Maybe we don’t think we can see our friends whose hobbies are watching horror movies, from the ghosts, and the monsters, to the gore. When they see horror scenes, our friends are always scared to death. Like the headline of the article, why do we like watching horror movies?
The T-Type Ones
However, our friend is a “T-TYPE PERSONALITY”. According to Frank Farley, Professor of Psychology at Temple University in Philadelphia, USA, those with Type-T personalities are people who like a challenge aka “thrill-seekers”. Instead of staying away, these people like the sensation triggered by fear.
This phenomenon can be explained scientifically. In ancient times, we, humans, were afraid when there was a threat. In the 21st century as it is today, the same sensations we can get more safely, like watching a horror movie in a movie theater.
When we’re scared, our brains release the ADRENALINE hormone that prepares the body for a fight-or-run response. When we have a flood of adrenaline, the heart will flutter, the senses become more sensitive and the body becomes more vibrant.
In addition, we will also feel more energetic because our bodies burn calories and produce GLUCOSE, aka sugar as fuel for the brain, blood cells, and other organs. Some researchers even measured the total calories burned while watching horror movies, such as “Jaws” and “The Shining”.
Anyway, wanting to lose weight but being lazy to do sport is certainly not the only reason people are fanning horror movies. Psychologically, watching horror movies can give you inner satisfaction. This can happen because we know horror movies aren’t real.
Once the evil character is defeated, we can be relieved because our brains are flooded with ENDORPHINS, which serve to reduce stress and reduce the effects of pain.
In addition, our brain also produces DOPAMINE which gives satisfaction after we have achieved an achievement… such as successfully watching horror movies from start to finish without having to hide behind a pillow…
It Can Be Fun!
So, watching a horror movie can be a fun experience. A study at the Friedrich Schiller University of Jena in Germany proved that real horror films don’t scare us.
The reason, again, is that we know that vampires, witches, and other spooky creatures don’t exist in the real world. So, we can still feel the sensation of tension while still holding hands with the ideal boyfriend.
Finally, by watching a horror movie, we can do ESCAPISM aka escape from reality. Despite the horrors, horror movies present adventures that are far more exciting than our daily lives.
That is, we can forget our piling-up homework, terrible bosses in the office, and other boring routines. So, watching a horror movie once in a while could be an escape. But let us not forget the reality.
