It’s Halloween tomorrow, so how about a little primer about fear? Research from the “Recreational Fear Lab” (no kidding) in Denmark suggests that “recreational fear” may be good for us.
Their studies suggest “that recreational fear is a form of play behavior, which is widespread in the animal kingdom and ubiquitous among humans. When an organism plays, it learns important skills and develops strategies for survival. Playfighting kittens train their ability to hold their own in a hostile encounter, but with little risk and low cost, compared to the real thing. Same with humans.”
Our attraction to horror movies, roller coasters, the annual “Halloween haunted houses” Stephen King novels and other deliberate attempts to scare ourselves silly appear to have some psychological benefits. “For instance, one study… found that people who watch many horror movies exhibited better psychological resilience during the first Covid-19 lockdown than people who stay away from scary movies” (see more on “resilience” below).
This is one of the more provocative articles I’ve read on self-management. Take a few minutes to explore the question “Can Experiencing Horror Help Your Brain?”
