Why Do People Like Horror Movies?

Horror films are terrifying. They’re awful. They cause you to contemplate death and worry about your life. Despite this, many of us enjoy them. People are naturally made to run away from anything that appears scary or threatens our life. Then how can people like something from which they are biologically made to run away! That’s intriguing so let’s discuss the possible reasons that science has offered us on this.

According to psychology, being frightened gives people a sense of thrill and adventure. Even though horror films aren’t real and they are just stories, some studies suggest that viewing such movies may cause a very natural fight-or-flight reaction. 

The brain can’t fully differentiate between imagination and reality. While watching a horror movie, the brain temporarily misses that what it is perceiving is not a genuine threat and activates the physiological reaction that would be needed if it were actually genuine. As a result, your body starts its fight-or-flight mode, which fills you with adrenaline and euphoria causing chemicals like endorphins and dopamine. This pumps you up and makes you feel like you are actually in the middle of a dangerous adventure and deep down, people kind of like such adventurous feeling.

Another reason is no matter how much adventurous and terror feeling you get, you are actually in a safe environment, sitting comfortably in a seat enjoying cooldrink and popcorn. It is no real danger. Geting the feeling of adventure without being in any danger appears to be the main reason why people like horror movies so much.