Newswise — The Halloween season marks the arrival of haunted houses, spooky hayrides and horror film marathons on television. These creepy attractions entertain — and usually frighten — their participants with simulated scenes of terror and panic. That’s why it might be surprising to learn that these fearsome experiences can actually be good for one’s health.
Saint Joseph’s University Assistant Professor of Psychology Alexander Skolnick, Ph.D., who studies emotion and health, says that the evolutionary benefits of fear, like threat avoidance and adaptability, are well-documented.
“Fear can be a very beneficial emotion,” says Skolnick. “When there are true threats, fear can help keep you safe. Those who respond to threats with fear as opposed to anger might be more likely to use defensive or evasive action to get away from the threat, and thus, remain unharmed.”
In addition, certain kinds of stress-evoking threats can be advantageous for people who respond adaptively to it. “If we can reassess a negative experience as something less unpleasant, the negative impact will be minimized,” says Skolnick.
Skolnick suggests that there is a difference between the “fun” fear sought by thrill-seekers in Halloween attractions and the terror felt when exposed to an actual threat.
“I suspect that the fear experienced when we are in true danger and that experienced in simulated danger, such as a Halloween haunted house, feels similar, although likely differs in intensity,” says Skolnick. “The ‘horror’ experienced when a person is expecting to be scared might be milder given the knowledge of the context, but it is still going to trigger the same fear response that an actual threat might.”
Skolnick adds that these faux but frightful experiences can be beneficial to the mental well-being of people of all ages.
“Fear-evoking situations may provide a way for children to learn about dangers, practice escape behaviors and learn the limits of one’s bravery,” says Skolnick. “Adults can profit from these scary attractions through emotional escapism — the act of being confronted with fear- or disgust-evoking experiences in a virtual way, and surviving the threat.
“It’s ironic, but being scared to death can be a life-affirming experience,” he adds.
Skolnick’s research interests include elucidating the relationship between positive affect and health, stress and coping, the pain-emotion nexus, and how health/medical knowledge affects health behavior. He can be reached for comment at [email protected], or by calling the Office of University Communications at 610-660-3240.
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