My roommates love watching horror/suspense movies. It almost seems like every time we have a movie night, a horror flick is on the list to watch. For my roommates, their top favorites include the Saw movies, the recent hit Paranormal Activity, and the Haunting in Connecticut. Myself on the other hand, I'm not a super huge fan like my roommates. I would actually prefer a comedy over a horror flick, yet I still enjoy watching horror movies sometimes. I'm the wuss that covers my face though when something too scary comes on the screen. Thinking about all this, I was wondering what would motivate people to endure the feelings of fear and suspense, especially for the very popular horror flicks. I came across several different theories on reasons why people enjoy feeling fear and suspense.
On Psychology Today, Why are there Horror Movies?, this article talked about the reason behind it is the fact that because it is fiction we are able to enjoy it rather than it being reality where we have to make a choice. This article didn't satisfy me however, so I kept searching.
On ScienceDaily.com, Why do People Love Horror Movies?, it argued that people enjoy being scared because they feel both negative and positive emotions at the same time. The sense of relief is not the only positive of the outcome of watching a scary movie, its more the the happiness of being scared.
On Live Science, Horror Movies: Why People Love Them., it talks about severaly different topics. First it talks about how people don't watch movies just like the Saw movies for the blood and gore, but because they experience a thrill of assessing threat levels. Next it talks about how people have the ability to control what effects their emotions and what does not while watching horror films. Lastly it talks about fear being more than just an emotion, and that it is a biological factor that starts with our amygdala.
As far as these three articles go, I'm not sure if my question was answered as to why people enjoy fear while watching horror/suspense films. Why do you like or dislike these types of movies? What are other factors that could be involved in developing the liking of horror films?
On Psychology Today, Why are there Horror Movies?, this article talked about the reason behind it is the fact that because it is fiction we are able to enjoy it rather than it being reality where we have to make a choice. This article didn't satisfy me however, so I kept searching.
On ScienceDaily.com, Why do People Love Horror Movies?, it argued that people enjoy being scared because they feel both negative and positive emotions at the same time. The sense of relief is not the only positive of the outcome of watching a scary movie, its more the the happiness of being scared.
On Live Science, Horror Movies: Why People Love Them., it talks about severaly different topics. First it talks about how people don't watch movies just like the Saw movies for the blood and gore, but because they experience a thrill of assessing threat levels. Next it talks about how people have the ability to control what effects their emotions and what does not while watching horror films. Lastly it talks about fear being more than just an emotion, and that it is a biological factor that starts with our amygdala.
As far as these three articles go, I'm not sure if my question was answered as to why people enjoy fear while watching horror/suspense films. Why do you like or dislike these types of movies? What are other factors that could be involved in developing the liking of horror films?
I am one of those people who truly enjoy a good horror flick. I love movies like SAW, Candyman, Texas Chainsaw, Friday the 13th, Halloween, Exorcism of Emily Rose, you get the picture. It is interesting to think about why movie-goers like myself are addicted to these types of films.
Personally, I think it is the adrenaline rush I get when I watch these films. If only for two hours, people are encaptured with fear as they essentially are living out the action themselves in their own mind. There is a sense of reality to it, which is arguably conveyed by our biological responses the movies elicit.
For instance, the SAW movies were pretty damn gruesome, moreso than most audiences were used to. In my opinion, this is why they were so popular. The movie tested psychological boundaries like few had done before it and people wanted to "experience" this sensation. In the Live Science article listed above by Amanda, researchers claim that one reason we watch is because the thrill calls up primal behavior, mainly in males, to assess threat levels. (The typical horror-flick viewer is a male adolescent between the ages of 15 and 45 according to the article.)
Social scientists also suggest we watch for different reasons, which include "enjoying the adrenaline rush, being distracted from mundane life, vicariously thumbing our noses at social norms, and enjoying a voyeuristic glimpse of the horrific from a safe distance." Essentially, we want movies to affect our lives and have an emotional impact on us.
It's definitely an interesting to question to pose. Also I wonder if fear brought on by a movie is truly the same type of fear brought on by a possible real-life situation. Can our brains determine the difference to an extent? Cool topic to consider...
I absolutely hate scary, gory horror movies. First of all, I hate the blood, guts, violence, etc. I despise it all and cannot bear to watch it! All of it just makes me so uncomfortable and on edge. It is hard for me to even watch an action movie with fight scenes or a minimal amount of blood. I think it's just part of my personality that I cannot watch violence, because I loathe it.
On the other hand, I also hate thrillers, suspenseful, and haunting movies. I am a very paranoid person in general, so I do not like to watch things that could potentially happen in life because it's already running through my head constantly! I have been in the theaters for one of the Saw movies and felt like crying because I wanted it to be over. Again, I think it is personality that influences this for me. For me, horror movies don't satisfy my need for excitement, but it very well may for others.
I always wonder this question too, and out of the three websites you found with reasons, I agree with the third explanation the most. It very well could be a biological influence that determines whether or not we enjoy horror movies. I also think it's adrenaline that causes people to love scary movies. It's kind of hard for people who don't get thrills that way to understand, just like extremists are tough to understand.
I also HATE scary movies. I feel the same way that deec182 feels about hating the blood and guts and violence. My friends all wanted to go see paranormal activity and all I could think was "Why the hell would I spend 10 bucks to be scared out of my mind?" To me, being scared is not a fun experience. I also get very uncomfortable and have to look away. Also, I don't like sitting somewhere for two hours and having my heart pumping the whole time and have my hands sweating from panic. I like movies that keep you on the edge of your seat, but I don't like horror movies that ususally incorporate horrific scenes of tourture and violence. It makes me think these things could happen to me or someone i care about and I end up replaying the scenes over and over in my head, but I ususally put someone I know in the scenario, which is very unsettling! I also agree with the thrid website the most and think it could be due to biological influences. I also think that adrenaline has a lot to do with it. I avoid roller coasters the same as scary movies because I do not like to experience adrenaline rushes from demons grabbing people or axe murderers tourturing an innocent person. It's just not for me, but I can understand the thrill of it for some people is very exciting and desirable.
I am one who watches horror movies and simply because for the suspense and the desired affect. I like the feeling of after watching a good horror movie I find myself a little nervous and looking around at my house or getting in my car looking in the back seat.
I kind of put myself in the actors shoes and think what if this actually happened to me, because it can actually happen to someone. I get scared easily and I don't understand why I watch horror movies, and now after reading those articles I understand a little bit about why I do, and definitely agree with those articles.
I know after watching The Fourth Kind, I am still to this day freaked out about the fact that you don't know what could be going on while your sleeping. (aka with the unknown) Honestly, after watching that film I have resorted to watching a lot more action movies such as Crank and Crank 2 (two of my favorite Jason Sattham movies) and watching more of The Office. Even though I enjoy a good horror flick, The Fourth Kind did me in for awhile. I know I will go back to watching a horror film, once another good one comes out, but right now I am content with laughter and not freaking myself out to the point where I sleep with the lights on like a five year old.