I love horror movies but hate jump scares. Anything dark with a unique storyline I love. Especially when the special effects or artistic side is done really well.
Rayne Shadow same, i really dont love jump scares or parts with a ton of suspension because it makes me way too on edge, though i am a bit of a thrill seeker and i like gore to an extent and i agree, i like more psychological horror thats dark
Rayne Shadow yes same! i love how some movies have so much depth and how it pulls you in but i hate when they use loud music and something popping up on the screen. it's tacky and cheap
Jumpscares ALWAYS get me, but unless its a creative one or has a purpose, I'm always left going "well that was stupid". They usually just feel cheap to me.
One of the most interesting things, in my opinion, about horror is that it reflects the fears of the society. An interesting example is Dracula: When the book was written (19th century Britain) the biggest fear was of strangers, eastern superstitious people, and the book reflects it. However, one of the most famous movie adaptation was in the 90's, when the big AIDS epidemic happened, and so the movie focuses a lot on tainted blood. In the 50's you saw a lot of "alien invasion" movies since they were afraid of the Russians and communists attacking. Today our society is really afraid of terrorists - people who look like us, infiltrate our society and attack from within. Kinda like Zombies...
I'm not sure I have any of those fears. I can connect with the "villains" more then the victims. With the victims, I just can't do it. I have no idea what they think or what they feel. Its confusing for me.
@@leolion3156 that's interesting. I also feel more connected to the villains..sometimes I even empathize more with them than the actual victims or protagonists of the story
I only love possession horror movies and films with Christian or religious imagery and symbolism. Anything with demons, possessions, exorcisms, etc. I grew up in a religious household where demon and apocalypse talk was totally normal and honestly, it kinda traumatized me. I suffered from insomnia as a kid, had a severe fear of darkness, and when I did manage to sleep, I had recurring nightmaresnof being possessed (still do sometimes, but I control my dreams now). Exposing myself to these kinds of films helps me cope with my fear of losing control.
that's a very interesting observation! i wonder if most people who have a very specific type of horror unconsciously have it linked to a past trauma? (i hope this didn't come of insensitive, apologies if it did)
Madison Clayton Not at all! It's definitely possible, but I can only speak from my experience. I consciously made a decision to start watching these types of horror films after reading about exposure therapy. My fear of darkness (both literal and figurative) was so severe that it actually interfered with my life. I scared myself into getting over it haha and I love these films now. I can even appreciate a certain beauty to them (The Witch and The Rite being perfect examples)
that's rly interesting! i'm glad it worked for you, i had to do something similar with my fear of the dark (except it was making myself sleep over at my friends house who sleep in pitch black). exposure therapy rly works well for some people. (also omg i still need to see The Witch lol)
Possession is so interesting to me!!! And I have no clue why because I grew up in a Christian household and am Christian, but my parents didn't do the whole doomsday/demons will get you thing. I'll read on possession and scare myself but its so. Interesting.
it rly is! i'm a christian too and ive always been fascinated by the concept of ghosts and demons and angels and where they fit in with my faith so movies and tv shows about them are super interesting to me as well.
The images that often frighten me the most are of an unknown entity or person standing in a room. Like, when there's a figure looming in a corner or in a doorway. I'm still not really sure why this is so scary to me. Dark doorways and windows scare me, as well. Maybe it's the fear of the unknown?
I read an article that I really agreed with, I wish I could remember what it was so I could link it but basically it was about why people (especially people with high anxiety) like horror movies. I have really bad generalized anxiety, and OCD, and people are always asking me why I love horror movies so much. The article explained that it's possible we enjoy them so much because it's a way to expose ourselves to really horrifying things but still be in complete control of the situation. A problem for people with anxiety is if we don't feel we're in control, we panic. Watching horror movies lets us be scared but also completely in control at the same time. It's similar to the exposure therapy theory you were talking about.
I found it very interesting the theory of why clowns and masks are scary to people. I am autistic - face blind and cannot read people's emotions and intentions well and am now wondering if that's the reason why I've never been able to understand masks or clowns creeping people out. If I already can't glean the same information from a face that other people can then having a face obscured naturally wouldn't make me feel less safe. Also, the theory of 'problem watchers' for people who don't like horror perfectly explains me. It's the same reason why I don't enjoy some types or humour - if there is a possibility of a person or animal being hurt or distressed then I can't see anything entertaining in the situation (so like pranks or a lot of the 'you won't be able to not laugh' kind of videos on UA-cam). A lot of people people think that autistic people have no empathy but that's not true, if anything I think often we are more intensely empathetic and people's emotions effect us more strongly than they would a neurotypical person, we just don't know how to interact in the socially correct way regarding it (like how to respond to someone who is angry or upset) or read all the unspoken intricacies of the situation (like we may sense someone is upset but not be able to work out why or what they want us to do about it and stuff like that even if it's obvious to most people or the difference between someone being upset or angry or whatever) so it comes across to people as us being insensitive or unfeeling. Another misconception about autistic people is that we have no imagination but another reason why I hate horror is that when I'm exposed to something scary then I can't help my imagination latching onto it and elaborating on the theme repeatedly and even a long time after I thought I had forgotten about the thing.
I've been obsessed with horror since a very young age and it's carried into adulthood. I'm always down to watch scary movies/talk about creepy shit/read scary stories. My dad traveled for work and would always come back with gifts and mine were always horror related. Do you like Clive Barker?
I like all kinds of horror besides gore. I don't like gore because I have a low tolerance for pain and when looking at gore, I tend to imagine that scenario happening to me and imagining that pain is just not my thing. I'm not scared of gore, I just don't like to think about the pain it could cause to me. If that makes sense. I like other kinds of horror though. Themes that I noticed I tend to lean towards though is anything paranormal. For example, Insidious, The Conjuring, the Final destination series, Sinister, and Oculus. I believe I like these because I believe in things like demons. I like to think about the unknown, and the afterlife if there even is one. I like to think about different things that could be out there that we don't know about. And then there are movies with serial killers like Halloween, and Friday the 13th. I think I like these mainly because of my love for psychology and my wanting to learn about why serial killers do what they do.
I'm not sensation seeking at all... I'm one of the most conventionally boring people you'll ever meet, and I love horror! I haven't gone on a rollercoaster since I was like 19 (I'm 30), I'm terrified of heights and flying and my favourite thing to do is chill at home with my cats. I also have incredibly high empathy skills, I literally legitimately cry when someone else is hurting or upset just feeling their pain (I try to contain it to not make the situation about me, obviously). I KNOW why I enjoy horror - I was a really extremely sensitive child, and I was terrified of EVERYTHING. Conquering those fears have given me confidence to know I can handle my own emotions, and I can handle being scared, and horror movies help me think what I would do in those situations.
I've been terrified of horror movies as long as I can remember and do not watch them. A friend made me watch one with a woman who transitioned into a paranormal entity, which is probably like most of them... but I saw that woman in the back of my car every night and every time I closed my eyes to fall asleep.... for an entire year. I can't even be bothered to figure out what movie it was because, 6 years later if I see her face I'll still freak out lol. I wonder what psych is behind my fear of horror.. speaking of which, will you still do the phobias video another week?!
I like horror movies as a way to challenge myself. If I see everyone around me is shitting themselves from fear and I can remain calm it gives me a sense of power.
I absolutely hate horror, and graphic imagery. I genuinely do not understand why people love it so much. Hopefully this video will give me some insight : )
I have actually written a project about why we're intriged by horror/gothic stories and the things, we don't understand my first year at university. It's a VERY interesting topic.
the thing that you said about your mom and coping with your fears through watching horror movies is really interesting. I started to enjoy horror movies when I was struggling with depression and it definitely was something that helped me to deal with my situation so maybe there's something in it.
Maria Kacprzak I agree, I've always been into horror movies but I got into it much more when I was going through a bad depression as well, I feel like it's a way to deal with something dark that you're going through.
