University of Brighton explains why we love being scared at Halloween?

Tuesday, 27 October 2026 at 12:00

By Philip Keeler

As Halloween approaches, many people will be watching horror films or visiting scare attractions. But why do we choose to frighten ourselves?

Dr Gemma Graham, Principal Lecturer in Forensic Psychology and Head of the Department of Psychology and Sport Science at the University of Brighton, says the brain’s amygdala helps process potential threats and trigger the body’s alarm response.

“A key player is the amygdala, which helps us process potential threats and trigger our body’s alarm response,” she said. “What’s really interesting is that this can happen before we’ve consciously worked out whether something is actually dangerous.”

The body can respond strongly even when someone knows they are safe. Heart rate and breathing change, muscles tense and alertness increases as part of the fight, flight or freeze response.

Dr Graham said people’s reactions to horror vary according to their personalities, past experiences and how they interpret the physical sensations of fear. Some enjoy the excitement and adrenaline, while others find them unpleasant.

Part of the appeal, she said, is experiencing fear in a setting where there is no real danger. The anticipation and tension can be part of the enjoyment, while sharing a scare with friends can bring people together.

“Sharing a frightening experience, grabbing someone’s arm during a jump scare and laughing about it afterwards can bring people together,” she said.

Experiencing fear in a safe, controlled environment may also help people understand how they respond to uncomfortable feelings. Dr Graham said it can show that expectations are not always accurate and that people may be more capable of managing discomfort than they think.

She stressed that watching a horror film is not the same as exposure therapy, which involves carefully managed encounters with feared situations.

Dr Graham said fear is a normal human response and not a sign of weakness. “Fear is a normal human response that serves a really important purpose, even when it gets things wrong.”

She added that fear can both help protect people from danger and be something they choose to experience for enjoyment.

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