Horror fans aren’t cold and unfeeling – just listen to the science

Horror fans have been painted with the same broad, bloody brush for decades: labeled as cold, callous thrill-seekers who delight in the suffering of others. Film critics have described fans and film creators as Friday the 13th And Saw as “very sick people”. Even among academics, the dominant explanation for why some people like horror is that they lack empathy or are simply adrenaline junkies. In my new book, I argue that these assumptions are all wrong.

One of the most persistent misconceptions about horror fans is that they must lack empathy to be able to watch films with this much suffering. This claim is intuitive and, until recently, was ostensibly supported by evidence presented in a 2007 meta-analysis. But a meta-analysis is only as strong as the studies it summarizes. In this case, their variables were poorly defined. For example, the two studies with the strongest association with low empathy examined participants’ enjoyment of torture and short clips ending in brutal killings without a satisfying resolution. These metrics probably won’t tell you much about horror fans, but they might tell you something about sadists. The authors of the meta-analysis admitted deep in the discussion section that the link between empathy and enjoyment of horror disappeared when these studies were removed. Unfortunately, this warning has not become abstract.

In 2024, I published a series of studies that directly addressed the question of horror fandom and empathy. The results were striking. Using standardized assessments measuring empathy and compassion, I found no evidence that horror fans were lower on either measure. In fact, they performed better on empathy and compassion in some measures.

Even without empathy, the prevailing wisdom suggests that horror fans are simply looking for an adrenaline rush. Some older studies even show proof of this. But the truth is more complex.

When my colleagues and I examined horror fans’ motivations at haunted attractions, we found that “adrenaline junkies” represented only a subset of horror enthusiasts. We also discovered a group we call “white knuckles,” who find horror genuinely frightening and don’t like to be afraid. Our research suggests that horror offers these fans a chance to overcome their fears and learn something about themselves. We also found a group we call “dark cops,” who use horror as a way to process difficult emotions and experiences. They find a sense of catharsis in fictional fear. This three-type model reveals that many horror fans are not driven solely by adrenaline. But there is a common trait between them.

My research identified a personality trait called morbid curiosity as the strongest predictor of horror fandom. It is this tendency to seek information about dangerous, threatening or death-related phenomena that sparks a fascination with horror media. And it might be good for you. Studies show that people with higher levels of morbid curiosity are better prepared for real-life crises and demonstrate increased resilience during stressful life events. It would appear that horror fans practice emotional regulation when they play with their fears through scary entertainment.

The evidence paints a picture of empathetic, curious, and psychologically sophisticated horror fans. Horror is a testament to human adaptability and our remarkable ability to find meaning, connection, and even growth in the face of our deepest fears. Recognizing this not only helps us understand horror fans more accurately, but also illuminates something profound about human nature itself.

Coltan Scrivner is the author of Morbidly Curious: A Scientist Explains Why We Can’t Look Away