Why Some People Love Horror Movies

It’s possibly not just the experience of watching horror films themselves that we enjoy - it’s the aftermath that really has us feeling good. As we watch scary films, our heart rate, blood pressure and respiration all increase. As the film ends, our physiological reactions remain. An excitation transfer process can occur - meaning anything positive we feel (such as a sense of having fun with friends or a good time with our date) intensifies, overshadowing any negative feelings we may have also experienced. This can leave us wanting to repeat the experience - we’ve faced our fears and have made it through - and we want to do it again.