When Sarah's mom knows better than experts who writes articles... hahhaa I agree on that, horror movies help me cope with bad thoughts and also helped to get through being a scaredy cat
Me too! I have not been diagnosed with depression, but I am currently in a pretty dark place and I started being obsessed with horror/gore/suicide (in fiction).
my empathy is so high. i'm sooo sensitive and cry about every emotional moment (including happy things!) and i love horror movies more than any other movie soooo
I agree with next to none of the theories in this. I'm high empathy, low sensation-seeking, low aggression, and female. And I LOVE all horror to the point of having studied FX and done it for work for years. I feel like those were some really idiotic, simplistic theories (but then again I roll my eyes every time I hear psychoanalytic theories about redirected aggression). But the fictional horror thing is SUPER true- some shows and movies actually intentionally make their gore less realistic and more campy to make it more palatable to the audience.
I loved this. Very insightful. I write horror, and you gave me some great food for thought. I'm always trying to improve my writing, especially the psychological part. You helped a lot. Thank you 🙏
I just took a Horror Film class this semester and it was awesome and really interesting to dive into horror, thriller and suspense films, and why we like them, what makes them fall into that specific category and not the other, and the psychology behind it.
The thrill watcher description you mentioned almost nailed it with me. I do tend to be a sensation seeker, even with little things. I also like strong black coffee, sinus-clearing spicy foods, loud death metal music, adrenaline sports, and, of course horror, (I think my attraction to very bold strong colours, such as black, red, or bright purple, even has something to do with this). The fact that I'm like this is interesting to me as someone with a background in psychology self-reflecting. I have a diagnosed anxiety disorder, which one would think would cause me to avoid stress-inducing sensations, yet I seek them. Whether I identify with the victim or killer depends on the movie, but the description of the thrill seeker really hit home when you said it. Returning to that anxiety disorder, I have self-reflected and I think a lot of the above is related to the idea you mentioned of facing diaster in a controlled environment. I know that when I consume true crime media, that consciously I do think about how I would outwit these real criminals in my mind, simtaneously as I hear the story. Perhaps, I unconsciously do the same with other things. However, I am a gore fan too :P. Although, the "gore fan" description doesn't sound quite as close to home. For me, I think that one is a combination of my sensation seeking behaviour and the fact that I always marvel at the cool SFX makeup. I love doing gross SFX makeup myself, and many of those movies give me inspiration about how I'm going to dress my friends up as zombies next Halloween or something :P.
I like horror bc I like the occult, the unexplainable, the misterious and such. I used to be scared of everyyything growing up but I still wanted to watch scary movies so I decided to start watching a whole bunch of them (idk how to say this in english, but I guess I did a exposure big time hahaaha in spanish my mom - she studied psychology - said it is called "terapia de inmersion") and know I can enjoy them without having nightmares and being able to leave my bed hahaaha.
I remember reading somewhere that people with anxiety like horror because it gives them back the control over feeling scared. Like there's a reason to feel anxious, instead of just feeling that emotion for seemingly no reason. That's always stuck with me!! I also find that I have very high empathy but I like gore because of my interest in make up and special effects!!!
I have panic disorder and I like horror movies because I can feel anxious without consequence for that time. It's the only type of anxiety I can ever enjoy. It makes me feel normal. Like when I get anxious over things that most people don't, my mind goes through a circle of questioning it and struggling to talk myself down and telling myself to consider the fact that most people don't panic from the situation. Whereas if I get anxious during a horror movie I can tell myself that it's normal to get scared and let the anxious feeling proceed without trying to challenge it or worry about it. It's also comforting that I'm completely in control. I can turn it off, etc. Whereas something like a roller coaster, you are stuck in and can't just get off at any time. I actually find them relaxing due to all this.
I've always loved horror, it's something so intriguing.. all the creepy shit, the gore, the jump scares. I love when it literally keeps me up at night for like a week lmaooo!
Fear of the unknown, also what lies hidden in outer space,or in unexplored parts of Earth[the sea/woods,also folklore horror,and religious based/superstitious,also anything that requires thought[mysteries,original ideas],a kind of scare which produces a reaction,in a safe environment.
I think my reason for loving horror movies is that I'm totally scared of anything, especially the dark and the unknown, and watching horror movies just really helps me cope with those fears, because I actually always or most times find reasons why those things can't happen to me, like for example, I'm not gonna call the ghost, so it's not gonna visit me, you know? And I have high issues with nightmares but the more horror movies I watch, the more nights I will sleep through without waking up of fear.
I'm a highly sensitive person as well, I'm way more empathic than average, and I love horror. I've loved it since I was a young child. A theory I read about is based on the notion of opposite tendencies and basically we watch horror to explore the deep-seated violent and twisted urges that lay dormant within us without actually physically manifesting the violence.
You should watch Raw! This film made me speechless. It's more of a drama/coming-of-age with horror elements but that's what makes it so good. And it's not cliche.
I could listen to you for hours and hours. You bring such interesting topics and explain them so easily. Thank you so much for making this kind of videos 🖤
In my health psychology class, we discussed how when you watch horror movies you can get similar feelings you can get on a rollercoaster. That is not always true as I know plenty of people that like one, but not the other. I actually pulled out my notes from the class to make sure I get it right (and of course I am making this response on a three year old video lol). When a situation is appraised as safe , moderate levels of glucocorticoids are released . Glucocorticoids are are similar to epinephrine and help with stress response. The release of glucocorticoids promote the release of dopamine and contributes to pleasure. This is why horror movies may be enjoyable. We are watching something stressful and scary, but since we know it is fake the situation is deemed as safe and the process above occurs. Once again though that is one theory , but I go by it as it makes a lot of sense for me as I have really bad anxiety yet i love horror movies and roller coaster. My anxiety should make me beyond scared of these things, but since I know they are safe I can enjoy them!
CATHARSIS I'M A THEATER NERD- CATHARSIS IS SO YES ok, so basically this is why people like listening to sad music/watching sad movies/etc. and crying. it gives you a REASON to cry because you internally want to feel that way. You don't have to deal with your own sadness if you're sad because somebody dies in a movie, you don't have to get angry at and potentially hurt the feelings of someone if you get angry at an opponent in a game You get a free pass, an excuse for feeling things that you don't have a real reason to be feeling in your life old theatre used to be so dumb because they would just overdramatize EVERYTHING and nothing would be real or raw or relatable so when drama started involving catharsis it became wayyyy better and more realistic. ok, that's enough for my obsession with psychology in theater
When my anxiety disorder got worse I watched more horror movies. I could never watch them in the past. Its like "ok so for these 2 hours it is ok for me to be scared, and when its over its over." so when the movie turns off I spent so much energy being scared that at the moment when the credits roll I can relax because all that nervous energy went to the movie- Im less likely to have a panic attack later. I don't know if this is me lying to myself but I do believe this is why I love horror now.
The subject of this video is incredibly fascinating. I have been a huge horror fan mostly all of my life. If I was to apply one of the theories you discussed to myself it would be catharsis. I didn't experience the best time in high school so watching horror was like an outlet for me. In a weird way, it's a bit of a safety net and something that's a constant presence in my life. I attended horror movie festivals each year and surround myself with like minded friends so there's that community built up there around horror too. I just have positive associations with it. I think horror always brings out the fantastical to make sense of real life fears.
In my second year at University I did a module about horror and wrote an essay discussing this quote: “The true subject of the horror genre is all that our civilization represses or oppresses” (Robin Wood) I found it so interesting that I think used horror and feminist theory as a base for my dissertation. I study (all about to finish!) Fashion and Dress History and my dissertation focused on why fashion photographers and films portray models as corpses. Found it so interesting!
i really started watching and liking horror movies at around 18 . i feel strong empathy for the characters but i generally don't get shocked or surprised.
