Why We (Well, Some Of Us) Love to Be Scared: An MGA Faculty Q&A With Dr. Amanda L. Chase Avera

Author: Sheron Smith
Posted: Monday, October 6, 2025 12:00 AM
Categories: Students | Pressroom | Faculty/Staff | School of Education and Behavioral Sciences

Macon, GA

Now that it’s October and Halloween is near, many of us turn our thoughts to the spooky and the gothic. But what is it about fear that makes some people seek it out while others shy away? To explore the psychology behind our love or loathing of being scared, we spoke with Dr. Amanda L. Chase Avera, an #MGA psychology professor whose background in mental health and counseling offers unique insight into how emotions like fear shape human behavior.

Why are people fascinated with fear or horror?

Horror films, haunted houses, and just plain being scared have intrigued people for many years. There are people who thoroughly enjoy being scared and Katerina Bantinaki (2012) suggests that fear causes people to be in the present moment. They are not worrying about the past or future but are feeling alive and alert in the present. The sympathetic nervous system (the system that actives during freeze, flight, or fight arousal) pumps cortisol and adrenaline through the body and gives a person a heightened state of arousal. The brain is attracted to novelty and excitement which in turn can cause a person to enjoy the fear experience.

On a less technical note, there is a sense of accomplishment and bravery when a person makes it though a haunted house, scary movie, or creepy Halloween event (Zuckerman, 2007). Surviving through what is considered a “safe danger” (Andrade & Cohen, 2007; Clasen, 2017; Kerr, 2007) is still a satisfying encounter.

Is there a psychological benefit to being scared in a controlled environment, like haunted houses?

Yes, indeed. While there are many ways to learn to cope with unpleasant and negative emotions, haunted houses can teach a variety of skills including emotional identification and regulation. Emotional identification, according to this author, is the skill of being able to pause and distinguish the emotion that has surfaced in the present moment and recognize its effects on the individual. Emotional regulation is being able to effectively and appropriately manage one’s emotional state in any given situation.  This does not mean that the individual is suppressing their emotions. On the contrary, it is a mature way of allowing yourself to experience the emotion, process it, and use it to navigate through whatever experience you have encountered. 

If haunted houses are not of interest to you (this author does not enjoy them in the slightest), there are other ways to safely practice fear such as scary movies. Even though you are in a safe environment while watching the film, the brain cannot distinguish between reality and what is on the screen. Your body will respond in the same manner as if you were actually experiencing what is being seen on the screen (Green & Brock, 2000).

Why do some people love scary experiences while others avoid them completely?

It is all in the chemicals and personality. For those who seek out scary experiences, they may possess high sensation-seeking personality traits (Zuckerman, 2007) and enjoy high risk and intense situations. Chemically speaking, their brains experience a rush of dopamine which in simple terms is known as the pleasure neurotransmitter. They feel a rush of excitement when they are scared and seek out high intensity situations.

There is also a social bond that occurs with other who are experiencing the same scary event. When a group goes through a haunted house, rides a roller coaster, or watches a horror film, they experience the high and low emotions together which releases another chemical called oxytocin. This is knowns as the bonding chemical and can foster a sense of warmth and connection between group members. The entire group can feel more connected to each other after “surviving” a scary situation. An interesting element of note concerns stress reduction. Oxytocin can act as a countering agent to cortisol which is known as the stress hormone. For example, when a person goes to a theater to watch a horror film, they generally want to be scared and feel that rush of emotions. They do experience the adrenaline and cortisol rush but because they are in a group of people experiencing the same event, they are also experiencing a sense of connection and psychological safety due to the oxytocin-bonding chemical. The stress and bonding chemicals are both in play (Carter, 2014; Feldman, 2012; Young & Wang, 2004).

For those who are on the opposite end of the spectrum in that they do not enjoy scary experiences, personality and chemicals play a role as well. Those who are high in neuroticism (worry, trepidation) and anxiety typically have negative reactions to fear. Their brain enters the survival mode and stays in it longer which causes worry.  Also, the nervous system might not reward intense and risky situations which does not feel pleasurable. Trust is a key factor as well in that if a person has experienced past trauma and does not feel safe, then the rollercoaster, haunted house, or scary movie is no longer a fun event but rather a trigger (Andrade & Cohen, 2007; Clasen, 2017; Kerr, 2007).

Do cultural or personal experiences influence how we perceive fear or enjoy scary experiences?

Past experiences, particularly trauma, play a vital role in how an individual will perceive and interpret future situations. If a person is reminded of a negative past event or they feel unsafe, their body will enter the freeze, flight, or fight response. We generally say “fight, flight, or freeze” but our bodies respond first with freeze meaning that we stop and analyze the situation to determine our next action. Next, if we interpret the situation as dangerous or fearful, we try to flee. If we cannot flee, our last resort is to fight. A person who has experienced trauma can remain in this heightened state for an uncomfortable amount of time in that their heartrate will increase, the palms will sweat, their breathing becomes more rapid, their digestive system will not function properly (in chronic cases of stress), and their nervous system will continue to pump stress chemicals like adrenaline and cortisol even when they are not needed.

Culture can play a role in the interpretation of fear as well. U.S. culture typically views monsters, zombies, witches, and ghosts are seen in horror as scary experiences while other cultures, such as Japan, view spiritual or psychological features such as evil spirits as elements associated with horror. Most cultures have some form of folklore and legends, and those can heavily influence what people are taught to fear and how they showcase that fear. For example, in some cultures, it is acceptable to yell, cry, or run away when a person is scared while in other cultures, one is taught to suppress their fear and anxiety (Clasen, 2017; Mesquita & Walker, 2003; Zuckerman, 2007).

Fear is a powerful and motivating force and when we learn how it works from an emotional and physiological perspective, we can better cope with it and use it to improve our daily functioning.

Dr. Amanda Chase Avera is driven by both professional and personal experiences to treat individuals suffering from mental illness and educate students on the exciting world of psychology and how they can make a difference in this fascinating and ever-changing field. Dr. Avera’s professional background includes mental health, counseling and therapy, professional speaking, and higher education. She enjoys interacting with students and seeing them grow as professionals. She holds a Doctorate in Psychology from California Southern University and a Masters of Social Work from Southern Adventist University. Her previous MGA faculty Q&As include one on the subject of gaslighting.

References

Andrade, E. B., & Cohen, J. B. (2007). On the consumption of negative feelings. Journal of Consumer Research, 34(3), 283–300.

Bantinaki, K. (2017, October 30). Why do we love (and hate) feeling scared? After Service [Blog]. Psychology Today. Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/after-service/201710/why-do-we-love-and-hate-feeling-scared

Carter, C. S. (2014). Oxytocin pathways and the evolution of human behavior. Annual Review of Psychology, 65, 17–39.

Clasen, M. (2017). Why Horror Seduces. Oxford University Press.

Feldman, R. (2012). Oxytocin and social affiliation in humans. Hormones and Behavior, 61(3), 380–391.

Green, M. C., & Brock, T. C. (2000). The role of transportation in the persuasiveness of public narratives. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 79(5), 701–721. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.79.5.701

Kerr, J. H. (2007). Motivation and Emotion in Sport: Reversal Theory. Routledge.

Mesquita, B., & Walker, R. (2003). Cultural differences in emotions: A context for interpreting emotional experiences. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 41(7), 777–793.

Young, L. J., & Wang, Z. (2004). The neurobiology of pair bonding. Nature Neuroscience, 7(10), 1048–1054.

Zuckerman, M. (2007). Sensation seeking and risky behavior. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.