People Who Watch Horror Movies Usually Develop 4 Rare Traits Of High Intelligence

The list

1. 01

   They have an enhanced ability to cope with fear and anxiety

   Clasen's 2012 paper; watching bad character choices trains fear management, resilience, adaptability, problem-solving.

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2. 02

   They have improved cognitive function and less stress

   UC Irvine studied nine viewers' neurons; amygdala and hippocampus signal; dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin, endorphins released after scares; like exposure therapy.

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3. 03

   They are more likely to reflect on their beliefs and values

   Horror themes of death, evil, society, fragility; happy endings inspire; builds self-understanding and personal growth.

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4. 04

   They are better at processing trauma and grief

   Safe desensitization to fears and phobias; brain chemistry plus relatable protagonist coping trauma; gives relief and escapism.

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Facts from the original

• A 2012 research paper in the Review of General Psychology by Mathias Clasen, associate professor of literature and media at Aarhus University, argues that repetitive horror themes train viewers' minds.
• Watching horror lets viewers learn what not to do in scary scenarios and apply those strategies to real life.
• Sitting through fear in a controlled, fictional environment improves real-world fear and anxiety management and builds resilience, adaptability, and problem-solving skills.
• Researchers at the University of California, Irvine recorded the neuronal activity of nine people while they watched horror movie scenes.
• Horror viewing activates the fight-or-flight response, with the amygdala and hippocampus in the center of the brain exchanging signals.
• Jump scares create an adrenaline rush similar to a real fearful event, after which the brain releases dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin, and endorphins, producing pleasure and relief.
• Those chemicals improve cognitive function and sharpen the senses, which can help in a potentially life-threatening situation.
• Horror movies commonly weave in themes of humanity, society, death's inevitability, the existence of evil, and life's fragility, prompting reflection on values.
• Happy endings, such as a protagonist surviving or good conquering evil, leave an inspiring feeling viewers can recall during their own challenges.
• Exposure to fictional horror can work therapeutically for trauma or grief by desensitizing viewers in a comfortable setting.
• The brain's chemical release combined with watching a relatable protagonist cope with loss helps viewers understand how to handle personal trauma, offering relief and escapism.
• Not every horror film offers the same experience, and some content can provoke unwanted triggers, so viewers should be mindful.
• The author, a self-described horror fan, has watched films that left her with an unshakable eeriness for days.