Very interesting! I like your moms theory. And the fact that Resident Evil: Apocalypse is on my TV right now, while watching this video, shows how much I enjoy horror 🖤
Horror makes me challenge myself, i like to experience things that scares me. Horror movies for exp are safe and unreal but sometimes they can make you feel scared, and that helps me to experience fear more often and control my emotions
For me i have a fear of crazy roller coasters which typically gives people a healthy dose of adrenaline so for me I don't have low empathy but slashers and other horror movies i like give me that adrenaline rush that I would typically get from going a roller coaster with a lot of loops. The only film I feel relatable is Carrie as I was bullied a lot during childhood and early teen years for mostly because of my speech disorder called stuttering. Carrie is bullied as well for something she can't control such as her upbringing and her being a late bloomer. I love your channels! Great videos :)
I'm probably an independent watcher, I have high empathy and I like when the protagonist character/s survive at the end (this might also be because I like the idea of how the events affect the characters afterwards) My theory about why horror is such a popular genre is because of the hormones that are released in the brain when we get scared watching a horror movie, as long as the fear is not overwhelming and does not cause anxiety afterwards it can be a rewarding experience since chemicals like adrenaline are released in the brain. We get that adrenaline rush because of the scare but since we know we are not in actual danger and there is no impending threat we can enjoy that rush without negative emotions coming up. However if that adrenaline rush happens we aren't able to process that there is no threat it can cause severe anxiety and even panic attacks especially in viewers with anxiety and/or panic disorders, the adrenaline can trigger those symptoms leaving someone drained and distressed. This overlaps with ptsd and trauma related events in horror movies, it's not fun when a movie portrays events similar or related to trauma you have and can be really distressing especially since horror is known for graphic imagery. For a minority of people I think they may watch it to satisfy sadistic desires and/or urges but I don't think this is quite the case for the majority of viewers
Yes, love your psychology videos & love your horror movie channel as well! Can you please upload more videos over there? (When you get the chance, of course!) xx
Horror is such a huge part of my life I would be lost without it. I've been watching it from the age of 3 years old because my dad is a huge horror fan too and he would come and get me after my mum had tucked me into bed and we would watch them together, we still do that to this day and I'm 18 now!
I love horror movies and I love when the good person wins! I did wonder with you mentioning realism being important and how people turned off the real scenes? How does our reactions change with these new style of films where they are as if we are watching security footage or video of a horrible thing, like paranormal activity or Blair witch project? I love this style of horror but it stays with me and freaks me out a lot more than other types of horror?
Sarah do you think you can try to do a video on some research about why there was such an incredible increase of serial killers in the 70s and 80s and specially on the west coast? I think it's kinda fascinating
Catharsis is actually defined as a process of releasing and thus relieving negative or pent-up emotions, so it's not necessarily aggression. I know for myself, I use catharsis through horror and fictional crime shows to cope with my PTSD.
I've gone through a good chunk of my life actively avoiding horror because it keeps me up at night. However, my friend LOVES it so over the past few years, I've slowly grown accustomed to watching more and more. I have my limits though; I absolutely can't watch particularly gory/disturbing stuff (e.g. Sinister - no thank you, never again) but I really appreciate certain types of atmosphere in some films (such as The Conjuring, a horror film I'll gladly watch more than once). I'm definitely more of a paranormal horror sort of person because I'm completely skeptic and know there's no chance of it happening to me, it's probably why it's a little easier for me to sit through.
Looove thriller horror movies,and the therory of it is pretty accurate :) Hate jump scares though I am really jumpy in general sense so yeah hate it!! Really interesting topic Sarah :)
Commenting on this pretty late, but my mom and I have been watching horror together since I was definitely too young to watch horror lol. Her theory as to why she likes it has always been that it gets here away from the real world. She doesn't believe in paranormal things and doesn't have strong fears of being killed by anything, however, she has a lot of childhood and early adulthood trauma and struggles emotionally just in her day to day life. She has always just said that horror is a way to take her mind off of her own life's issues and focus on something fantasy. (Which probably explains WHY paranormal and supernatural type things are her favorite to watch!)
I have a theory of why humans like horror. Maybe it is the fact of when our ancestors overcame a threat- such as a predator, or climbing a tree to get fruit, they were rewarded psychologically, and sometimes physically, in the case of climbing a tree to get fruit. So, when we watch horror movies, the that same fear and threat is there, and when that is overcome, either by the treat not being there, and so the tension is released, or by the threat being killed, thus the tension is dissipated. And when that threat is overcome, we are rewarded with a sense of achievement and gratitude. So, we keep watching them. The same theory applies with Rollercoasters, and other rides that may be classified as 'Thrill Rides' We are fearful being on the ride, because of the obvious fear and possibility of but are sincerely rewarded when we get off the ride, not only by other people, but by the fact that we overcame that threat.
i'm the one who covers her eyes during the really scary scenes in the theatre, i stand through them because i'm fascinated by the stories and the effort put into the acting, costumes and fx, guess i'm a thrill watcher?
I feel like I'm a suspense watcher mainly. However, I think I also like horror movies because I have anxiety, and its almost relief to see other people feeling afraid too
I love horror movies probably because of the suspense and not knowing what's going to happen! It's down to the excitement aspect and seeing things that you might never imagine or think about! So taking your mind to a place you never would go in your ordinary day to day.
I just found you!! But we have so much in common!!!! I wanna go to school for psychology, I have a huge fear of death and driving, and I'm too empathetic!!
Honestly, i hate horror movies. I know before hand it's going to be a thrill and my body reacts really heavy to that. However, give a thriller/horror novel and i will love it. Most the ones i read are maybe not even that disturbing, just more telling of the people. They seem to explain it more? I've only seen like 2 horror-esk movies. One with friends and it was so bad, even i could watch it then. And one with my brothers which got way more psychological in the end and i found that really interesting, though i looked away for some parts.
I like your mum's theory, that would make sense for me too, I watch a lot of horror and I love 'Ask a Mortician' which I realised I am actively using to build fascination rather than fear of death
Hey,Sarah. I love your makeup and it's so beautiful. When I watch a horror movie, it shows that the special makeup effects crew on the movie HALLOWEEN 4 and it is so wonderful.☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
I love slasher films and gore, but I'm not a thrill seeker. I do think the fight or flight response we have and maybe a need to experience that regularly could explain it. Or the feeling of being in control or knowing it's not real
I think it's because all you think about is the movie, it seems like you never get lost in thought like you might with normal movies, they are very good at capturing ALL your attention. Plus adrenaline from jump scares, all of it is like a sort of escapism. Plus the effect always stays with you even for more than a couple of days at least for me, sometimes I'm still spooked for awhile. IN SHORTER WORDS, the overwhelming sensation of fear is a form of escapism.
Also, since its mental health month, idk if it quite fits--but i was wondering if you could do a video on the psychology of grief or coping techniques for it. Someone I know is having a hard time dealing with a death in the family, and I've been trying to look up things to help her so. If you or anyone reading this has some ideas, let me know
I love horror because I do think it helps in a problem-solving kind of way to address your fears and overcome them - I'm more the "Indepedent" description - highly empathetic and love it when the final girl wins - though I definitely think some of those theories are flawed lol - really enjoyed this video - i've always enjoyed trying to figure out what makes each one of us like horror (for our own reasons)
Thank you so much for helping me discovering what I want to study and do with my life. I've decided I want to study psychology and become a psychologist, just like my friend. I've always been confused about what I want to do. So thank you
Catharsis is a big part of watching tragedy (stemming from Ancient Greek theatre) the relief at the end of the play of ‘wow that was terrible but glad I’m not any of those characters’. I kinda feel catharsis when listening to loud rock music like when you’re kind of filled up by the experience of it and it just feels like relief. So yeah there are a lot of similarities between Greek tragedy and horror movies
I think I might be so much into horror movies because of the exact same reasons you are. I'm very very very afraid of death. Of losing my loved ones or losing my own life. The volatility of life, how easly it can be taken/lost.
I like psych horror. Gore is fine, I can usually handle it. But when I take in any kind of horror media, I analyze it. One of my favorite movies is Oculus and its because the entire movie uses the fact that its a movie to mess with your mind--youre with the characters in not knowing whats real, whats a trick and whats trauma. Same thing kinda goes for Sinister and the game Nevermind. I like WRITING horror/villain characters a lot. I think because it gives me control where I dont have it in my life. The freedom to actually be vengeful, aggressive, controlling, and tap into dark subjects. Its very much catharsis for me, even though I would never be able to/want to hurt or control someone irl. I'm also someone who generally hates endings where everyone dies, but I think thats more analytical ("what was the point of the movie if theres no real resolution?") Then again, I just went to a mummy exhibit and they had video of what decay looks like...even watching like strawberries rot freaked me the hell out so idk...
