Tension - Generated by suspense, mystery, terror, shock and gore.
Relevance - The horror film may relate to personal relevance, cultural meaningfulness, the fear of death, etc.
Unrealism -The fictional nature of horror films affords viewers a sense of control by placing psychological distance between them and the violent acts they have witnessed.
Dr. Carl Jung believed horror films “tapped into primordial archetypes buried deep in our collective subconscious – images like shadow and mother play important role in the horror genre”.
Horror films are watched as a way of purging negative emotions and/or as a way to reli...
Gore watchers typically have low empathy, high sensation seeking, and a strong identification with the killer.
Thrill watchers typically have both high empathy and sensation seeking;they identify themselves more with the victims and like the suspense of the film.