My research question is: Why do we enjoy horror films?
This topic interests me because I am a fan of horror films. I’ve always had a profound fascination with the strange and the unknown. It’s as if exploring inside the most sinister aspects of human nature and facing my greatest fears head-on gives me a rush. One day, my online therapist and I were discussing the things I do to get away from the struggles and challenges I’m facing. I explained to her that I watch TV shows and movies to help me escape the reality of my problems, and that psychological thrillers and horror films are two of my favorite genres because they help me relax. I could identify with the way they portrayed characters overcoming horrifying threats and hurdles, as well as survival and persistence. I already know that people are driven to horror because of the exhilaration and rush it gives them, and how horror films can provide a cathartic release, enabling us to momentarily forget about the worries of everyday life and lose ourselves in a universe where the bounds of reality are blurred. The tension and terror it creates with suspense, and also that some people find it entertaining to try to figure out the meaning or mystery behind the horror movies. Some points that I plan to explore and find out more about are, Why we are drawn to scary films by studying different psychological theories and factors. For example, catharsis, subconscious mind, curiosity, thrill, escape from reality, relevance, unrealism, and imagination, the purposeful arrangement of scenery and stage properties of horror movies, and the science behind our physiological response and fear responses in the brain, and the negative consequences after watching a horror film.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/07/movies/hereditary-horror-movies.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2000/10/14/movies/do-horror-films-filter-the-horrors-of-history.html
https://carey.jhu.edu/articles/research/why-we-enjoy-horror-science-explains
https://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/17/opinion/sunday/17gray.html
I really loved how much you emphasized how much you enjoy watching horror films. I find it interesting how it helps you with challenges and how much you enjoy the expressions of the characters in the movie causing you to feel hooked to the film.