I love horrors because of opportunities such kinda settings gives. For example Silent Hill 2 (game). It's so symbolic and soo broad. You can read about it for hours and hours and you won't know everything about this game. I"ve also liked Room 1408 even though I've never found it scary. It's just... Interesting. May be creepy and unsettling but i don't really like being scared actually x'D I also like surrealistic themes and I guess both things work really nice together, so yeah
I can watch supernatural, creepy, witchcraft, demonic, possession and all that ghostly stuff but I CANNOT watch torture. Something about humans against humans is to real and it scars me like crazy. Like the saw movies. I absolutely will never watch those. It's just so disturbing and I feel so much empathy towards the victims.
thanks Sarah for this awesome video! :) you are great at explaining and I really like to listen to your voice ^^ can't wait to see more videos like this! you rock, girl! all the best wishes from Italy :)
I heard a theory that people that like horror movies with anxiety issues like to watch because it lets our brains release fight or flight chemicals within a safe environment. I personally really like that one. Even when I leave still shook and looking for Toni Collette I the corner of my room lol I feel happier and relaxed over all.
This was very interesting! When I explain my love for horror sometimes I say that even though I wasn't scared i still enjoyed it and they look at me confused because horror movies should make you scared but im not always scared. An example is that scene in Don't Breath where they are in the dark room and everything is silent and in black and white, you see their wide eyes and ear their fast breathing. Found it beautiful? Dont wanna sound like a freak, im not xD but yeah i find something attractive in horror movie to the point that im looking at a scene while smilling all heart eyed 😂
I hate hate hate jump scares, not because theyre scary but because theyre overused, usually dont involve anything actually scary, and are just an easy way out to get a scare. i like scares with real thought put into them. i'm a huge horror fan and honestly the scariest movie i have seen ever is Signs, simply because of the music, the plot, and how real and even relatable it all felt, and it didnt rely on any of the typical horror movie tropes. signs made an alien attack seem like a very real possibility and that terrifies me.
my favorite horror movies are ones where the protagonist (esp when female or someone i can identify with) overcomes their fear, becomes strong and i also really like it when they beat the shit out of or murder the bad guy/thing/entity and win. I personally feel like many horror films ARE cathartic for me. Also, I definitely think it has something to do with my high level of empathy,, and the fact that i desire to be strong and for people to fear me lol so i kinda live through those characters
Something I found really interesting is that I love horror and anything scary And I used to not sleep alone at night up until like 4th grade because I was too scared And I have anxiety and get scared really easily The first time I went to a haunted house I was really nervous and terrified about it But when it actually started I was actually really calm and aware the whole time And my friend who is the stereotypical kind of male buff guy that doesn’t have a lot of empathy and loves physical activity, was absolutely terrified the entire time One reason I think I wasn’t cared was because I mentally psyched myself up to the point where it just didn’t get me Idk I always thought that was cool
I have a terrible fear of driving. I have a high amount of empathy. I enjoy being scared though it can make me cry. I'm not scared by most thing since I have been looking and watching horror stuff since I was a child. 19 year old woman. I'm not scared of death but I am scared of unknown creatures following me around or chasing me. The rake videos freak me out.
My best friend cannot STAND horror movies. Not even gory thrillers. I picked out Kill Bill and she couldn't watch past the opening shot! She says it's because she was exposed to a lot of horror movies as a child (tough home life early on), and I think that she associates bad memories with them.
I like good horror now and then and like you, I'm really not too into adrenaline rising stuff in the sense of thrill seeking (I have anxiety probs so like yeah no lol) but I am kinda addicted to the adrenaline of like being in charge during an event and problem solving on the fly, so I can see that why might make sense. And I'm a total empath lol I can read people's emotions very quickly and I currently work with autistic children who are very low verbally and I have to read/think through their emotions in response to actions so I'd say I'm pretty in touch with my empathy haha. But I like horror (not always gore, I'm more like old school Tim Burton, or the Ring movies that are story driven) partly because it's almost like a nightmare in which I can go through it all to the end and know I'll live and leave the theater no matter what happens on the screen. I also like to think "what would I do to survive" in the situations because I'm kinda into like prepping for the worst, haha, that's my anxiety coping skill (I'm pretty sure because I've grown up with a severe food allergy and prepping for the worst has been my entire life haha). I grew up with creepy stories, not so much horror, from my dad (his version of a nursery rhyme was the Lizzie Borden chant about a real girl in I think the early 1900s who killed her parents with an ax lol so that was my upbringing xD) and I liked them because it was like a recognition that life sucks sometimes. Life isn't always pretty or sunshiny or positive all the time, like Disney seems to tell us, and by acknowledging the darkness, it validated my own darkness (depression/anxiety). I wasn't broken when I had dark times, I was human. And that really helped growing up, and that's why Halloween is still my favorite holiday, haha, I get to embrace the darkness that society usually shames. It's powerful in that way. That's why in terms of "horror" movies, I like more creepy ones, thrillers that just use suspense and storylines to scare, not gore-based. It's my way of going through my own darkness and fears of being unprepared but while knowing I'll still come out alive in the end.
I've always had a fascination with murder mysteries (mainly books) and crime shows (or movies). Over the years (more recently) I've been more into true crime. I've never had a weak stomach. And I remember in driver's class we had to watch the car accident videos. I think for me it was more difficult to make the connection that it was real, I guess because it wasn't in person and I was always intrigued by it. I witnessed death once, but it wasn't gory. When I was a month into living in my own place my grandpa passed away and I never went to the funeral or saw how he was when he died. My fascination haunted me though and I would look up images of different rigor stages. And autopsy photos. Might also have something to do with my fascination with mummies as a kid. As for horror, I can't seem to be able to watch it as it happens if it is expected. If it is unexpected then I find myself looking away. The aftermath doesn't bother me. So death has always kind of been interesting to me as well as serial killers and horror. But I also like the spooky supernatural type horrors. I'm kinda all over the place. I like creepy.
I like the feeling that the cap is off. Like there a door in the hedge. The horror movie is like an advertisement for a look on the infinite, or the divine, or the profane (to me these are all a bit the same). It's a round trip ticket out of banality. Funnily enough, horror usually disappoints me on this scale because it's the genre that's the most religious about following set patterns and plotlines. But the previews and the cover art for the posters always convince me that something very mysterious is going to be revealed. Plus, when I was young, horror was forbidden, because I was sensitive too. I still feel like I'm doing something grown up, and a bit naughty when I watch one, even if it's Amityville Karen or something like that.
Massive fear of mascots (people in suits) growing up, ur disappeared I guess one day and I lost that fear but I had always put it down to not know who was in the suit.
I love horror movies but hate jump scares. Anything dark with a unique storyline I love. Especially when the special effects or artistic side is done really well.
Rayne Shadow same, i really dont love jump scares or parts with a ton of suspension because it makes me way too on edge, though i am a bit of a thrill seeker and i like gore to an extent and i agree, i like more psychological horror thats dark
Rayne Shadow SAME
Rayne Shadow yes same! i love how some movies have so much depth and how it pulls you in but i hate when they use loud music and something popping up on the screen. it's tacky and cheap
Jumpscares ALWAYS get me, but unless its a creative one or has a purpose, I'm always left going "well that was stupid". They usually just feel cheap to me.
Rayne Shadow same
One of the most interesting things, in my opinion, about
horror is that it reflects the fears of the society. An interesting example is
Dracula: When the book was written (19th century Britain) the biggest fear was
of strangers, eastern superstitious people, and the book reflects it. However,
one of the most famous movie adaptation was in the 90's, when the big AIDS epidemic happened, and so the movie focuses a lot on tainted blood. In the 50's you saw a lot of "alien invasion" movies since they were afraid of the Russians and communists attacking. Today our society is really afraid of terrorists - people who look like us, infiltrate our society and attack from within. Kinda like Zombies...
