Fear is the most studied emotion in science because it is so easy to condition, study, and

observe in non-human organisms. There is a considerable literature that attempts to explain

fear conditioning and learning by referring to its underlying neuropsychology, with much of
this work being done on non-human species. Most of the knowledge of the neurology of fear
in humans has come from neuroimaging research and brain damage studies. The amygdala
is one of the brain regions implicated in fear identification and experience and there is a
substantial literature studying the involvement of this structure in fear training and
maintenance.

Hundreds of studies have explored the influence of fear-related stimuli, including films meant
to generate dread, on brain activity assessed using MEG, PET, fMRI, and EEG, but no
actual research which has specifically analyzed the effect of horror film exposure on brain
activation. Many studies have looked at the effect of brain injury on the fear response, and
one in particular is pertinent to horror films since it looked at the effect of bilateral amygdala
lesion on reactions to fear-related signals in a movie or cinema context.

A 44-year-old lady with normal IQ and speech shown poor fear conditioning, impaired
perception of terror in faces, and reduced social-related fear in this study. Feinstein and
colleagues sought to frighten her by taking her to a pet store with snakes and spiders,
strolling her through a scary mansion, and showing her horror films. Although she expressed
her desire to avoid the spiders vocally, she physically tried to approach them and requested
15 times if she may hold one at the haunted mansion, she offered to lead a group of guests,
did not hesitate in wandering around, and was not frightened by the creatures but instead,
she scared out the actors.

None of the ten horror movie clips frightened her, so she requested for the title of one so she
could watch it. She realised that most persons would be terrified of them. This is the first
thorough research on the effects of area brain damage on the perceived notion of horror
films and horror-related stimuli in a single study, and while single case studies should be
interpreted with caution, the study does open the door for future research to verify the role of
these structures in horror appreciation.

One possible augmentation of this study would be to investigate whether amygdala

reactivity is related to horror film enjoyment, with those with highly reactive amygdalae
fearing or enjoying horror more than those with less responsive amygdalae, or whether the
amygdala becomes extremely active with increased stimuli, and the intensity of the
experience found to correlate with the increase in activity while watching.

The delight that some people derive from fear is most certainly not the result of fear itself.
Thus according Seeker, a department of Discovery in the particular research, thrills come
from the physiological release that accompanies scary experiences. Fear, according to some
horror enthusiasts, is an expression of an adrenaline-seeking nature. Fear is a bad emotion
that humans experience when they are under siege or threatened. People, however, like
other aspects of the experience.

Glenn D. Walters, a psychologist, identified three key variables that contribute to the appeal
of horror entertainment. The first is suspense, which is created by producers and filmmakers
by incorporating aspects of mystique, suspense, gore, dread, and shock. The next
consideration is relevancy. This component is used in horror films by adding elements that
viewers can identify with. This frequently refers to global relevance, which exploits the
psychology of mortality and the uncertainty, or cultural significance of societal issues.
According to Walters, viewers perceive personal significance when they empathise with the
hero or blame the antagonist.
The final factor identified by Walters is unrealism. Despite the fact that horror media
has become increasingly graphic in recent decades, audiences are aware what
they're really viewing is a sham. Certain camera angles, music, and even humour
are used in movies and TV shows to give signs to audiences that what they are
witnessing is designed to entertain them. When horror filmmakers use these
elements well, they can touch on the psychology of terror in ways that appealing to
audiences.

Viewers must be assured that they belong in a safe atmosphere in order to

appreciate horror films. The fight-or-flight reaction, which increases adrenaline,
endorphins, and dopamine, can be triggered by horror entertainment. The central
nervous system can then assess the environment and determine that the situation is
not a true threat.

One of the reasons horror lovers watch scary movies on a regular basis is their
understanding of personal safety. It is well-known among psychologists because it
is caused in part by a phenomena known as excitation transmission. Viewers feel
profound relief as the effects of a racing heart, rapid breathing, as well as other
physical responses to terror fade off. Positive sentiments get stronger, and fear
stimulates our minds with feel-good hormones.

Physical responses like this are pleasurable for some viewers. According to British
Psychological Society statistics, approximately 10% of the population appreciates
the rush of adrenaline affiliated with the horror genre. Others, on the other hand,
find scary films and television series distressing. These viewers have a more
difficult time filtering out undesired cues in their environment. As a result, people
may experience unpleasant psychological responses to horror.

Fear sets off a chain reaction in the brain that starts with stressful inputs and
concludes with the fight-or-flight mechanism outlined above. This response is
usually autonomic, which means that people aren't aware of it. Because the brain is
so complex and constantly transmits information, several cognitive processes take
place in fear psychology.

They discovered prevalent hypotheses that explain why films like Paranormal
Activity accomplish well in box offices across the world, such as,

 • Excitation transfer: According to this theory, those who have an

emotional reaction to fright also have more delight when dangers are
resolved.
 • Personal empathy: Individuals who are less empathic appreciate
horror films more, implying that audiences with high degrees of
compassion and understanding should detest horror films since they
react badly to other people's suffering.
  • Sensation-seeking: People that watch horror films may be looking for
ways to trigger sensory reactions. According to studies, these watchers
may be more violent than others.

According to research, we must have a psychological "protective frame" in

order to enjoy being horrified. Such frames are classified into three types.

1) We must trust that we are secure and protected or have a safety frame in
place. For example, even if the wicked creature in a movie is executing
horrible crimes in front of our sight, we can enjoy the sheer terror as long as
we feel the evil creature is remote from us and thus cannot hurt us. However,
if we begin to feel that the evil thing is crawling out of the display to harm us,
the encounter would no longer be enjoyable.

2) The second type of defensive frame involves detachment, or the ability to

psychologically disengage from a terrifying experience. When we witness a
crazy murderer following down a bloodied prey in a movie, we can trigger
mental sense of detachment by reassuring us that they are only actors, and
what is really occurring on the screen is fantastic acting.

3) The third type of protective frame usually involves our belief in our ability to
control and manage the hazards we actually face. If we go to a haunted house, for
example, and a realistic-looking, bloodthirsty undead charges at us, we can still enjoy
the experience if we are certain that we can easily escape that slow monster.