. I was wondering if horror movies have become more disturbing than they used to be, but after reading this article I think it’s me that has changed.
When I was a big horror fan I was young and single. Now that I’m a parent I find them creepy and upsetting. I suppose raising children just makes a person more empathetic.
OK, great article, but what bothered me the most was, you kept using the “said” verb. “Said” appears 27 times in your article. And “Sparks said” 9 times. That can become very annoying and disrupts the flow of the article. Keep that in mind the next time you write anything.
My daughter and I both love scary movies. We love it when it has a great twist, and unexpectedness. We both suffer with severe depression. We are both very empathetic to others. We can feel when someone is sad.
We have had hard lives. We like scary movies because we don’t have to deal with the emotional issues of other movies. That deal with love, family etc. it’s an hour and half of leaving reality.