That's like a really intelligent comment js
I'm not sure I have any of those fears. I can connect with the "villains" more then the victims. With the victims, I just can't do it. I have no idea what they think or what they feel. Its confusing for me.
@@leolion3156 that's interesting. I also feel more connected to the villains..sometimes I even empathize more with them than the actual victims or protagonists of the story
can you make a video on the psychology of the placebo effect?
wwwwwwwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!
psychologists do not know what causes it.
can you do a psychology of addiction video?
I only love possession horror movies and films with Christian or religious imagery and symbolism. Anything with demons, possessions, exorcisms, etc. I grew up in a religious household where demon and apocalypse talk was totally normal and honestly, it kinda traumatized me. I suffered from insomnia as a kid, had a severe fear of darkness, and when I did manage to sleep, I had recurring nightmaresnof being possessed (still do sometimes, but I control my dreams now). Exposing myself to these kinds of films helps me cope with my fear of losing control.
that's a very interesting observation! i wonder if most people who have a very specific type of horror unconsciously have it linked to a past trauma? (i hope this didn't come of insensitive, apologies if it did)
Madison Clayton Not at all! It's definitely possible, but I can only speak from my experience. I consciously made a decision to start watching these types of horror films after reading about exposure therapy. My fear of darkness (both literal and figurative) was so severe that it actually interfered with my life. I scared myself into getting over it haha and I love these films now. I can even appreciate a certain beauty to them (The Witch and The Rite being perfect examples)
that's rly interesting! i'm glad it worked for you, i had to do something similar with my fear of the dark (except it was making myself sleep over at my friends house who sleep in pitch black). exposure therapy rly works well for some people. (also omg i still need to see The Witch lol)
Possession is so interesting to me!!! And I have no clue why because I grew up in a Christian household and am Christian, but my parents didn't do the whole doomsday/demons will get you thing. I'll read on possession and scare myself but its so. Interesting.
it rly is! i'm a christian too and ive always been fascinated by the concept of ghosts and demons and angels and where they fit in with my faith so movies and tv shows about them are super interesting to me as well.
The images that often frighten me the most are of an unknown entity or person standing in a room. Like, when there's a figure looming in a corner or in a doorway. I'm still not really sure why this is so scary to me. Dark doorways and windows scare me, as well. Maybe it's the fear of the unknown?
I read an article that I really agreed with, I wish I could remember what it was so I could link it but basically it was about why people (especially people with high anxiety) like horror movies.
I have really bad generalized anxiety, and OCD, and people are always asking me why I love horror movies so much. The article explained that it's possible we enjoy them so much because it's a way to expose ourselves to really horrifying things but still be in complete control of the situation. A problem for people with anxiety is if we don't feel we're in control, we panic. Watching horror movies lets us be scared but also completely in control at the same time. It's similar to the exposure therapy theory you were talking about.
As someone with OCD, I agree with this
I found it very interesting the theory of why clowns and masks are scary to people. I am autistic - face blind and cannot read people's emotions and intentions well and am now wondering if that's the reason why I've never been able to understand masks or clowns creeping people out. If I already can't glean the same information from a face that other people can then having a face obscured naturally wouldn't make me feel less safe.
Also, the theory of 'problem watchers' for people who don't like horror perfectly explains me. It's the same reason why I don't enjoy some types or humour - if there is a possibility of a person or animal being hurt or distressed then I can't see anything entertaining in the situation (so like pranks or a lot of the 'you won't be able to not laugh' kind of videos on UA-cam). A lot of people people think that autistic people have no empathy but that's not true, if anything I think often we are more intensely empathetic and people's emotions effect us more strongly than they would a neurotypical person, we just don't know how to interact in the socially correct way regarding it (like how to respond to someone who is angry or upset) or read all the unspoken intricacies of the situation (like we may sense someone is upset but not be able to work out why or what they want us to do about it and stuff like that even if it's obvious to most people or the difference between someone being upset or angry or whatever) so it comes across to people as us being insensitive or unfeeling.
Another misconception about autistic people is that we have no imagination but another reason why I hate horror is that when I'm exposed to something scary then I can't help my imagination latching onto it and elaborating on the theme repeatedly and even a long time after I thought I had forgotten about the thing.
I'm obsessed with these phycology vids🙌🏼
psych and horror? this is the most sarah video of all time
I've been obsessed with horror since a very young age and it's carried into adulthood. I'm always down to watch scary movies/talk about creepy shit/read scary stories. My dad traveled for work and would always come back with gifts and mine were always horror related. Do you like Clive Barker?
I like all kinds of horror besides gore. I don't like gore because I have a low tolerance for pain and when looking at gore, I tend to imagine that scenario happening to me and imagining that pain is just not my thing. I'm not scared of gore, I just don't like to think about the pain it could cause to me. If that makes sense. I like other kinds of horror though. Themes that I noticed I tend to lean towards though is anything paranormal. For example, Insidious, The Conjuring, the Final destination series, Sinister, and Oculus. I believe I like these because I believe in things like demons. I like to think about the unknown, and the afterlife if there even is one. I like to think about different things that could be out there that we don't know about. And then there are movies with serial killers like Halloween, and Friday the 13th. I think I like these mainly because of my love for psychology and my wanting to learn about why serial killers do what they do.
I'm not sensation seeking at all... I'm one of the most conventionally boring people you'll ever meet, and I love horror! I haven't gone on a rollercoaster since I was like 19 (I'm 30), I'm terrified of heights and flying and my favourite thing to do is chill at home with my cats. I also have incredibly high empathy skills, I literally legitimately cry when someone else is hurting or upset just feeling their pain (I try to contain it to not make the situation about me, obviously). I KNOW why I enjoy horror - I was a really extremely sensitive child, and I was terrified of EVERYTHING. Conquering those fears have given me confidence to know I can handle my own emotions, and I can handle being scared, and horror movies help me think what I would do in those situations.
I used to be super scared of EVERYTHING when I was younger and scary-horror movies have helped me a lot too!
Id love loads of mental health videos this month for the awareness week x
I've been terrified of horror movies as long as I can remember and do not watch them. A friend made me watch one with a woman who transitioned into a paranormal entity, which is probably like most of them... but I saw that woman in the back of my car every night and every time I closed my eyes to fall asleep.... for an entire year. I can't even be bothered to figure out what movie it was because, 6 years later if I see her face I'll still freak out lol. I wonder what psych is behind my fear of horror.. speaking of which, will you still do the phobias video another week?!
I like horror movies as a way to challenge myself. If I see everyone around me is shitting themselves from fear and I can remain calm it gives me a sense of power.
I absolutely hate horror, and graphic imagery. I genuinely do not understand why people love it so much. Hopefully this video will give me some insight : )
I have actually written a project about why we're intriged by horror/gothic stories and the things, we don't understand my first year at university. It's a VERY interesting topic.
the thing that you said about your mom and coping with your fears through watching horror movies is really interesting. I started to enjoy horror movies when I was struggling with depression and it definitely was something that helped me to deal with my situation so maybe there's something in it.
Also I would like to know what are your favourite books/movies/documentaries that are related to psychology! :)
Maria Kacprzak I agree, I've always been into horror movies but I got into it much more when I was going through a bad depression as well, I feel like it's a way to deal with something dark that you're going through.
Emily Jackson for me it was the way for keeping my mind distracted with fear I guess, just not to think to much about other stuff:)
When Sarah's mom knows better than experts who writes articles... hahhaa
I agree on that, horror movies help me cope with bad thoughts and also helped to get through being a scaredy cat
Me too! I have not been diagnosed with depression, but I am currently in a pretty dark place and I started being obsessed with horror/gore/suicide (in fiction).
my empathy is so high. i'm sooo sensitive and cry about every emotional moment (including happy things!) and i love horror movies more than any other movie soooo
I agree with next to none of the theories in this. I'm high empathy, low sensation-seeking, low aggression, and female. And I LOVE all horror to the point of having studied FX and done it for work for years. I feel like those were some really idiotic, simplistic theories (but then again I roll my eyes every time I hear psychoanalytic theories about redirected aggression). But the fictional horror thing is SUPER true- some shows and movies actually intentionally make their gore less realistic and more campy to make it more palatable to the audience.
