Why is being scared so fun? - Margee Kerr

Summary

The script explores the paradoxical enjoyment of fear, explaining how the body's fight or flight response can lead to a natural high similar to excitement or happiness. It delves into the thrill-seeking tendencies, the boost in self-esteem from overcoming fears, and the social bonding that fear can facilitate. The script also touches on the evolutionary benefits of fear and how it enhances memory, making the experience of being scared both exhilarating and memorable.

Takeaways

• 🎢 People enjoy being scared because it triggers a fight or flight response, releasing chemicals that can make us feel energized and pain-free.
• 🧠 The fear response is similar to the high-arousal states we experience during excitement or happiness, but the context determines whether we perceive it as fun or dangerous.
• 🤯 The body's response to a perceived threat can lead to a euphoric state, which can be relabelled as enjoyment when the threat is not real.
• 🧪 Research shows individual differences in how people's bodies react to fear, influencing who is more prone to thrill-seeking.
• 🎢 Some people enjoy specific sensations like dizziness or the feeling of a stomach drop, which can be attributed to physical differences.
• 🏆 Overcoming fear can boost self-esteem, as it provides a sense of accomplishment, even if the threat is not real.
• 🧬 From an evolutionary perspective, the ability to push through fear when appropriate was beneficial for survival and exploration.
• 🤝 Fear can be a social experience, bringing people together as emotions are contagious and shared experiences strengthen bonds.
• 🧠 The brain processes fear in a way that makes us empathize with others' experiences, enhancing our own emotional responses.
• 💖 The hormone oxytocin, released during fear, contributes to feelings of closeness and bonding with others during scary experiences.

Q & A

Why do people enjoy being scared, such as visiting haunted houses or watching horror movies?

People enjoy being scared because the fear response triggers the body's fight or flight mechanism, which releases chemicals that can make us feel energized and pain-free, similar to positive, high-arousal states like excitement and happiness.

How does the body respond to a perceived threat, and how does this relate to the enjoyment of fear?

When a threat is perceived, the body releases chemicals that prepare it for danger by ensuring we have enough energy and are protected from pain while shutting down nonessential systems. This response is similar to the natural high of being scared, which can be enjoyable when the threat is not real.

What is the difference between the body's response to real danger and the response to a thrilling experience like a roller coaster?

In real danger, the focus is on survival, whereas on a roller coaster, the high arousal response is triggered in a safe environment, allowing individuals to enjoy the natural high without the need for survival.

Why do some people seek thrills more than others?

Research shows that differences in how the chemicals associated with the threat response work in individuals can explain why some are more prone to thrill-seeking than others.

How can fear activities boost self-esteem?

Overcoming fear in a controlled environment, like completing a challenge, provides a sense of accomplishment and boosts self-esteem, even if the threat is not real.

What evolutionary benefits might be associated with the ability to push through fear?

An evolutionary adaptation that rewards those with the right balance of bravery and wit to push through fear when appropriate would have led to survival, access to new resources, and exploration of new lands.

How does fear bring people together, and what role does the hormone oxytocin play in this?

Fear can be contagious, and the hormone oxytocin, released during the fight or flight response, aids in creating a sense of closeness and bonding among individuals who experience fear together.

Why are memories of fear-inducing experiences often strong and vivid?

Strong emotional experiences, like fear, are stored well in our memory because the brain wants to remember what can hurt us. This makes the memories of fear-inducing activities, especially if positive, more likely to be recalled and repeated.

What is the role of context in determining whether fear is enjoyable or not?

The context in which fear is experienced is crucial; in a safe, controlled environment, like a haunted house or a movie, fear can be enjoyable. However, in real danger, the focus shifts to survival rather than enjoyment.

Why might some people enjoy certain fear-inducing sensations, like dizziness from a roller coaster, while others do not?

Individual physical differences and personal preferences play a role in determining which fear-inducing sensations are enjoyable. Some may love the dizziness from a loop-de-loop, while others may prefer different types of thrills.

How does the brain process the experience of watching someone else react to fear, and how does this relate to our own emotional experience?

When we see a friend react to fear, the same parts of our brain that would be active if we were experiencing the fear ourselves become active. This helps us empathize and feel closer to the person, intensifying our own emotional experience.

