Halloween: Why some people prefer to be scared than others
Some people enjoy being scared on Halloween events or while watching horror movies, while others politely decline. What determines whether we enjoy being scared or not?
Researchers are exploring why some people enjoy feeling scared or uneasy, particularly around Halloween. According to Marc Malmdorf Andersen from the University of Aarhus, unease arises when a situation is unclear or ambiguous, creating a sense of uncertainty between danger and safety. A 2024 US study found that some people rated ambiguous images as more unsettling than those already perceived as scary.
Andersen suggests that individuals have an optimal level of fear, and repeated exposure to horror, like watching horror films, can make people less sensitive to it. There are also different types of horror fans, including Adrenalin-Junkies, White Knucklers, and Dark Copers, each with distinct experiences and motivations.
Written by urgent.news from Handelsblatt's report — not a translation of it. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
