There is something almost ritualistic about turning off the lights, curling up on the couch with friends and pressing play on a horror movie. Within minutes, the soundtrack drops to an eerie hum, the shadows lengthen and you almost feel like you are there too. There is a familiar tightening in your chest. You know you are safe in your apartment or dorm, yet your body does not. Fear takes over.
Most of us do not think of horror movies as educational. We might watch “The Conjuring” on a Friday night, head to a late showing of whatever horror movie is playing at the theater or watch “Get Out” in a friend’s apartment, but not because we expect to learn anything from them. That is the mistake. Horror movies, often dismissed as cheap thrills, are actually lessons in how humans experience, process and overcome fear.
Researchers studying the psychology of horror have found that the fear we feel during a scary movie is not “fake” to our brains. The same systems that respond to real danger light up when we experience cinematic fear.
A study published by the University of Turku claims that the most important parallels are the brain’s control of the physiological stress response. This may lead to “mixing” of two emotions, and fear may be experienced as excitement.
In other words, when you scream during “Hereditary” or hide behind your blanket during “A Quiet Place,” your body is rehearsing for danger. You are not just watching fear, you are training it.
That “training” matters. The same research article explains how horror films act as controlled simulations of danger. They let us face fear in a safe environment, the same way a flight simulator helps pilots practice emergencies without the risk of crashing.
It does not stop there. The Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley found that people who enjoy scary movies often develop stronger coping mechanisms when facing real-world fears. Because they have repeatedly experienced and managed controlled fear, they are better equipped to handle unpredictable stress.
For college students, that lesson feels personal. Fear is a part of the college experience. Students often face fears of failure, not fitting in and the future. Whether you are presenting in a packed classroom in McCool or walking home alone after a late shift at an on-campus job, fear appears. Horror movies let us experiment with those feelings safely. They remind us that fear is not a weakness to hide from, it is a signal to understand.
One of horror’s most fascinating traits is that it evolves alongside society’s anxieties. With a diverse background in english, cultural and film studies, Arizona State University professor Michelle Martinez talked about how horror movies reflect the real world.
“Horror films tend to have their finger on the pulse of what society is fearful or anxious about at the time they’re made,” Martinez said. “Moral and social panics often show up in horror films as monsters or as metaphors.”
Martinez gave many examples of this. “The Exorcist” (1973) and “Carrie” (1976) came out soon after the Roe v. Wade U.S. Supreme Court decision legalized abortion. The two films discuss anxiety tailored to the female body.
“Both films center the male gaze on girls in their stages of puberty and project a monstrous cautionary tale on the potential of women’s power,” Martinez said.
So when you are watching “Midsommar” and noticing its commentary on cult mentality or “The Purge’s” reflection of societal violence, you are not just being entertained, you are witnessing cultural psychology at work. Horror forces us to look at the monsters on the outside and inside of us.
From late-night walks through the Junction to the nerves of final exam week, fear follows us everywhere. What horror movies do is remind us that fear does not mean we are powerless; it means we are alive and aware.
Horror movies are underrated because they teach us something about ourselves and the world around us. They teach that fear is not our enemy, but our guide. When we confront fear, whether it is through a haunted house or a notification that something has been graded in Canvas, we practice courage.
So next time you are scrolling through Netflix, do not skip over the scary stuff. Embrace it. You might just leave the movie a little more fearless.
