Horror movies manipulate brain activity to enhance excitement, says study
4 years, 11 months ago

Horror movies manipulate brain activity to enhance excitement, says study

Hindustan Times  

In a novel study, a team of researchers has mapped the neural activity in response to watching horror movies, and how they manipulate brain activity. Horror movies manipulate brain activity to enhance excitement, says study. The researchers first established the 100 best and scariest horror movies of the past century, and how they made people feel. Therefore, our brains are continuously anticipating and preparing us for action in response to the threat, and horror movies exploit this expertly to enhance our excitement, explains Researcher Matthew Hudson.

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The Psychological Reasons Behind Our Love for Horror
2 months, 1 week ago

The Psychological Reasons Behind Our Love for Horror

Hindustan Times  

A new study sheds light on the psychological underpinnings of our fascination with horror. The researchers found that fear is not the primary emotion that drives our enjoyment of horror content. Instead, they believe that the thrill comes from curiosity and a sense of realism in the scenes. The dark atmosphere and morbid topics satisfy our morbid curiosity about the …

Jump scares? That’s yesterday’s stale gore. Two new horror films break the rules
7 months, 1 week ago

Jump scares? That’s yesterday’s stale gore. Two new horror films break the rules

LA Times  

A masked murderer trudges through the woods, Jason Voorhees-like, but instead of springing out at us like a surprise, we permanently stay by his side, a companion to his lonely blood-soaked quest for vengeance. The other one, “Handling the Undead” by Norwegian director Thea Hvistendahl, is a sorrowful, moody twist on the zombie film starring Renate Reinsve and Anders Danielsen …

What your taste in movies REALLY says about your personality, according to science (and no, being a horror fan DOESN'T make you a psycho)
9 months, 3 weeks ago

What your taste in movies REALLY says about your personality, according to science (and no, being a horror fan DOESN'T make you a psycho)

Daily Mail  

What does it actually say about you if you love comedies, or like nothing better than watching a masked killer hunting down his victims? But - perhaps unsurprisingly - many studies have found that people who believe in ‘true love’ tend to enjoy romantic films. A 2019 study by Valerie Kretz found that not only do people who like romantic …

Spooky films may actually aid your mental health. Experts reveal the psychology of Hollywood horror
1 year, 2 months ago

Spooky films may actually aid your mental health. Experts reveal the psychology of Hollywood horror

Salon  

The 1973 horror film "The Exorcist" was so scary that audiences left the theater up and out — throwing up and passing out, that is. Based on this evidence after the release of such famous horror flicks as "The Exorcist" and "Silent Night, Deadly Night," it would seem that horror movies are bad for people's health. "We found that the …

Magician’s Tricks: What Makes Horror Movies Work?
5 years, 5 months ago

Magician’s Tricks: What Makes Horror Movies Work?

The Quint  

Apart from tension-building, psychologist Glenn D. Walters identifies three primary factors that add to the attraction to horror films and shows: a) Relevance: Horror films, he claims, have elements that each viewer identifies with. Horror films allow them to experience a reality otherwise too scary to tap into or wish for. Parents of children who have hydrophobia often jump into …

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