Why do we like the scare?

Halloween brings traditions of watching scary movies, graduate student Sarah Mae Fleming explains why people enjoy horror by Anna Singh , Science News Associate Editor A horror image reflects in the glasses of person viewing screen. October 6, 2024. Halloween is right around the corner, with spooky decorations and horror movies to be watched.

People enjoy watching horror movies for a variety of reasons, University of Wisconsin Communication Arts graduate student Sarah Mae Fleming explained. One reason is people like to test their limits, and see how much they can handle the scare, according to Fleming. Other people also have an appreciation for a very well curated scary monster or jumpscare, Fleming explained.

Another reason people like horror is they like to see somebody go through a hard time in a cathartic way, according to Fleming. “I don’t think people enjoy seeing other people be harmed,” Fleming said. “I do think that for a lot of people, it’s probably some kind of combination of appreciation, catharsis and this idea of testing your own limits.” There are different ways horror films can create scares, Fleming explained.

Jumpscares are frights that happen from a moment of calm interrupted by something scary, such as a monster, according to Fleming. Another type of scare that is common in Japanese horror films is using creepiness to stimulate feelings of unease in the viewer, Fleming explained. In some European films, using violence in a non-sensational way in movies can create scares, according to Fleming.

Another aspect that makes horror so enjoyable to people is the pleasure of a fictional story, Fleming explained. “Fiction makes it safe to have pleasure in things that are taboo otherwise,” Fleming said. There are aspects of horror movies that make a good scare, according to Fleming.

One part of a good scare is a feeling at a personal level, Fleming explained. What is considered a good scare also differs for people, according to Fleming. Some people like more of a jump scare in horror movies, while others may like scares which show up as an unsettling theme in a movie, Fleming explained.

“Whatever the method the film approaches, [the scare] has to feel like the payoff is worth it,” Fleming said. Zombies and vampires are common monsters used in horror films, according to Fleming. In Western horror films, there is a trend cycle appearing with using these creatures in movies, Fleming explained.

A challenge for horror film directors is something called “ schema inward vision , ” Fleming explained. Zombie and vampire movies tend to have predictable story lines, but they are so popular people want to keep watching them, according to Fleming. “We want to keep seeing those [zombies or vampires], but they have to still be different enough for us to not feel bored by them,” Fleming said.

A modern trend becoming popular for horror films is using themes of the internet or technology, Fleming explained. Backrooms is a recent example of a horror film using this theme, Fleming explained. Even from 2001, Pulse is another example of a horror movie using technology as a plot, according to Fleming.

“We’re going to be seeing more stuff that’s about the way the digital runs our everyday lives,” Fleming said. This Halloween, there is an opportunity to watch classic horror movies at Vilas Hall , according to Fleming. UW Communication Arts is playing the film Carrie this Saturday Oct.

31, according to Fleming. This is a unique opportunity to be able to watch a movie on film, which isn’t able to be done at many places, Fleming explained. About the Contributor Anna Singh , Science News Associate Editor Anna Singh (she/her) is a Science News Associate Editor for the Badger Herald.

She is a senior at UW-Madison majoring in Genetics & Genomics and Life Sciences Communication, with certificates in Global Health and Gender & Women Studies. She is interested in health sciences and health equity, and hopes to pursue a career in medicine and public health.