Biologically, terror is our body’s built-in alarm system. It is designed to make us run away from danger. Horror stories, the ones that sometimes leave us staring at the dark corners of our bedrooms, have been with us since humans first gathered around campfires.
The whispered folktales have evolved into best-seller novels, blockbuster movies, podcasts and viral internet lore.
According to the Washington Post, “horror is now the fastest-rising film genre, having doubled its market share from 4.87% in 2013 to 10.08% in 2023.”
The massive success of hits like Sinners, Weapons, and Obsession proves that our craving for horror is stronger than ever.
Despite being hardwired to run away from terror, humans actively seek it out for fun — whether it’s a toddler playing peek-a-boo, or adults paying good money to walk through a haunted house.
Research shows that this behavior is driven by our morbid curiosity. It’s a biological urge that forces us to look at dangerous or taboo things, and works as an adaptive mechanism that helps us safely explore and learn about threats.
A study by the Recreational Fear Lab revealed that when you read a deeply unsettling story, your body triggers a massive spike in heart rate fluctuations, pumping your system full of adrenaline and dopamine.
“There are some people who enjoy horror because they’re high in something called sensation seeking. They like the feelings of strong sensations. These are the same kind of people that would go bungee jumping or skydiving or any number of things like that, that kind of give you an adrenaline boost,” says Dr. Coltan Scrivner, a behavioral scientist at the Recreational Fear Lab at Aarhus University in Denmark.
Dr. Scrivner’s team discovered that controlled fear can actually boost our mental and physical health.
In their study conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic, they found that horror fans were more psychologically resilient.
The researchers said that horror fans were less stressed out about the whole situation, while many people were freaking out about what was going to happen. “And one possible reason is that they were simply more practiced in terms of thinking about these worst-case scenarios,” says Marc Malmdorf Andersen, co-director of the Recreational Fear Lab.
Ongoing research from their lab indicates that more than 95% of children ages 1 to 17 enjoy some activities that make them scared.
Willingly reading about or experiencing spooky situations is like a workout for your mind, teaching you exactly how fear feels and how to handle the unknown.
Some researchers note that playing with these controlled scares early on can actually build a mental shield that protects kids from developing anxiety disorders later in life.
One study found that engaging with scary content actually leaves horror fans feeling happier, more self-aware, and personally stronger.
While diving into the dark side has major perks, the secret to a good scare is all about hitting the perfect sweet spot.
Experts call this the Goldilocks principle: just like kids prefer things that are not too simple and not too complex, we prefer our terrors to be just right.
Research found that too little fear was associated with reduced enjoyment, but so was too much fear.
Despite the potential benefits of being scared, experts believe that if you don’t enjoy horror, you shouldn’t force yourself to experience it.
However, if you actually want to build up your tolerance, there are several ways to go about it.
Try reading stories or watching horror movies with a group of friends for support, turn down the volume on videos to break the tension, and keep your room brightly lit. You can also read behind-the-scenes trivia to remind yourself it is all fake.
