Loving Great Horror Films in 2024: Fear Psychology

Many people love horror movies on television, books, and big screens. From big hits like The Exorcist and It, we crave all kinds of scary life-or-death experiences. However, fear isn’t exactly a positive emotion, even though we all feel fear from time to time as human beings. It’s unpleasant when hearts beat rapidly at a scary scene or character in a horror film. At times, the frightening feelings that come with scary films can feel just like a real-life scary experience.

So, what makes horror films so tempting to consume daily? What is it about the genre that so many people are drawn to? Why are some people willing to spend their hard-earned money for a scare while many take drastic actions to avoid them? These are questions that lead us to understand the booming horror industry. There is no better time than now to address this than spooky season.

The Reasons Behind Consuming Horror

One reason some people watch horror is to feel stimulated. One definition of stimulation is something that arouses interest, inspiration, or incitement to action. Consuming acts of terror, or even anticipating those acts, can stimulate people, both mentally and physically. The stimulated feelings can be positive in excitement and joy or negative in fear, anxiety, and despair.

A jump scare is one of the most common reactions in watching a horror movie. This technique involves having a character in a life-threatening situation, getting lured into a false sense of safety, unaware that they are in a dangerous situation, and then bam! A psychopathic killer rages out of nowhere and brutally attacks or murders the character. Those kinds of brutality draw a reaction, the type of reaction that appreciates the creativity of carving out a gruesome murder scene.

Remember that there is no concrete reason why some people are drawn to the spooky genre. Entertainment fans are interested in specific movie/TV genres for different reasons. When we think of horror films, fans typically think of Scream, Longlegs, and Friday the 13th. Because the genre excels at simulating life-threatening situations, we respond emotionally as if we are in a real-life threat ourselves.

Why We Are Drawn To Horror Films

We have seen spinoffs and sequels through Holloween, The Conjuring, Predator, The Purge, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Child’s Play, Hellraiser, and Scream. Watching those films can be exhilarating for many; these movies have a way of captivating and terrifying audiences. The rush of adrenaline can increase the sense of excitement and act as a stress reliever, promoting relaxation afterward. In that way, horror films can be a cathartic experience, allowing moviegoers to confront their fears in a controlled environment.

Viewing horror films can create a sense of connection and community through the screams, tension, suspense, and extreme reactions to the scenes in horror films. Even though exposure to horror films can risk harboring negative feelings, such as anger, anxiety, or fear, it can also give rise to positive feelings, such as joy, excitement, and interest. Although horror movies contain many elements that don’t necessarily happen in the real world, they do provide curiosity about humanity’s dark side through storylines and characters experiencing the worst of the human condition.

Final thoughts

Does everyone like horror movies? Of course not. Many try to avoid them as much as possible, and some just don’t have any interest in them at all. However, fans take just enough of an interest that they continue to reach global audiences through film, television, books, advertisements, etc. There isn’t one reason why many fans like horror films. Many factors generate interest in the spooky genre, such as stimulation and excitement. Horror is the type of genre that allows us to confront our deepest fears and thrills in a safe, controlled environment.

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