Psychologist reveals why we like to feel scared – and what it says about our personalities if we take it to the extreme

FROM rollercoasters and extreme sports to scary films and haunted houses, many of us love to feel fear.

Our heartbeats quicken, palms sweat, muscles tense, spines shiver, stomachs churn and skin prickles – and yet for some reason we enjoy it.

GettyFrom rollercoasters to scary films – many of us love to be scared[/caption]

Some of the longest-running TV shows are about terrifying serial killers, and millions of people flock to theme parks to be flung upside down and dangled mid-air.

Why is that? Well, according to psychologist Malcolm Schofield, it’s all down to evolution, biology and society.

He said our biological response to the feeling of fear – known as fight or flight – has evolved instinctively over thousands of years with the purpose of preparing us for life-threatening situations.

While historically these might have been sabre-toothed tigers, nowadays the threats are considerably less – but our biological response still exists.

There is also an argument that pop culture has conditioned us to think we need to face danger to appear strong.

And then there’s the rush of adrenaline we experience when we’re panicked, which can be highly addictive.

Those things combined have meant that standing in the face of fear and coming away from the event unscathed brings us and our minds a great sense of pleasure – at least for some of us anyway.

By watching a horror film or entering a haunted house, we are tapping into deeply ingrained human instincts and conquering the fear in front of us.

This subsequently prompts the brain to release feel-good emotions as a way of rewarding us for surviving.

But enjoying danger too much – particularly when it’s real – could point to psychopathy and extreme risk-taking behaviour.

Fear with a safety net is okay, but if you are running into potentially deadly situations to feel scared, it could indicate something darker, Dr Schofield, a lecturer at the University of Derby, said.

Here, he delves further into the science behind fearfulness – and what enjoying too much can reveal about our personalities and mental states.

Why we enjoy being scared

Dr Schofield, who specialises in paranormal belief, religious belief and spirituality, said there are several reasons, but it all depends on how ‘real’ a situation is as to our level of enjoyment.

“Watching a horror film is scary, but you are not in danger,” he said.

“If you are doing an extreme sport, like skydiving, there is more danger involved, but again, if everything is safe, the likelihood is that you’ll be okay and so it’s still enjoyable.

“But in an unpredictable, dangerous situation that comes out of nowhere, the fear you experience is less desirable.”

The science behind it

It’s three-fold – evolutionary, biological and societal, according to the expert.

“From an evolutionary perspective, we are hard-wired to seek out fear because we have evolved to feel it,” Dr Schofield said.

“Our ancestors who did not feel fear were more likely to get eaten by tigers and not pass their genes on.

“Another theory is biological and that fear gives us an adrenaline rush that can be addictive.

“And a more social-based theory is that the media and our families socialise us into thinking that facing fear is a sign of strength

“If the fear is not real, engaging in it gives us an element of control, and this may make up for the lack of control we have in our own lives.”

Some people hate it

The most likely explanation for people not liking being terrified is simply their personality type, Dr Schofield said.

“If a person is quite anxious and neurotic, they may not enjoy being scared,” he added.

“Their anxiety may even rise to a level that is unpleasant.

“Watching a horror film, for example, could ‘overload’ them, so it is kind of the opposite of the person who enjoys them.”

On the flip-side, there are those who can’t get enough of bungee jumping, ghost-hunting and swimming with sharks.

These people tend to be open, less neurotic and generally more laid back.

Dr Schofield said: “They enjoy horror films and tend to be risk-takers and sensation-seekers so they enjoy activities like skydiving.”

While there is no demographic – these people aren’t all young men who love slot machines – there are some common themes.

“If you like to gamble or participate in extreme sports, you fall into the ‘enjoy fear’ category because if you like fear and are a sensation-seeker, you will seek out that kind of activity.”

And it can go too far

Studies have shown that exposure to challenging situations early in life can lower anxiety levels in adulthood.

“So, enjoying fear neither indicates a healthy mindset nor does it indicate any problems,” Dr Schofield said.

“Watching a horror film with friends can be comforting and lead to social bonding – you’re all experiencing the fear together.”

But too much of something is generally pretty bad for us – and the same goes for fear.

“You can certainly enjoy it too much,” Dr Schofield said.

“In the case of extreme sports, of course, you might get injured.

“As with any risk-taking behaviour, there are always downsides.

“If you are an anxious person and you watch a horror film, it could lead to sleepless nights.

“And if what you do leads to you or others around you getting hurt, it could indicate a problem.

“One extreme version of this is ‘disaster tourism’, where people might visit the site of a disaster which could be dangerous, such as Chernobyl.

“Know your limits!”

Constantly participating in frightening or extremely risky activities could also suggest you have psychopathic tendencies.

Psychopathy is a severe personality disorder characterised by a lack of empathy, impulsivity, manipulation and recklessness.

CEOs and successful business people tend to fall into this category, as do some calculated criminals.

But it’s not all bad

Thankfully though, for most people, a bit of Halloween-themed fun is safe and normal.

Dr Schofield said: “The most common way is by watching horror films or scary TV shows, and of course, now, frightening video games.

“These are very safe ways of being scared.

“The fear we enjoy in a safe space can be cathartic and a good stress reliever, particularly when watching a horror film.

“Tension can build, and then there is a big ‘jump scare’ which relieves the tension.”

And even as things become more immersive and realistic, they remain relatively risk-free.

“In the Victorian era it was Penny Dreadfuls and books about horror, for example, but with the advent of horror films such as Nosferatu and video games such as Resident Evil nearly 80 years afterwards, these more realistic fears push the boundaries further, making them more appealing for thrill-seekers.

“With the introduction of virtual reality as a mainstream technology in recent years, we’re likely to see even more realistic and immersive fear-seeking experiences, but these are still very safe.”