Explained: Why Some People Like To Watch Scary And Violent Movies?

We all know many people who watch all the horror films in all languages without leaving one. Sometimes it¡¯s nice to watch scary movies with friends and cousins in a dark room, but fear is not exactly a positive emotion.

What is it about horror that humans are so drawn to?

One of the major reasons we want to watch a horror movie is to be stimulated. Exposure to terrifying acts and experiencing the thrill of waiting for the next scene to come up can stimulate us both mentally and physically.

It can either be negative or positive. It can create a form of fear or anxiety in us. Simultaneously, it can make us feel excited and joyful. Our body releases adrenaline when we are frightened, resulting in heightened sensations and surging energy.

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Second, it enables us to live in alternative realities, which gives us experiences. For example, watching a Zombie or alien invasion movie initially gives us the fear. But we know that in the end, humans are going to win. Going through all the fear and anxiety throughout the movie and having a good ending will give us a sense of accomplishment and feelings of relief, leading to a euphoric high.

It also gives us the image that we are adventurous, daring to brag about ourselves to others.

If it¡¯s a psychological thriller movie about a serial killer, humans would like to know how cruel they can get. It¡¯s curiosity that fuels us to watch what our own kind is capable of.

Most of our experiences while watching a scary movie are based on the background sounds. This element has a huge impact on how we perceive what we¡¯re watching on the screen.

Who likes horror movies?

Not all people enjoy watching a horror movie. There are many who stay away from the genre as much as possible. But who likes to watch horror movies?

Individuals who want to experience high sensations are naturally drawn to scary content. Those with a lower sensation-seeking trait may find those experiences unpleasant and avoid them. Even if someone doesn¡¯t crave those sensations, people who are open to experiencing different things are more willing to watch horror movies.

People with low empathy levels enjoy horror movies more because they are less impacted by the suffering that is depicted onscreen. It doesn¡¯t necessarily mean that people with high empathy don¡¯t watch horror movies at all.

However, they end up avoiding those kinds of movies sometimes because they don¡¯t want to watch the suffering portrayed, but some do enjoy the danger and excitement of the stories, as well as horror films that have happy endings.

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It¡¯s not okay to watch a real crime story to relax.

Recently, Psychologist Dr. Thema Bryant warned that watching a real-life crime story to unwind might be seriously disturbing. Consuming violent content might be because the trauma of it all is familiar to them.

It can be seen as a distraction that we seek from our real-life problems, and watching violent scenes would redirect the individual¡¯s anger that they feel.

People who had a traumatic childhood or who experienced a traumatic event might be drawn to true crime to kind of re-experience those traumatic situations in a safe environment where they have more control.

So, if this sounds like you, then you may be in need of some pretty serious counselling.