I loved this. Very insightful. I write horror, and you gave me some great food for thought. I'm always trying to improve my writing, especially the psychological part. You helped a lot. Thank you 🙏
I just took a Horror Film class this semester and it was awesome and really interesting to dive into horror, thriller and suspense films, and why we like them, what makes them fall into that specific category and not the other, and the psychology behind it.
The thrill watcher description you mentioned almost nailed it with me. I do tend to be a sensation seeker, even with little things. I also like strong black coffee, sinus-clearing spicy foods, loud death metal music, adrenaline sports, and, of course horror, (I think my attraction to very bold strong colours, such as black, red, or bright purple, even has something to do with this). The fact that I'm like this is interesting to me as someone with a background in psychology self-reflecting. I have a diagnosed anxiety disorder, which one would think would cause me to avoid stress-inducing sensations, yet I seek them. Whether I identify with the victim or killer depends on the movie, but the description of the thrill seeker really hit home when you said it.
Returning to that anxiety disorder, I have self-reflected and I think a lot of the above is related to the idea you mentioned of facing diaster in a controlled environment. I know that when I consume true crime media, that consciously I do think about how I would outwit these real criminals in my mind, simtaneously as I hear the story. Perhaps, I unconsciously do the same with other things.
However, I am a gore fan too :P. Although, the "gore fan" description doesn't sound quite as close to home. For me, I think that one is a combination of my sensation seeking behaviour and the fact that I always marvel at the cool SFX makeup. I love doing gross SFX makeup myself, and many of those movies give me inspiration about how I'm going to dress my friends up as zombies next Halloween or something :P.
Just a continuation, I'm also a stimmer. Idk if that may be connected to my sensation seeking behaviour, but I would not be surprised if it is.
I like horror bc I like the occult, the unexplainable, the misterious and such. I used to be scared of everyyything growing up but I still wanted to watch scary movies so I decided to start watching a whole bunch of them (idk how to say this in english, but I guess I did a exposure big time hahaaha in spanish my mom - she studied psychology - said it is called "terapia de inmersion") and know I can enjoy them without having nightmares and being able to leave my bed hahaaha.
When I'm watching horror, I'm always fascinated by the choices of the writers and directors for what they think will scare a wide variety of people.
I remember reading somewhere that people with anxiety like horror because it gives them back the control over feeling scared. Like there's a reason to feel anxious, instead of just feeling that emotion for seemingly no reason. That's always stuck with me!! I also find that I have very high empathy but I like gore because of my interest in make up and special effects!!!
I have panic disorder and I like horror movies because I can feel anxious without consequence for that time. It's the only type of anxiety I can ever enjoy. It makes me feel normal. Like when I get anxious over things that most people don't, my mind goes through a circle of questioning it and struggling to talk myself down and telling myself to consider the fact that most people don't panic from the situation. Whereas if I get anxious during a horror movie I can tell myself that it's normal to get scared and let the anxious feeling proceed without trying to challenge it or worry about it. It's also comforting that I'm completely in control. I can turn it off, etc. Whereas something like a roller coaster, you are stuck in and can't just get off at any time. I actually find them relaxing due to all this.
I am absolutely NOT an adrenaline seeker. I like to watch horror movies because of the dark and interesting ideas and stories.
I've always loved horror, it's something so intriguing.. all the creepy shit, the gore, the jump scares. I love when it literally keeps me up at night for like a week lmaooo!
Fear of the unknown, also what lies hidden in outer space,or in unexplored parts of Earth[the sea/woods,also folklore horror,and religious based/superstitious,also anything that requires thought[mysteries,original ideas],a kind of scare which produces a reaction,in a safe environment.
I think my reason for loving horror movies is that I'm totally scared of anything, especially the dark and the unknown, and watching horror movies just really helps me cope with those fears, because I actually always or most times find reasons why those things can't happen to me, like for example, I'm not gonna call the ghost, so it's not gonna visit me, you know? And I have high issues with nightmares but the more horror movies I watch, the more nights I will sleep through without waking up of fear.
I'm a highly sensitive person as well, I'm way more empathic than average, and I love horror. I've loved it since I was a young child. A theory I read about is based on the notion of opposite tendencies and basically we watch horror to explore the deep-seated violent and twisted urges that lay dormant within us without actually physically manifesting the violence.
You should watch Raw! This film made me speechless. It's more of a drama/coming-of-age with horror elements but that's what makes it so good. And it's not cliche.
I could listen to you for hours and hours. You bring such interesting topics and explain them so easily. Thank you so much for making this kind of videos 🖤
Yesss. Do a GRWM for that dragcon look including the outfiit please!
I really like apocalypse movies...I’ve come to the realization that it would be pretty cool to live during the apocalypse imo
In my health psychology class, we discussed how when you watch horror movies you can get similar feelings you can get on a rollercoaster. That is not always true as I know plenty of people that like one, but not the other. I actually pulled out my notes from the class to make sure I get it right (and of course I am making this response on a three year old video lol). When a situation is appraised as safe , moderate levels of glucocorticoids are released . Glucocorticoids are are similar to epinephrine and help with stress response. The release of glucocorticoids promote the release of dopamine and contributes to pleasure. This is why horror movies may be enjoyable. We are watching something stressful and scary, but since we know it is fake the situation is deemed as safe and the process above occurs. Once again though that is one theory , but I go by it as it makes a lot of sense for me as I have really bad anxiety yet i love horror movies and roller coaster. My anxiety should make me beyond scared of these things, but since I know they are safe I can enjoy them!
CATHARSIS
I'M A THEATER NERD- CATHARSIS IS SO YES
ok, so basically this is why people like listening to sad music/watching sad movies/etc. and crying. it gives you a REASON to cry because you internally want to feel that way. You don't have to deal with your own sadness if you're sad because somebody dies in a movie, you don't have to get angry at and potentially hurt the feelings of someone if you get angry at an opponent in a game
You get a free pass, an excuse for feeling things that you don't have a real reason to be feeling in your life
old theatre used to be so dumb because they would just overdramatize EVERYTHING and nothing would be real or raw or relatable so when drama started involving catharsis it became wayyyy better and more realistic.
ok, that's enough for my obsession with psychology in theater
When my anxiety disorder got worse I watched more horror movies. I could never watch them in the past. Its like "ok so for these 2 hours it is ok for me to be scared, and when its over its over." so when the movie turns off I spent so much energy being scared that at the moment when the credits roll I can relax because all that nervous energy went to the movie- Im less likely to have a panic attack later. I don't know if this is me lying to myself but I do believe this is why I love horror now.
The subject of this video is incredibly fascinating. I have been a huge horror fan mostly all of my life. If I was to apply one of the theories you discussed to myself it would be catharsis. I didn't experience the best time in high school so watching horror was like an outlet for me. In a weird way, it's a bit of a safety net and something that's a constant presence in my life. I attended horror movie festivals each year and surround myself with like minded friends so there's that community built up there around horror too. I just have positive associations with it. I think horror always brings out the fantastical to make sense of real life fears.
In my second year at University I did a module about horror and wrote an essay discussing this quote:
“The true subject of the horror genre is all that our civilization represses or oppresses” (Robin Wood)
I found it so interesting that I think used horror and feminist theory as a base for my dissertation. I study (all about to finish!) Fashion and Dress History and my dissertation focused on why fashion photographers and films portray models as corpses.
Found it so interesting!
i really started watching and liking horror movies at around 18 . i feel strong empathy for the characters but i generally don't get shocked or surprised.
