How Horror Movies and True Crime Can Make You Happier

In this episode of The Happiness Lab, Dr. Laurie Santos interviews psychologist Coltan Scrivner about the psychology of morbid curiosity and why humans are drawn to things that scare or disgust them. Scrivner defines morbid curiosity as an interest in threatening or potentially dangerous things, both real and fictional, and explains how this curiosity may stem from a negativity or threat bias. They discuss how morbid curiosity is a fundamental part of human nature, with roots in predator inspection behavior seen in animals, and how it allows humans to learn about potential dangers in a safe way through stories, movies, and other forms of entertainment. Scrivner identifies four categories of morbid curiosity: the minds of dangerous people, violence itself, bodily injuries or body violations, and the supernatural or paranormal. They also explore how morbid curiosity can be a scapegoat and how scary play, like horror movies and haunted houses, can help people regulate their emotions and build resilience.