Outlines

00:00

🎢 The Paradoxical Pleasure of Fear

This paragraph explores the seemingly contradictory concept of seeking out fear for enjoyment, such as in haunted houses or roller coasters. It explains that fear, despite its negative connotations, can be pleasurable due to the body's fight or flight response. This response releases chemicals that prepare the body for danger, providing a surge of energy and pain suppression while reducing non-essential functions like critical thought. The paragraph suggests that this physiological state is akin to those experienced during positive, high-arousal emotions like excitement and happiness, but the context of fear makes it unique. The safe environment of a haunted house or amusement park ride allows individuals to reframe the fear response as enjoyable, leading to a natural high.

Keywords

💡Fear

Fear is an emotional response to perceived threats or danger, which triggers the body's fight or flight response. In the context of the video, fear is discussed as a complex emotion that, while often associated with negative experiences, can also lead to positive outcomes such as excitement and a sense of accomplishment. The video explains that fear can be enjoyable when experienced in a controlled, safe environment, like a haunted house or a roller coaster, where the threat is perceived but not real.

💡Fight or Flight Response

The fight or flight response is a physiological reaction that occurs in response to a perceived harmful event, attack, or threat to survival. The video script explains how this response prepares the body for action by releasing chemicals that increase energy and reduce the sensation of pain, which can be enjoyable. It's noted that this response is similar to what is experienced during positive, high-arousal states, but the context determines whether the experience is perceived as fun or survival.

💡Chemicals

Chemicals, specifically neurotransmitters and hormones, play a crucial role in the body's response to fear. The video mentions that the release of these chemicals during the fight or flight response can lead to a euphoric state, which can be repurposed as enjoyment when the threat is not real. This concept is central to understanding why people seek out fear-inducing experiences for entertainment.

💡High-Arousal States

High-arousal states refer to the heightened state of physiological or emotional activation. The video script uses this term to describe the intense emotional and physiological experiences that can be associated with both fear and positive emotions like excitement and happiness. The video suggests that the body's response to fear can be similar to these positive states, which is why people might seek out thrilling experiences.

💡Thrill-Seeking

Thrill-seeking is the act of seeking out activities that are exciting and novel, often involving a certain level of risk or fear. The video discusses how some individuals are more prone to thrill-seeking due to differences in how their bodies respond to the chemicals associated with the threat response. This behavior is linked to the enjoyment of fear and the natural high it can provide.

💡Self-Esteem

Self-esteem refers to an individual's overall sense of self-worth or personal value. The video script explains that doing things that we're afraid of can give us a boost of self-esteem because it involves overcoming a personal challenge. The sense of accomplishment that comes from facing and overcoming fear, even if it's in a controlled environment, contributes to a positive self-image.

💡Evolutionary Adaptation

Evolutionary adaptation refers to the process by which species develop traits that are better suited to their environment, increasing their chances of survival and reproduction. The video suggests that the ability to balance bravery and wit, to push through fear when appropriate, was an adaptive trait that helped our ancestors survive, find food, and explore new territories.

💡Emotions Contagious

The concept of emotions being contagious means that the emotions of one person can influence the emotions of others around them. The video script explains that when we see others experiencing fear or excitement, such as screaming or laughing, we are compelled to mirror those emotions, which can intensify our own experience and bring us closer to the people we are with.

💡Oxytocin

Oxytocin is a hormone that plays a role in social bonding, trust, and reduction of stress. The video mentions oxytocin in the context of fear, explaining that it is released during the fight or flight response and can contribute to feelings of closeness and bonding with others when experiencing fear together.

💡Memory

Memory refers to the process by which information is encoded, stored, and retrieved. The video script discusses how strong emotional experiences, like fear, are well-remembered because they trigger a strong reaction. Positive memories of fear-inducing experiences, such as watching a horror movie with friends, can lead to a desire to repeat those experiences due to the satisfaction and bonding they provide.

Highlights

People enjoy the sensation of fear, with 28 million visiting haunted houses in the U.S. in October 2015 alone.

Fear can trigger a fight or flight response, releasing chemicals that prepare the body for danger.

The fight or flight response can lead to a state of heightened energy and painlessness, similar to positive emotions.