Very interesting! I like your moms theory. And the fact that Resident Evil: Apocalypse is on my TV right now, while watching this video, shows how much I enjoy horror 🖤
Horror makes me challenge myself, i like to experience things that scares me. Horror movies for exp are safe and unreal but sometimes they can make you feel scared, and that helps me to experience fear more often and control my emotions
Have you ever done a video on the psychology of serial killers or law? If you haven't both of those would be so interesting. Love your videos❤️❤️
For me i have a fear of crazy roller coasters which typically gives people a healthy dose of adrenaline so for me I don't have low empathy but slashers and other horror movies i like give me that adrenaline rush that I would typically get from going a roller coaster with a lot of loops. The only film I feel relatable is Carrie as I was bullied a lot during childhood and early teen years for mostly because of my speech disorder called stuttering. Carrie is bullied as well for something she can't control such as her upbringing and her being a late bloomer. I love your channels! Great videos :)
I'm probably an independent watcher, I have high empathy and I like when the protagonist character/s survive at the end (this might also be because I like the idea of how the events affect the characters afterwards)
My theory about why horror is such a popular genre is because of the hormones that are released in the brain when we get scared watching a horror movie, as long as the fear is not overwhelming and does not cause anxiety afterwards it can be a rewarding experience since chemicals like adrenaline are released in the brain. We get that adrenaline rush because of the scare but since we know we are not in actual danger and there is no impending threat we can enjoy that rush without negative emotions coming up. However if that adrenaline rush happens we aren't able to process that there is no threat it can cause severe anxiety and even panic attacks especially in viewers with anxiety and/or panic disorders, the adrenaline can trigger those symptoms leaving someone drained and distressed. This overlaps with ptsd and trauma related events in horror movies, it's not fun when a movie portrays events similar or related to trauma you have and can be really distressing especially since horror is known for graphic imagery.
For a minority of people I think they may watch it to satisfy sadistic desires and/or urges but I don't think this is quite the case for the majority of viewers
Yes, love your psychology videos & love your horror movie channel as well! Can you please upload more videos over there? (When you get the chance, of course!) xx
Horror is such a huge part of my life I would be lost without it. I've been watching it from the age of 3 years old because my dad is a huge horror fan too and he would come and get me after my mum had tucked me into bed and we would watch them together, we still do that to this day and I'm 18 now!
I love horror movies and I love when the good person wins! I did wonder with you mentioning realism being important and how people turned off the real scenes? How does our reactions change with these new style of films where they are as if we are watching security footage or video of a horrible thing, like paranormal activity or Blair witch project? I love this style of horror but it stays with me and freaks me out a lot more than other types of horror?
Sarah do you think you can try to do a video on some research about why there was such an incredible increase of serial killers in the 70s and 80s and specially on the west coast? I think it's kinda fascinating
Catharsis is actually defined as a process of releasing and thus relieving negative or pent-up emotions, so it's not necessarily aggression. I know for myself, I use catharsis through horror and fictional crime shows to cope with my PTSD.
Really interesting! All I can come up with is that I'm an odd mix of gore and thrill watcher, as opposite as they might be.
Love these kind of videos!
I love the psychology videos 😍 starting classes for it in august and these just excite me!! Plus your content is always amazing 💗
I've gone through a good chunk of my life actively avoiding horror because it keeps me up at night. However, my friend LOVES it so over the past few years, I've slowly grown accustomed to watching more and more. I have my limits though; I absolutely can't watch particularly gory/disturbing stuff (e.g. Sinister - no thank you, never again) but I really appreciate certain types of atmosphere in some films (such as The Conjuring, a horror film I'll gladly watch more than once). I'm definitely more of a paranormal horror sort of person because I'm completely skeptic and know there's no chance of it happening to me, it's probably why it's a little easier for me to sit through.
Looove thriller horror movies,and the therory of it is pretty accurate :) Hate jump scares though I am really jumpy in general sense so yeah hate it!! Really interesting topic Sarah :)
Could you do a video on social anxiety. I'm really loving these psychology videos.
Commenting on this pretty late, but my mom and I have been watching horror together since I was definitely too young to watch horror lol. Her theory as to why she likes it has always been that it gets here away from the real world. She doesn't believe in paranormal things and doesn't have strong fears of being killed by anything, however, she has a lot of childhood and early adulthood trauma and struggles emotionally just in her day to day life. She has always just said that horror is a way to take her mind off of her own life's issues and focus on something fantasy. (Which probably explains WHY paranormal and supernatural type things are her favorite to watch!)
I have a theory of why humans like horror. Maybe it is the fact of when our ancestors overcame a threat- such as a predator, or climbing a tree to get fruit, they were rewarded psychologically, and sometimes physically, in the case of climbing a tree to get fruit. So, when we watch horror movies, the that same fear and threat is there, and when that is overcome, either by the treat not being there, and so the tension is released, or by the threat being killed, thus the tension is dissipated. And when that threat is overcome, we are rewarded with a sense of achievement and gratitude. So, we keep watching them. The same theory applies with Rollercoasters, and other rides that may be classified as 'Thrill Rides' We are fearful being on the ride, because of the obvious fear and possibility of but are sincerely rewarded when we get off the ride, not only by other people, but by the fact that we overcame that threat.
i'm the one who covers her eyes during the really scary scenes in the theatre, i stand through them because i'm fascinated by the stories and the effort put into the acting, costumes and fx, guess i'm a thrill watcher?
I feel like I'm a suspense watcher mainly. However, I think I also like horror movies because I have anxiety, and its almost relief to see other people feeling afraid too
Really like your videos Sarah! You always talk about interesting topics :)
I love horror movies probably because of the suspense and not knowing what's going to happen! It's down to the excitement aspect and seeing things that you might never imagine or think about! So taking your mind to a place you never would go in your ordinary day to day.
I just found you!! But we have so much in common!!!! I wanna go to school for psychology, I have a huge fear of death and driving, and I'm too empathetic!!
Paranormal can be interesting.
I'm interested in the afterlife
Honestly, i hate horror movies. I know before hand it's going to be a thrill and my body reacts really heavy to that. However, give a thriller/horror novel and i will love it. Most the ones i read are maybe not even that disturbing, just more telling of the people. They seem to explain it more?
I've only seen like 2 horror-esk movies. One with friends and it was so bad, even i could watch it then. And one with my brothers which got way more psychological in the end and i found that really interesting, though i looked away for some parts.
I like your mum's theory, that would make sense for me too, I watch a lot of horror and I love 'Ask a Mortician' which I realised I am actively using to build fascination rather than fear of death
Hey,Sarah. I love your makeup and it's so beautiful. When I watch a horror movie, it shows that the special makeup effects crew on the movie HALLOWEEN 4 and it is so wonderful.☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
I love slasher films and gore, but I'm not a thrill seeker. I do think the fight or flight response we have and maybe a need to experience that regularly could explain it. Or the feeling of being in control or knowing it's not real
I think it's because all you think about is the movie, it seems like you never get lost in thought like you might with normal movies, they are very good at capturing ALL your attention. Plus adrenaline from jump scares, all of it is like a sort of escapism. Plus the effect always stays with you even for more than a couple of days at least for me, sometimes I'm still spooked for awhile. IN SHORTER WORDS, the overwhelming sensation of fear is a form of escapism.
Also, since its mental health month, idk if it quite fits--but i was wondering if you could do a video on the psychology of grief or coping techniques for it. Someone I know is having a hard time dealing with a death in the family, and I've been trying to look up things to help her so. If you or anyone reading this has some ideas, let me know
I love horror because I do think it helps in a problem-solving kind of way to address your fears and overcome them - I'm more the "Indepedent" description - highly empathetic and love it when the final girl wins - though I definitely think some of those theories are flawed lol - really enjoyed this video - i've always enjoyed trying to figure out what makes each one of us like horror (for our own reasons)
Thank you so much for helping me discovering what I want to study and do with my life. I've decided I want to study psychology and become a psychologist, just like my friend. I've always been confused about what I want to do. So thank you
Catharsis is a big part of watching tragedy (stemming from Ancient Greek theatre) the relief at the end of the play of ‘wow that was terrible but glad I’m not any of those characters’. I kinda feel catharsis when listening to loud rock music like when you’re kind of filled up by the experience of it and it just feels like relief. So yeah there are a lot of similarities between Greek tragedy and horror movies
How have I missed your horror channel? Instant subscribe!
I think I might be so much into horror movies because of the exact same reasons you are. I'm very very very afraid of death. Of losing my loved ones or losing my own life. The volatility of life, how easly it can be taken/lost.
