Spooky season is coming up and all people can think about is how to incorporate a mask into their outfit for this year’s Halloween. The coronavirus seems scary enough, but it isn't stopping us from carrying out the much-required trick-or-treat. When we say trick or treat, it’s a natural expectation to expect a treat. But have you ever received a trick instead? Would you rather the latter? You could scare them, but you’d expect them to be frightened and hate the feeling of being terrified. Rather surprisingly, some humans love the feeling of fear.
Fear is an emotion induced by perceived danger or a threat, which results in physiological change, evoking a behavioural response, i.e. fight, flight or freeze. That doesn’t seem too fun, but it does lead us to multiple explanations for the contradiction. It’s such a spine-chilling feeling, that sometimes, we love it. Being a psychology student myself, I was intrigued by this claim posed by yours truly, the Editor-in-Chief of the Casual Observer. How is it that fear, something that causes trauma and pain, is enjoyable? Allow me to break down what I’ve learned through my research so you can see what I see.
Think about it, you’re watching a horror movie. Your palms are sweaty, knees weak, you have an unsettling feeling in your stomach, but you love it. It’s weird isn't it? I asked one of my best friends (She Who Must Not Be Named) when I started writing this article, and I received this:
Me: Most people hate the feeling of fear but you don't seem that way. You love to watch horror movies, walk through ancient haunted buildings in the middle of the night and fearlessly walk through cemeteries. These are all considered fearful activities, yet you enjoy them. Why?
Lady Voldemort: I see a creepy ghost hunt as a thrilling adventure (plus, the extensive list of horror movies I've seen has definitely made a good demon encounter a familiarity, nothing unknown). I get an adrenaline rush out of them. Nothing beats a good jump scare in a horror movie. However, I fear many other things such as exams, the future, failure, etc. We all hate the feeling of fear in one way or another, I just tend to view the concept of ghosts and spirits as an enthralling adventure to go on rather than an unknown danger.
What Lady Voldemort said is completely true. But I’d like to point out that she mentioned getting an adrenaline rush when she goes on her insane trips to Singapore’s most haunted locations.
Godzilla, Fire Spitter, Monster
When we get scared, our bodies go into fight-or-flight mode. Even though we are cognitively lazy, our brains are amazing at what they do - even if we’re in a scary setting where we get a supposedly safe fright (like haunted houses, horror films, etc.), our brains can analyse the situation rapidly and point out that we are risk-free. Our body then calms down and we enjoy the experience. Therefore, many of us actually seek this sort of controlled fear and suspense, because we are guaranteed safety. A biology student would know that there is also a release of adrenaline, certain endorphins and dopamine. This biochemical rush has the ability to fill us with pleasure, resulting in a drug-like high and sense of euphoria. That, coupled with the brain’s safety signal, allows the fear to subside, which leaves us with a gratifying feeling of relief. Some people, such as Lady Voldemort, enjoy pushing themselves by seeking thrills and seeing how much fear they can tolerate. If they are able to bear the suspense and fear, a great sense of satisfaction and pride washes over them.
My Chemical Romance
Another interesting piece of information I learnt will come in handy when all the boys/girls out there are planning to ask someone out on a date. It’s common knowledge that taking someone on a date to the movies can be romantic. But taking them to a horror movie? They’ll love you even more. This idea was based on the assumption (often true) that the date would get scared and seek physical protection, which reinforces and strengthens the bond between you two. Though it is ancient advice, it stands true to this day and applies to both people on the date. Given that being frightened causes a biochemical release that yields a pleasurable feeling, it is often misattributed to a person who is scared and not the one who is providing protection. It can also be linked to the protector, as they feel a sense of joy as a result of the indirect fear.
Curiosity Killed The Cat, but Satisfaction Brought It Back
Many people are curious about the dark side. The fear of the unknown is one of the most instinctive fears that we have and is also one of the oldest curiosities. A way we can look at this curiosity is through the consideration of thanatos (the personification of death and oblivion). Freud’s theory on death drive is a possible explanation as to why people like being scared. Death drive is the drive towards death and/or destruction which can be expressed behaviourally through aggression, repetition compulsion and self-destructiveness. According to Freud, humans will participate in self-destructive acts because of their “inevitable death” instinct. Though this doesn’t clearly show why we engage in self-destructive behaviour, other researches show that these behaviours are conducted because of biases towards immediate gratification such as drug taking, or risk analysis.
Hopefully this helped you understand that some people enjoy fear, love the rush they get, concluded by the sense of achievement and pride. This halloween, make sure to check yourself and see how you feel when you’re walking through a haunted house or watching a horror film. Did it freak you out? Do you feel accomplished? Do you feel closer to the person you experienced it with? And to the people who love being scared, congrats! You simply are just built differently.
Happy Halloween!
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