Why Our Brains Love Horror Movies
In ‘Why Our Brains Love Horror Movies’, Sharon Begley examines the reasons that the horror genre appeals to different types of people, and all of us to a degree. She cites the success of the film Paranormal Activity 3, which set a box office record of $54 million in its opening weekend, the highest amount ever for a horror movie. She states that films like PA3 have a “pre-registered audience” that will see nearly any horror movie that comes out. This type of person was also mentioned by Carroll, who stated that “one could not deny that there may be certain audiences who seek horror fictions simply to be horrified” (p. 290). Begley summarizes the thoughts of Stephen King and Stuart Fischoff regarding the genre of horror by saying that people seek out frightening books and movies because they have a desire to experience ‘safe’ terror, in which they can be horrified yet still leave the movie with the knowledge that it was a work of fiction. She states that people with relatively calm or safe lifestyles have a desire to be excited, and that people who score higher on a scale that measures ‘sensation-seeking’ tend to enjoy horror films more than those who do not. She finds that people in their teens and twenties are more likely to look for intense experiences, while older people have plenty of fears in real life, such as bills and their health. Begley describes the ‘catharsis theory’, that people that experience more intense negative emotions while watching horror movies are more likely to enjoy the genre. This is because their enjoyment comes from the relief experienced at the conclusion of the movie. Another theory is that people enjoy the predictability of horror movies, such as seeing fictional characters die after committing ‘immoral’ acts like promiscuity. Glenn Walters believes that experiencing terror builds traits in boys that conform to societal expectations of masculinity, such as stoicism in spite of internal emotional distress. This is similar to Carroll’s argument that some find “a kind of satisfaction in the fact that one is capable of withstanding heavy doses of disgust and shock” (p. 291). She also states that “audiences for horror fictions are often adolescent males, some of whom may be using the fictions as macho rites of passage” (p. 291). The appeal to younger males strikes true to my own experience, as most girls are unafraid of expressing the negative emotions that they experience while watching movies like these. Because of this, many girls desire a male that is able to comfort them even if he is also scared on the inside. While horror movies continue to put up big numbers at the box office, Begley cites a study that found that hardly anyone would name a horror flick in their top 25 favorite movies. It is believed that this is because the uncomfortable emotions produced by watching these movies does not lead to fond memories.
Why Do People Like Scary Movies?
In ‘Why Do People Like Scary Movies?’ Jesse Hicks begins by describing a cliché horror movie scene where a young woman runs from a villain carrying a deadly weapon. While this is a situation in which no sane person would like to find themselves in, people continue to pay to see a fictional person in the grips of death. Hicks then cites a study which found that nearly everyone responds to scenes like this physically, but that people respond differently mentally. Physically, heart rate increases and a galvanic skin response. Mentally, people experience a fear response that is similar (but less intense) than if it were actually happening to them. It was found that the experience of fear intensifies the feelings of relief felt when the protagonist escapes the situation. Not everyone wants to experience fear during a movie, but those who do tend to be a part of the group that many label ‘adrenaline junkies’, such as those who participate in extreme sports like skydiving or snowboarding. It was found that levels of ‘sensation-seeking’ are higher earlier in life, and are higher in males than females. Additionally, hyper-violent movies primarily attract males, while suspenseful psychological thrillers appeal to both genders. Carroll believes that the appeal of horror movies lies in the curiosity of humans: “it engages its audience by being involved in processes of disclosure, discovery, proof, explanation, hypothesis, and confirmation” (p. 279). I believe that the emotional arousal caused by these elements of the horror genre would appeal to those described as ‘sensation-seeking’ by Hicks. However, I can also see how the horror genre would appeal to a group that does NOT engage in real life situations that put them in mortal danger. While activities like base jumping and snowboarding carry a real risk of serious injury and death, horror movie buffs might simply seek similar sensations that do not carry such risks. Because of this, I believe that lovers of the horror genre are in pursuit of a type of emotional arousal that extreme sports participants might find inferior to their own pursuits. Although I agree that these two groups are similar, I feel that Hicks overestimated the amount of overlap between them.
Citations:
Begley, S., (2011). ‘Why Our Brains Love Horror Movies’, The Daily Beast. Retrieved February 16, 2014, from http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2011/10/25/why-our-brains-love-horror-movies-fear-catharsis-a-sense-of-doom.html.
Hicks, J., (2008). ‘Probing Question: Why Do People Like Scary Movies?’, Penn State News. Retrieved February 16, 2014, from http://news.psu.edu/story/141312/2008/10/28/research/probing-question-why-do-people-scary-movies.