Why do people like feeling scared?

Jennifer Bahrman, PhD, licensed psychologist and assistant professor at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston. (Photo by UTHealth Houston)

Welcome to “Ask the Expert,” a UTHealth Houston news series where our leading experts examine pressing health challenges. In this edition, ahead of Halloween, we address why people like to feel scared.  

Why are true crime podcasts so popular? Why do we like scary movies and going to haunted houses so much? Turns out, there’s science behind the scream.  

Why do some people engage in frightening experiences, like haunted houses, for fun?  

Fear is a completely natural response and one of our core emotions. When we’re scared, our attention and senses become focused on the present as fear triggers our fight-or-flight response. This response causes an automatic boost of dopamine, adrenaline, and endorphins—in other words, the “feel good” hormones. 

This is where recreational fear comes in. Watching scary movies, listening to true crime podcasts, or visiting a haunted house are all examples of voluntarily seeking out frightening experiences for enjoyment. Recreational fear gives us a safe way to experience and learn about fear: what it feels like, how much of it we can tolerate, and how effectively we can cope with it. In that sense, it may help build emotional resilience. 

Part of the allure of recreational fear is that it provides a break from the mundane. Our everyday lives can be highly routine, and we don’t always feel fully present. Fear, however—even when experienced in a completely safe environment—can immediately pull us into the here and now. When our fight-or-flight response is triggered but there is no actual threat, we’re eventually left with a powerful sense of relief. We may also come to associate that heightened state of arousal with excitement and pleasure. 

Successfully getting through a frightening experience can also give us a sense of confidence and competence. We faced something scary, navigated the experience, and came out on the other side. That can reinforce the belief that we’re capable of handling challenging situations. 

Fear can also bring people closer together. We often experience recreational fear with other people—going to a haunted house with friends, watching a horror movie with a partner, or listening to a scary story together. Sharing an intense experience can create a sense of connection and shared accomplishment. Research has even suggested that heightened physiological arousal can increase attraction to others, in part because we may mistakenly attribute the excitement caused by the frightening situation to the person we’re experiencing it with. 

Does that mean that everyone should try feeling scared for fun? 

Not necessarily—but there may be value in experiencing fear in a safe, controlled environment. 

In everyday life, people generally try to avoid anxiety and fear. Recreational fear gives us an opportunity to experience these emotions in a playful and controlled way and practice navigating them without being in actual danger. 

For children, age-appropriate exposure can also be beneficial. There’s even a theory that children who engage in thrilling or scary forms of play—such as hide-and-seek, peekaboo, or some forms of rough-and-tumble or adventurous play—may develop better emotional regulation and potentially have a lower risk of anxiety later in life. The idea is that playful exposure to uncertainty and fear gives children opportunities to practice managing those emotions. 

Can you become desensitized to feelings of fear? Is there such a thing as going “overboard” on haunted houses or scary movies? 

Yes, repeated exposure to frightening stimuli can sometimes reduce our emotional response to them. But that doesn’t necessarily mean that more exposure is always better. Excessive or inappropriate exposure to frightening material can contribute to increased anxiety and physiological stress, and repeated exposure to certain types of disturbing content may lead to desensitization or the normalization of situations that would ordinarily provoke concern. 

So, is it possible to go overboard with haunted houses or scary movies? Potentially. As with many things, moderation is key. Recreational fear can be enjoyable and may even offer opportunities to practice coping with difficult emotions—but it should remain enjoyable, voluntary, and within a level of intensity that feels manageable. 

By Jennifer Bahrman, PhD, licensed psychologist and assistant professor at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston. All quotes should be attributed to her.  

For media inquiries or if you would like to submit future health topics: [email protected] or 713-500-3030.