We’re only a couple of weeks away from Halloween, the spookiest night of the year. And if you enjoy embracing this holiday and season, you’ll likely be going to a pumpkin patch or corn maze, binging horror films, drinking pumpkin spice lattes, and heading to your city’s biggest haunted house. But why is it that some of us just can’t get enough of creepy content?
In general, we want to feel safe and comfortable in our lives. So why do we seek out experiences that will terrify or unsettle us? According to Harvard Business Review, one reason why horror is so popular is that humans simply want to experience stimulation.
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When we see something scary, we are mentally and physically stimulated in contrasting ways. You might negatively experience fear or anxiety, but at the same time, you might experience excitement and joy. Being terrified can also trigger adrenaline in our bodies, which can result in a flood of energy that many people enjoy.
At the same time, experiencing horror in a controlled environment allows us to gain novel experiences. You don’t actually have to be surrounded by monsters in a cabin in the woods to feel like you are. Anyone who is adventurous (but not willing to actually risk their life) might find this experience incredibly fun.
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It’s also important to note that almost all humans have some sort of morbid curiosity. You probably wouldn’t want to experience The Purge in real life, but you might be curious about what that kind of scenario would look like. You likely don’t want to meet a real serial killer. But hearing stories from one in a film or documentary probably piques your interest. Most people don’t fully understand the motives behind this kind of behavior, but that makes it all the more fascinating.
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Even for lovers of horror, though, there is a time and a place to enjoy this kind of content. Harvard Business Review explains that a few factors have to be just right for it to be fun. First, you need to know that you’re physically safe. If you actually think you might be in danger, you’re not going to be able to fully immerse yourself in the experience. You might just give yourself a panic attack.
Another important factor when it comes to truly being able to enjoy horror is having the ability to detach from the experience. If you’re watching a movie where the characters are experiencing something that you have actually been through in real life, it might be triggering. You may start to feel like the situation is real, and it definitely won’t be fun. So if you’ve experienced trauma, you might need to be more particular about the kind of horror you want to consume.
As for who tends to love everything creepy and unsettling, those with higher sensation-seeking traits often enjoy scary content the most. People who are also open to new experiences tend to be more willing to embrace horror. Meanwhile, if someone has less empathy, they might derive more pleasure from horror. On the flip side, if someone is too empathetic, watching horror might be too intense or upsetting.
