Science of Being Scared: Fear has a 'Sweet Spot' that Makes People Enjoy Horror

Most of us have at one time or another sought out frightening experiences in order to experience the thrill of danger. A group of researchers selected 110 participants to take part in a new experiment in a 50-room haunted house attraction in Vejle, Denmark, filled with zombies and monsters hiding in the dark. The study, published in Psychological Science, shows that enjoyment was maximized at a “sweet spot” where participants felt distinct physical reactions, notably heart rate fluctuations, as long as those reactions weren’t too intense. Recreational Fear “If people are not very scared, they do not enjoy the attraction as much, and the same happens if they are too scared,” noted lead researcher Marc Malmdorf Andersen. “Instead, it seems to be the case that a ‘just-right’ amount of fear is central for maximizing enjoyment.” Andersen calls this phenomenon “recreational fear.” The concept refers to the mixed emotional experience of feeling fear and enjoyment at the same time.