Ritu Singh
Most of us can't get enough of horror movies .These movies have delighted audiences all over the world and entertained our basest instincts with horrifying gore, monsters, insanity and the supernatural. What is with the scary haunted houses, uncanny settings, eerie sounds that titillates our senses so much? Do we love the fear and violence that these movies present us with? For many of us, being scared out of our wits seems like a fun concept!
As we watch such scary movies, our palms turn sweaty, skin temperature drops, muscles become tense and blood pressure spikes. The more these things happen, the more fear we experience- the more we claim to enjoy the movie.
So, why are people drawn to it? Following are some possible theories and studies to explain why do these movies fascinate us:
Long back, Greek Philosopher Aristotle posited that people were attracted to scary stories and violent dramatic plays because it gave them a chance to purge their negative emotions a process he called catharsis. So, if we go by his theory, that means we watch violent movies and play violent video games to release the pent up feelings of aggression.
As human beings born with a super active brain, we are a curious lot. We loved to be shocked and what drives this is morbid curiosity.
Some people like to watch horror because they want to vicariously experience complex and extreme emotional content.
When we watch scary movies, we can face your fears, but since we know that it's just a movie we don't have to face anything. For the time being, it tickles certain fight or flight responses that are entertaining, the release of tension, over and over until a hopefully cathartic ending. So, just for a short span of time, we are willing to endure the terror in order to enjoy a euphoric sense of relief at the end. We seem to enjoy the adrenaline rush of being scared while being safe.
Another most important theory about scary movies is the The Excitation Transfer Process. According to Glenn Sparks, one reason for the appeal is how you feel after the movie. This is called the excitation transfer process. Sparks’s research found that when people watch frightening films, their heart rate, blood pressure and respiration increases.
After the film is over, this physiological arousal lingers, Sparks said. That means that any positive emotions you experience – like having fun with friends – are intensified, he said. Instead of focusing on the fright you felt during the film, you recall having a great time. And you’ll want to come back for more, he said.
A scientist also says that that people enjoy excitement, even if it’s from a negative source, otherwise, things could be pretty dull.
Other theories relate to the sensation-seeking personality types. People who seek higher levels of arousal thoroughly enjoy the response -heightened feelings of awareness when their their bodies have to intense experiences. These experiences range from watching horror films to skydiving and bungee jumping.
This enjoyment of the punishment of those that deserves it makes up the Dispositional Alignment Theory. We like horror movies because the people on screen getting killed deserve it.
So, whether it's thrill or excitement, these movies will continue to feed our primal need to become scared!
