In a previous piece we published, we spoke with Dr. Kevin Corstorphine, a lecturer in American Literature at the University of Hull. As he explained, people who enjoy horror films find solace in them.
Media psychology expert Cynthia Vinney, PhD, provided a different explanation in an article she wrote for Very Well Mind. She mentioned the excitation transfer theory, which, in a nutshell, suggests that people find enjoyment in the negative effect of a horror film followed by the positive upswing upon the resolution of the threat.
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Dr. Vinney also mentioned a 2023 study by Murray State University entitled "Exploring the Dark Side of Humanity: Motivations of Morbidly Curious Individuals." The study delved into people's motivations for consuming morbid media, particularly films.
The study found that morbidly curious individuals find more enjoyment in horror films with prevalent themes of gore and violence and if they can turn it into a learning experience.
This supports the theory Dr. Vinney noted in her article, suggesting that humans live vicariously through these movies. It allows us to "grapple with the darkest parts of humanity in a safe environment."
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Finding a learning experience isn’t one of the top reasons people have for consuming creepy images, moving or otherwise. But apparently, there is research to support it.
Behavioral scientist Coltan Scrivner, specializing in horror and morbid curiosity, published an article in 2021 entitled “The Psychology of Morbid Curiosity: Development and Initial Validation of the Morbid Curiosity Scale.” He argues that the fascination for the macabre “drives individuals to learn about aspects of life that are perceived to be dangerous.”
“When a dangerous phenomenon is perceived to be near or impending, curiosity may spike in order to gather information about the dangerous phenomenon. By learning about the threatening factors associated with death, one can learn to avoid the negative outcomes associated with those factors,” he wrote.
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