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How horror movies scare us - Horror movies tap into our deepest fears, and trigger a number of emotional responses. Let's look at the themes and techniques used.

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Fear of the dark - This fear, that most of us have as a child, is exploited in horror movies. The fear of the unknown, of what the darkness might hide, plays with our imagination.

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The beast within - When the monster isn't a fantastical creature, but a human, it creates the idea that some part of human nature is inherently savage.

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Spooky locations - The foggy spooky forest at night, the haunted old cabin in the woods, the abandoned asylum. All these are creepy places where evil can manifest.

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When the familiar becomes scary - We're used to seeing monsters and stereotypical-looking murderers as evil, but then we have children, and seemingly harmless objects such as dolls, playing the antagonist. These are surprising and unusual, making them even more terrifying.

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Thunder and lightning - Loud thunder and flashes of light can trigger fear in people, for obvious reasons. Horror movies use these to their advantage.

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Spooky music -

Spooky music emphasizes the suspense and adds to the dramatic effect of some scenes.

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Spooky music - The use of dissonant music creates tension, as we naturally expect a resolution when certain chords are played.

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Dismemberment - Losing a part of our body is a terrifying thought. Horror movies play with that fear.

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Creepy crawlers -

Snakes, spiders, and other creepy crawlers can trigger phobic reactions in the audience, and are used to add an extra layer of fear and disgust.

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Fear of death - Our ultimate fear as humans, the fear of losing our lives. Being aware of our mortality, and how our lives can be taken away from us in a glimpse, is a very powerful thing in our psyches.

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So why can't we get enough of horror movies? - All of the elements listed above scare us, so what makes us want to watch more?

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Our physical response - Our heart rate, blood pressure, and respiration increases during, and sometimes after, we watch a horror film.

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Heart rate -

A study conducted on viewers of the 'The Shining' found that their heart rates increased an average of 28.21% during the classic "Here's Johnny" scene.

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Neurotransmitters - A number of neurotransmitters and hormones are released in the presence of fear. This natural high is what makes many of us come back for more.

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Risk-free thrills - Want to have all the thrills of an adrenaline-fueled experience, but without the risk? Watch a horror movie.

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Suspense -

The anticipation that something bad will happen glues us to our seats. 

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Suspense - But then our expectations are rarely met. The sequence of events is not as expected, somebody else gets hurt, the killer is not who the audience thinks it is, etc. We love it.

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Cheating death -

Despite the plot twists, the protagonist often makes it in the end. The audience gets the feeling of having escaped death

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The movies play with society's collective fears - 'Godzilla' for instance, was about a monster created by nuclear radiation. The movie was released in 1954, and Japan was still anxious about the effects of the nuclear attacks suffered during World War II.

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The movies play with society's collective fears -

'Friday the 13th' is an example of America's fear of violence and serial killings during the '80s.

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Why teens love horror - A study conducted on university students looked at adolescents’ motivations for viewing graphic horror. Four types were identified: Gore watching, thrill watching, independent watching, and problem watching. The first two motivations are particularly identifiable in teenage boys and girls.

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Gore and thrill watching -

According to Professor Mary Beth Oliver, from Penn State University, violent, gory movies movies appeal more to male teenagers.

Whereas psychological thrillers are preferred by teenage girls.

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Why some people dislike horror movies - Not everyone deals well with the anxiety caused by these movies. Especially when the theme is too familiar.

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Why some people don't like horror movies - Some of us just don't release as much serotonin while watching a horror movie. Essentially, the thrill is not worth it as the negative emotions override the positive hormonal response.

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Children - Horror movies have a more powerful emotional impact on children. They are more likely to suffer the negative effects such as sleep disturbance, anxiety, and nightmares up to days after watching a movie.

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It could be worse.. -

Some of our favorite horror movies originally had much more sinister endings. Check them out.

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