Seven-year-old Shannon Clarke from Halifax, who had secretly watched the horror movie The Exorcist about a little girl being possessed by a demon, imagined her bed trembling.
Even though Clarke couldn’t sleep that night, 29 years later, The Exorcist is still one of his favourite movies.
I have an obsession with scary movies… According to Clarke, “I adore feeling afraid.” “I’ve never seen a horror movie that I didn’t like… I suppose I kind of enjoy the jolt it provides.
On Monday, Canadians will celebrate Halloween in a variety of ways, with some donning spooky costumes, some going trick-or-treating, and still others, like Clarke, staying in to watch scary movies.
However, other people will entirely avoid it and choose not to feel any fear at all. A researcher has examined horror movies to see why some people appreciate the scares while others do not.
Independent researcher Eliot Bessette, who completed his Ph.
According to a D dissertation at the University of California, Berkeley on terror in haunted houses and horror movies, there is a fundamental psychological difference between those who find pleasure in fear and those who do not.
Bessette remarked, “It’s just how people divide up.”
Some folks, like Clarke, can unwind before going to bed by watching a documentary series on a murder case. While that may sound odd, Bessette said such shows can bring a feeling of catharsis to some.
“This is undoubtedly not a novel concept. Even Aristotle believed that the catharsis of pity and dread is the purpose of experiencing a tragedy. Well, horror films may offer catharsis of fear and disgust, and other emotions,” he said.
Margee Kerr, a University of Pittsburgh sociology professor and author, previously stated that feeling terror in a safe setting can be advantageous, but not everyone finds it appealing. The Conversation is an independent source of news and opinions from the academic and professional community.
According to Kerr, “there are significant individual differences, such as genetic manifestations, environments, and personal histories, that help explain why some people detest and others love thrills and chills.”
She explained that horror movies can allow people “to tackle the big, existential fears” humans have, like “why bad things happen without reason, through the protective frame of entertainment.
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According to Kerr, choosing to engage in frightful activities, like going to a haunted house, can also help people develop more self-awareness and resilience since it gives them a chance to experience terror.
It’s a chance to confront fear on your own terms in settings where you can safely exceed your boundaries, according to Kerr.
Bessette agreed with this statement and said that watching horror films or participating in a harmlessly spooky activity can be exhilarating and energising.
Even while others might not go through it, the thought of going through it with a relative or close friend might be helpful and uplifting to them.
Although my father dislikes scary or thrilling rides, he went on them with me in order to spend time with his son. “Similarly, people could experience a lot of nice outcomes, whether it’s feeling oneself overcoming the anxiety or enjoying a beautiful work of art,” Bessette said. “That was the price he paid to have a good outcome.
Doing exciting things with others might increase their fun and “help develop rewarding social bonds,” according to Kerr.
She explained that because emotions may be contagious, if you witness your friend laughing or yelling, you can find yourself doing the same.
Halloween provides the opportunity to potentially have these experiences in a secure setting, and it can be more than just a celebration of pleasure.
Bessette asserts that scary movies and haunted houses might provide people the opportunity to consider their feelings of terror and discover coping mechanisms, ultimately helping them to become more resilient.
He stated, “It can teach us more about ourselves.
— Including documents from The Associated Press.
Halloween horror: Why some people enjoy being frightened but not others
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