Why My Psychology Professor Assigned a Horror Movie as Homework (And What I Learned)
When my professor announced that our next psychology assignment involved watching a horror movie, the classroom erupted in a mix of nervous laughter and confused murmurs. “A horror film? For homework?” I thought. It felt more like a Friday night plan than academic work. But as I soon discovered, dissecting fear through the lens of a scary movie wasn’t just entertaining—it turned out to be one of the most revealing lessons about human behavior we’d tackled all semester.
The Science of Scares: Why Horror?
Horror movies are a goldmine for studying psychology. They deliberately trigger primal emotions—fear, anxiety, suspense—and manipulate our physiological responses (think racing hearts and sweaty palms). My professor explained that analyzing these reactions helps us understand how the brain processes threats, even simulated ones. For example, when a character in the film hears a creaking floorboard, our amygdala (the brain’s fear center) activates as if we’re in danger. This “fight-or-flight” response, while harmless in a movie context, mirrors how we react to real-life stressors.
We were tasked with tracking our own reactions during the film. I chose Hereditary, a slow-burn psychological horror flick. Halfway through, I noticed my breathing shallowen during tense scenes, and I’d clutch the couch pillows during jumpscares. Later, in class discussions, peers shared similar experiences: one guy admitted he muted the audio during gory scenes, while another confessed she’d texted friends for moral support. This exercise highlighted how differently people cope with fear—a lesson in individual stress responses and coping mechanisms.
The Art of Manipulation: Filmmaking Tricks and the Brain
Horror directors are basically psychologists in disguise. They use cinematic techniques—like eerie sound design, shaky camera angles, or sudden silences—to keep audiences on edge. For our assignment, we had to identify three techniques used in our chosen film and link them to psychological concepts.
Take lighting, for instance. Low-key lighting (think shadowy hallways or flickering lamps) creates uncertainty, tapping into our fear of the unknown. This ties into ambiguity theory, which suggests humans feel heightened anxiety in unpredictable situations. Similarly, dissonant music or screeching violins (like in Psycho’s infamous shower scene) exploit auditory startle reflexes, triggering instinctive panic.
The most fascinating takeaway? Even when we know a movie isn’t real, our brains and bodies react as if it were. This “suspension of disbelief” reveals how storytelling can override logic, making horror a powerful tool for studying cognitive dissonance and emotional regulation.
Fear as a Mirror: Cultural and Social Commentary
Not all scares are created equal. Our professor urged us to analyze what the film framed as terrifying and why. Horror often reflects societal anxieties—for example, zombie apocalypses symbolizing fear of pandemics (28 Days Later) or haunted houses representing unresolved trauma (The Haunting of Hill House).
My class had lively debates about Jordan Peele’s Get Out, which uses horror to critique racism. One student pointed out how the film’s “sunken place” metaphorizes the erasure of Black voices, while another linked the villain’s obsession with physical perfection to societal beauty standards. This exercise pushed us to see horror as more than cheap thrills—it’s a lens for dissecting cultural fears and power dynamics.
The Aftermath: Why We Enjoy Being Scared
Here’s the paradox: If horror movies make us so uncomfortable, why do we watch them? Our post-film discussion explored theories like excitation transfer (the adrenaline rush from fear can amplify positive emotions after the threat passes) and mood management (some people use controlled scares to cope with real-world anxiety).
Personally, I realized that finishing the film gave me a sense of accomplishment—like surviving a simulated danger. This “psychological resilience” effect, as my professor called it, suggests that engaging with fear in a safe space can build emotional grit.
Takeaways for Future Psych Students
If your psych professor assigns a horror movie, lean into the weirdness. Here’s how to make the most of it:
1. Track your body’s signals. Note when your heart races, when you look away, or when you laugh to defuse tension. These are clues about your personal fear responses.
2. Research the filmmaker’s intent. Many horror directors embed deeper themes. Look for interviews or essays about your film to uncover hidden messages.
3. Compare reactions with peers. Everyone processes fear differently. Discussing this can illuminate broader patterns in human behavior.
Oh, and maybe keep the lights on while you watch.
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