Exploring the science behind the fear factor

Why that old foreboding house looks like a good time waiting to happen

It is the spookiest part of the year, and I am not talking about tax season. It is Halloween! Ghoulish inflatables have invaded your neighbour’s yard and sweaters with questionable witch puns have taken over H&M. Everyone celebrates the season differently, but one common goal for many during this frightful time is to go and get scared. Be it from watching a gory horror film with friends, telling ghost stories around a fire, playing the newest Resident Evil game or romping through a haunted house, there are lots of opportunities out there to get that shiver down your spine. 

 

But why? What is it about these gruesome, terrifying, and occasionally disgusting experiences that calls out to us as a good time? Psychology Today describes fear as “a vital response to physical and emotional danger that has been pivotal throughout human evolution.” Fear helped our ancestors survive in the untamed wilderness, letting us know when it was time to run away and avoid becoming a late lunch for a grizzly bear.  

 

On the physical side of things, when our brain detects danger, it sends signals throughout the body. Our blood pumps faster, our vital organs are sent more oxygen and our muscles are pumped with glucose in case we have to make a quick getaway. Concurrently, our bodies are filled with hormones like adrenaline, dopamine, and endorphins, chemicals that are also released during periods of happiness and excitement. Throughout all this, our amygdala is on high alert monitoring the situation to see how severe the danger is. When the danger is revealed to be simulated, such as a jumpscare in a movie or a video game, the body calms down, yet the hormones remain, leaving us with an addictive shot of euphoria and adrenaline. Being able to have this sensation in a safe and healthy way is part of what makes some of us crave scary stuff.

 

These chemical reactions may be what happen physically to get us hooked on the scare, but there are plenty of other reasons that might encourage us to seek out a scare. We often engage with media and experiences that scare us with our friends and other social groups. Experiencing a fright with other people can create unique bonds and a sense of collectivism as you “get through” the horror together. Horror experiences can also act as an escape from the mundanity of everyday life. We can immerse ourselves in experiences of heightened emotion that we may not find in a 9–5 job. Finally, a simple reason for our fascination with dread is an innate sense of morbid curiosity. We are fascinated by danger and death, wanting to get a good look at it, without any risk to ourselves.

Nawfal Emad – Argosy Photographer

 

Of course, it is important to note that these experiences are not so fun for everyone. Some people have a harder time identifying simulated experiences as non-dangerous and can be easily overwhelmed by them. Others simply do not enjoy feeling the sudden rush of emotion. It is important for everyone to find their sweet spot where they can feel that rush of excitement and still have fun. Even for those who seek out the spookiest, scariest, experiences out there, make sure to take a break once in a while. Maintaining a high level of fear and anxiety for prolonged periods of time can have harmful effects on both one’s physical and mental health. However you get your spooky kicks, whether it is making jack o’lantern cookies or watching a monster disembowel some deserving 80’s jocks, enjoy the thrills you are looking for and have a spooktacular Halloween.



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