In a safe environment, the high arousal response can be repurposed for enjoyment, such as on roller coasters.

Individual differences in chemical responses to fear can explain varying levels of thrill-seeking behavior.

Physical differences can lead to preferences for certain types of fear-inducing activities, like roller coasters or haunted houses.

Overcoming fear can boost self-esteem and provide a sense of accomplishment, even when the threat is not real.

Fear can be a social experience, with emotions being contagious and shared among groups.

The brain's mirroring of a friend's fear response can intensify personal emotions and foster a sense of closeness.

The hormone oxytocin, released during fight or flight, can enhance feelings of closeness during fearful experiences.

Fearful experiences are often memorable, leading to a desire to repeat enjoyable fear-inducing activities.

Fear can serve as a powerful bonding mechanism, bringing people together through shared emotional experiences.

The evolutionary advantage of fear includes survival benefits for those who could manage fear effectively.

Fear can be a complex emotional state, with both physiological and psychological components.

The context in which fear is experienced can greatly influence whether it is perceived as enjoyable or threatening.

The relabeling of a fearful experience as enjoyable can occur rapidly, as seen on roller coasters.

Fear can serve as a catalyst for personal growth and self-discovery, pushing individuals to confront and overcome challenges.

Transcripts

Somewhere right now, people are lining up to scare themselves,

maybe with a thrill ride or horror movie.

In fact, in October of 2015 alone,

about 28 million people visited a haunted house in the U.S.

But many consider this behavior perplexing,

asking the question,

"What could possibly be fun about being scared?"

Fear has a bad rap, but it's not all bad.

For starters, fear can actually feel pretty good.

When a threat triggers our fight or flight response,

our bodies prepare for danger

by releasing chemicals that change how our brains and bodies function.

This automatic response jumpstarts systems that can aid in survival.

They do this by making sure we have enough energy

and are protected from feeling pain,

while shutting down nonessential systems, like critical thought.

Feeling pain-free and energized,

while not getting caught up in worrisome thoughts that normally occupy our brains,

that all sounds great,

and it can be because this response is similar, though not exactly the same

to what we experience in positive, high-arousal states,

like excitement, happiness, and even during sex.

The difference lays in the context.

If we're in real danger, we're focused on survival, not fun.

But when we trigger this high arousal response in a safe place,

we can switch over to enjoying the natural high of being scared.

It's why people on roller coasters can go from screaming to laughing within moments.

Your body is already in a euphoric state.

You're just relabeling the experience.

And though the threat response is universal,

research shows differences between individuals

in how the chemicals associated with the threat response work.

This explains why some are more prone to thrill-seeking than others.

Other normal physical differences explain

why some may love the dizziness associated with a loop-de-loop,

while loathing the stomach-drop sensation of a steep roller coaster,

or why some squeal with delight inside a haunted house,

but retreat in terror if taken to an actual cemetery.

Fear brings more than just a fun, natural high.

Doing things that we're afraid of can give us a nice boost of self-esteem.

Like any personal challenge,

whether it's running a race or finishing a long book,

when we make it through to the end,

we feel a sense of accomplishment.

This is true even if we know we're not really in any danger.

Our thinking brains may know the zombies aren't real,

but our bodies tell us otherwise.

The fear feels real,

so when we make it through alive,

the satisfaction and sense of accomplishment also feel real.

This is a great evolutionary adaptation.

Those who had the right balance of bravery and wit

to know when to push through the fear and when to retreat

were rewarded with survival,

new food,

and new lands.

Finally, fear can bring people together.

Emotions can be contagious,

and when you see your friend scream and laugh,

you feel compelled to do the same.

This is because we make sense of what our friends are experiencing

by recreating the experience ourselves.

In fact, the parts of the brain that are active when our friend screams

are active in us when we watch them.

This not only intensifies our own emotional experience,

but makes us feel closer to those we're with.

The feeling of closeness during times of fear

is aided by the hormone oxytocin released during fight or flight.

Fear is a powerful emotional experience,

and anything that triggers a strong reaction

is going to be stored in our memory really well.

You don't want to forget what can hurt you.

So if your memory of watching a horror film with your friends is positive

and left you with a sense of satisfaction,

then you'll want to do it over and over again.