Personality and Horror Movies

By John M Oldham MD

As Halloween approaches, the networks roll out the horror movies, the scarier the better. Some of us love this scary season and revel in the spooks and goblins. But make-believe witches on broomsticks are one thing; what about blood-drenched monster movies or zombies or the walking dead? There are plenty of fans for these as well, or Hollywood wouldn’t keep churning them out. But who among us gobbles them up with glee, and who says turn it off, evil is not for me! A few years ago, the Harvard Business Review posted an October piece entitled “The Psychology Behind Why We Love (or Hate) Horror” (https://hbr.org/2021/10/the-psychology-behind-why-we-love-or-hate-horror). The authors proposed that “to derive pleasure from being horrified,” we must have a “protective frame” involving safety (the evil is out there, not in here), detachment (they are just actors), and confidence (if there’s danger we can control it). Then exploring “the dark side” could be stimulating and exciting, perhaps especially if shared with a romantic partner. And the payoff is the relief when the movie’s over and we’re just as safe and intact as ever.

Halloween can be fun for all—little kids and big kids. But I confess I’m not a horror movie fan, particularly those that are too far on the dark side. If I’m with others who howl to see the latest chainsaw film portraying sadism and gruesome graphic images of body parts, I’m quick to find the off button on the remote, or else to leave the room!

In the language of NPSP25, which personality styles might be most prominent in horror movie fans? Probably those reflecting a “stimulus-seeking” feature, such as Adventurous, Aggressive, Mercurial, or Dramatic. Paradoxically though, many with the Sensitive style can be drawn to the medium, reassuring themselves that the scary stuff is televised fiction, totally different from home safe home!