I like psych horror. Gore is fine, I can usually handle it. But when I take in any kind of horror media, I analyze it. One of my favorite movies is Oculus and its because the entire movie uses the fact that its a movie to mess with your mind--youre with the characters in not knowing whats real, whats a trick and whats trauma. Same thing kinda goes for Sinister and the game Nevermind.
I like WRITING horror/villain characters a lot. I think because it gives me control where I dont have it in my life. The freedom to actually be vengeful, aggressive, controlling, and tap into dark subjects. Its very much catharsis for me, even though I would never be able to/want to hurt or control someone irl.
I'm also someone who generally hates endings where everyone dies, but I think thats more analytical ("what was the point of the movie if theres no real resolution?")
Then again, I just went to a mummy exhibit and they had video of what decay looks like...even watching like strawberries rot freaked me the hell out so idk...
I LOVE when you do these types of videos!!! Psychology is the best
I love horrors because of opportunities such kinda settings gives. For example Silent Hill 2 (game). It's so symbolic and soo broad. You can read about it for hours and hours and you won't know everything about this game. I"ve also liked Room 1408 even though I've never found it scary. It's just... Interesting. May be creepy and unsettling but i don't really like being scared actually x'D I also like surrealistic themes and I guess both things work really nice together, so yeah
I can watch supernatural, creepy, witchcraft, demonic, possession and all that ghostly stuff but I CANNOT watch torture. Something about humans against humans is to real and it scars me like crazy. Like the saw movies. I absolutely will never watch those. It's just so disturbing and I feel so much empathy towards the victims.
...horror is cheaper, thats what made Halloween, Blair witch and paranormal activity so significant. But cool video!
Now I understand why I am so scared of "Orphan"... It's not impossible...
thanks Sarah for this awesome video! :) you are great at explaining and I really like to listen to your voice ^^ can't wait to see more videos like this! you rock, girl!
all the best wishes from Italy :)
I heard a theory that people that like horror movies with anxiety issues like to watch because it lets our brains release fight or flight chemicals within a safe environment. I personally really like that one. Even when I leave still shook and looking for Toni Collette I the corner of my room lol I feel happier and relaxed over all.
This was very interesting! When I explain my love for horror sometimes I say that even though I wasn't scared i still enjoyed it and they look at me confused because horror movies should make you scared but im not always scared. An example is that scene in Don't Breath where they are in the dark room and everything is silent and in black and white, you see their wide eyes and ear their fast breathing. Found it beautiful? Dont wanna sound like a freak, im not xD but yeah i find something attractive in horror movie to the point that im looking at a scene while smilling all heart eyed 😂
I hate hate hate jump scares, not because theyre scary but because theyre overused, usually dont involve anything actually scary, and are just an easy way out to get a scare. i like scares with real thought put into them. i'm a huge horror fan and honestly the scariest movie i have seen ever is Signs, simply because of the music, the plot, and how real and even relatable it all felt, and it didnt rely on any of the typical horror movie tropes. signs made an alien attack seem like a very real possibility and that terrifies me.
my favorite horror movies are ones where the protagonist (esp when female or someone i can identify with) overcomes their fear, becomes strong and i also really like it when they beat the shit out of or murder the bad guy/thing/entity and win. I personally feel like many horror films ARE cathartic for me. Also, I definitely think it has something to do with my high level of empathy,, and the fact that i desire to be strong and for people to fear me lol so i kinda live through those characters
The more videos of yours I watch, the more I want to be your friend, lol. Great vid, as always!
Something I found really interesting is that I love horror and anything scary
And I used to not sleep alone at night up until like 4th grade because I was too scared
And I have anxiety and get scared really easily
The first time I went to a haunted house I was really nervous and terrified about it
But when it actually started I was actually really calm and aware the whole time
And my friend who is the stereotypical kind of male buff guy that doesn’t have a lot of empathy and loves physical activity, was absolutely terrified the entire time
One reason I think I wasn’t cared was because I mentally psyched myself up to the point where it just didn’t get me
Idk I always thought that was cool
I have a terrible fear of driving.
I have a high amount of empathy.
I enjoy being scared though it can make me cry.
I'm not scared by most thing since I have been looking and watching horror stuff since I was a child.
19 year old woman.
I'm not scared of death but I am scared of unknown creatures following me around or chasing me.
The rake videos freak me out.
My best friend cannot STAND horror movies. Not even gory thrillers. I picked out Kill Bill and she couldn't watch past the opening shot!
She says it's because she was exposed to a lot of horror movies as a child (tough home life early on), and I think that she associates bad memories with them.
I like good horror now and then and like you, I'm really not too into adrenaline rising stuff in the sense of thrill seeking (I have anxiety probs so like yeah no lol) but I am kinda addicted to the adrenaline of like being in charge during an event and problem solving on the fly, so I can see that why might make sense. And I'm a total empath lol I can read people's emotions very quickly and I currently work with autistic children who are very low verbally and I have to read/think through their emotions in response to actions so I'd say I'm pretty in touch with my empathy haha. But I like horror (not always gore, I'm more like old school Tim Burton, or the Ring movies that are story driven) partly because it's almost like a nightmare in which I can go through it all to the end and know I'll live and leave the theater no matter what happens on the screen. I also like to think "what would I do to survive" in the situations because I'm kinda into like prepping for the worst, haha, that's my anxiety coping skill (I'm pretty sure because I've grown up with a severe food allergy and prepping for the worst has been my entire life haha). I grew up with creepy stories, not so much horror, from my dad (his version of a nursery rhyme was the Lizzie Borden chant about a real girl in I think the early 1900s who killed her parents with an ax lol so that was my upbringing xD) and I liked them because it was like a recognition that life sucks sometimes. Life isn't always pretty or sunshiny or positive all the time, like Disney seems to tell us, and by acknowledging the darkness, it validated my own darkness (depression/anxiety). I wasn't broken when I had dark times, I was human. And that really helped growing up, and that's why Halloween is still my favorite holiday, haha, I get to embrace the darkness that society usually shames. It's powerful in that way. That's why in terms of "horror" movies, I like more creepy ones, thrillers that just use suspense and storylines to scare, not gore-based. It's my way of going through my own darkness and fears of being unprepared but while knowing I'll still come out alive in the end.
I've always had a fascination with murder mysteries (mainly books) and crime shows (or movies). Over the years (more recently) I've been more into true crime. I've never had a weak stomach. And I remember in driver's class we had to watch the car accident videos. I think for me it was more difficult to make the connection that it was real, I guess because it wasn't in person and I was always intrigued by it. I witnessed death once, but it wasn't gory. When I was a month into living in my own place my grandpa passed away and I never went to the funeral or saw how he was when he died. My fascination haunted me though and I would look up images of different rigor stages. And autopsy photos. Might also have something to do with my fascination with mummies as a kid. As for horror, I can't seem to be able to watch it as it happens if it is expected. If it is unexpected then I find myself looking away. The aftermath doesn't bother me. So death has always kind of been interesting to me as well as serial killers and horror. But I also like the spooky supernatural type horrors. I'm kinda all over the place. I like creepy.
I like the feeling that the cap is off. Like there a door in the hedge. The horror movie is like an advertisement for a look on the infinite, or the divine, or the profane (to me these are all a bit the same). It's a round trip ticket out of banality. Funnily enough, horror usually disappoints me on this scale because it's the genre that's the most religious about following set patterns and plotlines. But the previews and the cover art for the posters always convince me that something very mysterious is going to be revealed. Plus, when I was young, horror was forbidden, because I was sensitive too. I still feel like I'm doing something grown up, and a bit naughty when I watch one, even if it's Amityville Karen or something like that.
Massive fear of mascots (people in suits) growing up, ur disappeared I guess one day and I lost that fear but I had always put it down to not know who was in the suit.
Starting my intro to psychology class on the 30th!
where did you get your shirt? I love it!!! Amazing video! So interesting xD
When I was younger I absolutely loved horror movies, since I have PTSD, I really can't watch it anymore :(
I used to love watching horror movies. But i find that ive gotten more sensitive over the years, and works up my anxiety way too much.