Horror fans worried less and slept better in early COVID
A psychologist found self described horror fans were more resilient in the first months of the pandemic, even after accounting for age, income, and personality.
Hidden Brain · Murder MysteryPeople who loved horror movies reported less anxiety, sleeplessness, insomnia, and depression during the first months of the COVID pandemic than those who did not like horror.
Psychologist Colton Scrivener recruited a couple hundred people online when laboratories were closed, and compared fans with nonfans.
The gap held up even after he accounted for Big Five personality traits, age, income, and sex. Horror viewing was still linked to greater resilience to pandemic stress.
In a separate measure from horror fandom, those ranking high for morbid curiosity, a curiosity about threats and danger, also stayed optimistic about getting through it.
Questions people ask
Did the study prove horror movies cause resilience?
No. It was an online survey taken at one point in time, so it shows a link, not cause and effect. The researchers controlled for personality, age, income, and sex, but horror fans could still differ in other ways that help explain the result.
Why would watching something scary make people calmer?
One theory is that horror gives free floating anxiety a clear object and an ending. You choose when to watch, you can pause or look away, and when the movie ends after about 90 minutes, your body can relax.
How was someone counted as a horror fan?
Fans were those who said they watched and enjoyed more horror; they were compared with those who said they did not. The ratings covered scary movies, books, and related entertainment reported online.