7 Ways You Are Wired for Horror
Exploring the haunted hardware of your mind
H.P. Lovecraft once wrote that ‘the oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear, and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown.’
Yet, for some reason, we humans cannot help ourselves but tread deeper and deeper into that unknown. The forbidden part of the jungle; the darkness beyond the horizon; the cursed rituals; the haunted spaces; the musty crypts. However frightening or dangerous, the allure of the unknown pulls us in like tendrils from the void.
And though we’ve mapped and scoured every corner of this world, a primal need to experience terror remains nested within our very bones. Here, then, are seven reasons why horror continues to fascinate us.
1. Fear
Good horror stories tap into our primal fears, such as fear of the dark, fear of death, and fear of the unknown.
It activates the amygdala (a region of the brain involved in processing emotions like fear and pleasure), which releases neurotransmitters (adrenaline, cortisol, norepinephrine, etc.) and throws us into the ‘fight or flight’ response.
Once an essential evolutionary tool for survival against predators, now the amygdala finds its playground in the controlled, risk-free realms of horror fiction.
2. Catharsis
Did you know that being terrified by a movie or a game can be good for our mental health?
Engaging with horror is a source of cathartic release, providing a controlled environment to release pent-up emotions, leading to psychological relief. It can also serve as a way to temporarily escape from real-life stress or anxiety.
The term ‘catharsis’ is commonly associated with Aristotle’s theory of tragedy, where he suggests that viewing tragic plays allows audiences to experience a purging of emotions, particularly those of pity and fear.
3. Curiosity
God damned us all by insisting that we do not eat of ‘the tree of the knowledge of good and evil’. Did He not know what curious rascals he created?
We are compelled to explore the unsettling, mysterious, and eerie aspects of existence. Horror allows us to peek behind the veil at the darkest aspects of ourselves, confronting fears and uncertainties about death, the afterlife, and the limits of human understanding. Curiosity, coupled with the freedom to experience fear in a secure environment, activates the brain’s reward systems, simulating adventure and tapping into our desire for novelty.
A well-orchestrated depiction of horror will induce a curious psychological dance between the urge to look away due to fear and the desire to see what happens next due to curiosity.
4. Adrenaline
As mentioned earlier, fear triggers the release of adrenaline, which creates a sense of excitement and thrill by priming your ‘fight or flight’ instict.
Adrenaline heightens your spatial awareness, increases your heart rate, and redirects blood flow towards essential muscle groups. Brilliant though our brains are, they are utterly inept differentiating reality from illusion. The terror experienced through horror mimics this ancient survival mechanism, offering a simulated brush with danger.
This physiological arousal contributes to the appeal of horror; no other genre is as visceral, raw, and unrelenting.
5. Identification
An essential aspect of horror fiction is the characters we can identify with, like the ‘final girl’ trope in slasher movies, who embodies vulnerability and resilience in the face of danger.
We empathise with their traits and see parts of ourselves in these characters, which opens us up to vicariously experience their fear, suspense, and triumph or demise on a more intense and personal level. This identification enables us to navigate our own fears and hardships symbolically, connecting with universal human themes of fear, grief, and survival.
Thus, horror becomes more than a genre of fiction — it becomes a communal space of emotional exploration, where the terror encountered is both a personal challenge and a shared voyage through the mysteries of the human condition.
6. Social Bonding
Since the dawn of human history, sharing and experiencing stories has been as integral to us as eating, a deeply ingrained aspect often taken for granted.
Social bonding through shared experiences of horror is an essential communal phenomenon, fostering closeness and camaraderie. Facing fear together, even in a fictional context, allows individuals to share vulnerabilities and relief, leading to a greater sense of connection. This is amplified further by shared physiological reactions such as increased heart rate, adrenaline rushes, and the release of tension through screams or jumps. Post-horror discussions and interpretations also contribute to the bonding experience.
Whether with friends, family, or a broader community of horror enthusiasts, the shared exploration of fear and terror can serve as a catalyst for social connections of all types.
7. Insight Into Human Nature
Horror stories, at their pinnacle, are the perfect vector for delving into the depths of the human psyche.
It’s been my experience that the emotional intensity of being exposed to horror can encourage deeper reflections on morality, human nature, and existential matters — an inner thematic marriage of intellectual beauty to the primal beast. Horror holds a mirror to our intrinsic complexities, bringing our fears, desires, and the murk of our morals to the surface. It whispers, ‘Behold, this darkness too resides within you, mortal man.’ It reveals the multifaceted nature of a human being whose heart threads the line between good and evil with every action and every wicked thought.
Our encounters with the unknown serve as conduits for the contemplation of the often terrifying questions of existence. Horror is the realm of self-exploration, where the finer aspects of the human heart are realised against the contrasting backdrop of the darkness from which we emerged and towards which we seem helplessly drawn.
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