Why Are Horror Films So Popular? Adrenaline, Fear and Science Explained
- Eve Andrews
- Apr 28, 2022
- 4 min read
It's a strange thing, really; how so many of us feel drawn to things that evolution has supposedly wired us to be repulsed by. You’d think that seeing people hacked to pieces would make us want to run for the hills in fear. After all, fear is an inherently unpleasant emotion. We’re wired to loathe the feeling of fear. It’s a warning that there may be a possible threat to our survival - when something elicits fear, we naturally want to make it go away. So what makes us enjoy seeing things on the screen that are supposed to make us recoil in terror and disgust? Why are horror films so popular?
The most obvious answer is that horror films provide us with an adrenaline hit. While this is true to some degree, there’s a bit more to it than that. Obviously, the adrenaline you’d feel plunging off a cliff or waking up to a horde of real-life zombies trying to claw their way into your home would be far from pleasant. So why are these concepts so appealing in fantasy?
In an audience Q&A with BBC Science focus magazine, cognitive neuroscientist, Dr Christian Jarrett states: “Evolutionary psychologists say that horror films tap into our primal fears, such as fear of contamination and fear of being eaten, which explains the popularity of zombie movies and films featuring oversized carnivores. [...] Curiously, the more negative emotions a person says they experience during a horror flick, the more likely they are to say they enjoy the genre. One theory is that this is because some people, especially sensation-seekers, find pleasure in the feelings of relief that follow after intense fear.”
In other words, Dr Jarret suggests that horror films allow us to experience the instinctive rush of a high stakes situation without any risk of harm. Horror films essentially deliver danger to their audience in a nice little safe package that can be opened and closed at will. It's this differentiating factor that separates staged horror from real-life - safety. Horror fan or not, a healthy, neurotypical individual would find recordings of real-life horrors deeply disturbing. It's not hard to find witnesses of such things lamenting the long-term adverse effects that images of real-life depravity have had on them. This is because horror is only enjoyable when we know that no one is really getting hurt. It’s the same reason Jarrett’s aforementioned “sensation seekers'' might enjoy bungee jumping or high-speed roller coasters. It's a simulation from which we can experience the rush without the risk (I mean, obviously, there are risks involved with bungee jumps and rollercoasters, but you get what I mean).
By tapping into our most primal fears, horror films also tap into our most basic instincts. When we experience fear, fight or flight mode kicks, triggering a release of dopamine to our brains. However, with the risk factor removed, as are the more negative sensations associated with fight or flight - the result? Euphoria. This is the difference between visceral fear and thrill.
This is also why so many people see horror movies as a challenge and feel a sense of accomplishment after making it to the end of a particularly gruesome one. Our unconscious mind experiences the relief of survival, which in this context, is highly gratifying.
However, believe it or not, horror can also be used as an emotional crutch. When you think about it, the entire point of cinema is to simulate emotion. Thriller films provide audiences with simulated stress without real-life consequences. Tragic films allow us to experience temporary deep sadness without any actual heartbreak. Romance films elicit those sweet, fuzzy feelings without committing to a real-life relationship. More often than not, these feelings fade not long after we turn off the screen. It's a package of controlled emotions, and not all of them are pleasant. So why is that good? Well, it's the same reason we listen to sad music when feeling lonely or upset, or angry music when we’re mad at someone - it allows us to process these emotions in a safe and cathartic way. In the same vein, horror films enable us to process the darker, more difficult sides of human nature without actually having to experience them first-hand. Horror addresses humanity’s darkest tendencies that many are too afraid to talk about, allowing its audience to grapple with them from the safety of their sofa, with the freedom to walk away at any time if they wish. Ultimately, seeing your greatest personal fears visualised in a safe, controlled environment can, for some, be an effective way of exorcising them.
While it's easy to sneer at the horror genre as pointless and depraved, it quietly serves an important function within the world of cinema and is a risk-free source of excitement for many audience members. This article being written from the perspective of someone who, personally, doesn’t always do too well with horror, I can confidently say that the genre holds as much weight in the cinematic world as any other. Horror movies are a creative way of simulating fear and excitement, and allow people to process the grim aspects of human nature in a controlled environment, with an off button available should they need it. As such, I’d even go so far as to say it's essential.
Are you a horror fan? If so, what do you think it is that draws you to it? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below!
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