Overview
- Studies from the Recreational Fear Lab at Aarhus University report that well-dosed fright can improve stress management and support emotional development.
- Lab co-director Mathias Clasen says horror audiences actively steer themselves toward an “optimal fear” level that maximizes enjoyment and reduces distress.
- Clasen and psychologist Coltan Scrivner describe three fan profiles—adrenaline seekers, fear seekers, and darkness confrontors—who pursue different benefits from scares.
- Psychiatrist Borwin Bandelow explains that horror triggers fear hormones alongside endorphin release, producing arousal and euphoria in a context perceived as safe, much like a roller coaster.
- Experts caution that benefits depend on dose, with event organizers even adding “monster-free” zones for children to keep fear within comfortable bounds.