Average comprehensive school №22
Syktyvkar
RESEARCH
The influence of horror films on the psyche of teenagers
Completed by: 8th grade students
Burtsev M., Chokinyuk P., Melekhova V.,
Scientific adviser:
Teacher-psychologist V.I. Zhdanova
Syktyvkar, 2014
Introduction
Chapter 1. Theoretical aspects problems of the influence of horror films on the psyche of adolescents
1 The concept of “horror film”
2 The influence of horror films on the human psyche
Chapter 2. Experimental work on the problem of the influence of horror films on the psyche of adolescents
1 Selection and justification of research stages
2 Analysis of the studies carried out
Conclusion
Application
Introduction
IN Lately increased attention to the peculiarities of the impact of the media on the younger generation. The media are not only a source of information or one of many entertainments, with enormous potential for influencing a child’s personality, psyche and behavior. In this regard, the fact about the peculiarities of the influence of the media on the audience became interesting.
Films that depict violent and frightening behavior attract particular attention. It has been established that showing scenes of violence on television causes a significant increase in the aggressiveness of viewers.
Among the films that cause the most concern are “horror films” that include bloody scenes in their plots, frightening or disgusting characters - zombies, demons, etc.
Many works have been devoted to the study of the content of horror films in Europe and the USA. Some authors pay attention to the content of films from the point of view of the characters present in them and also create classifications of the monsters shown in such films. Others pay more attention to the cultural and historical aspects of the emergence of such films. Still others explore how the very perception of violent scenes affects children, adolescents and young adults.
All of these areas of research consider viewers as passive objects of influence from films. It is quite obvious that the audience that shows great interest in horror films is not only observers of what is happening on the screen. There is something that internally determines the choice of films of a particular genre, the peculiarities of the perception of characters and plots, the behavior of viewers during viewing and, to a greater extent, the degree of influence that what they see has on them.
A lot of literature has been written about the influence of horror films on a person, but in order to identify what influence they have, it is first necessary to identify: why do people choose this genre?
The purpose of our research is to identify the reasons for choosing the “horror” genre and determine their influence on the psyche of adolescents.
The object of the study is the interest of the target audience in horror films as a socio-psychological phenomenon.
The subject of the study was the psychological consequences of teenagers showing interest in horror films.
The purpose and subject determined the following research objectives:
.To study the characteristics of teenagers' interest in horror films. 2.Identify the target audience of horror films .Determine the motivation for watching films of this genre .Monitor your reaction while watching a horror movie. We used such research methods as studying and analyzing literature on the problem under study, collecting and analyzing material, and questioning. Chapter 1. Theoretical aspects of the problem of the influence of horror films on the psyche of adolescents
1.1
The concept of "horror film"
Horror is a genre of feature film. Horror films include films that are designed to frighten the viewer, instill a feeling of anxiety and fear, create a tense atmosphere of horror or painful anticipation of something terrible. By and large, horror films are designed to frighten, to evoke the fears hidden within us, often with a shocking ending. They effectively focus on the dark side of human life, strange and disturbing feelings. Horror films reveal the primal nature of man, primal fears: vulnerability, fear of the unknown, fear of death. The darkest, most primitive aspects that simultaneously attract and repulse us are contained in this genre. Fear is the main emotion that a person experiences when watching horror films. It is necessary to define the concept of fear in order to identify the reason for such a passionate desire to constantly experience it. Søren Kierkegaard in his book “The Concept of Fear” gives the following concept of fear: “Fear is “sympathetic antipathy and antipathetic sympathy,” this is a feeling that takes possession of a person when a guess arises in him about the existence of a certain force with completely unknown capabilities.” IN Explanatory dictionary living Great Russian language V. Dahl interprets the concept of “fear” as “fear, timidity, strong apprehension, an anxious state of mind from fright, from a threatening or imaginary disaster...” encyclopedic Dictionary medical terms interprets the concept of “fear” as follows: “Phobia is an obsessive state in the form of an irresistible fear of certain objects, movements, actions, deeds, situations.” In other words, fear is the stress that the body experiences when there is a (real or imagined) danger threatening it. For example, the need for security in children is manifested in their craving for constancy, for ordering. Everyday life. Abraham Maslow also points out that the average adult representative of our culture strives to live in a safe, stable, organized world, in a world where once and for all established rules and orders apply, where dangerous surprises, disorder and chaos are excluded. Thus, the question arose about the need for security and connection with the manifestation of interest in horror films, which should frighten, intimidate, and prevent the satisfaction of these needs. In order to violate basic needs and intentionally experience stress, there must be motivation for such actions. Motivation is the relationship between human behavior and the reasons that determine this behavior; a set of psychological phenomena that reflect the presence in the human psyche of a certain readiness that guides the achievement of a goal. Motivation is closely related to human needs and is always accompanied by experiences, positive or negative emotions. The motives of each person are individual, but the motivation for watching horror films is great, as evidenced by the great popularity of this genre, but the goals that people pursue when watching these films are different. Alfred Hitchcock put it: “I have heard that for a long time I have been considered a real monster because I talk about crimes. Meanwhile, you can hardly find a person who would be more afraid of all this in life than me.” Considering the director’s difficult childhood, it can be assumed that while making horror films, he experienced his fears by “embodying” them in cinema, that is, he used cinema to overcome phobias. Perhaps in this context it is worth considering the desire to watch films of this genre, namely: people watch horror films to overcome their own phobias. You can look at the problem from the other side: a person who sees horror films on the screen satisfies the need for violence, historical roots which can be traced in the article by A.P. Nazaretyan “Violence in the Media: Today and Tomorrow”, where the author also talks about how violence does not increase, but is sublimated from the physical to the symbolic and virtual spheres, and modern media play a significant role in the development of this trend. From this article we can conclude that people have long used violence as a method of education, using brute physical force. With the development of technology, our society has become more humane, seeing violence only in virtual reality, television, and newspapers. Consequently, films containing scenes of violence and horror have the beneficial goal of humanizing society, embodying the aggressive needs of man in an unrealistic environment. 1.2 The influence of horror films on the human psyche
To determine what impact watching horror films has on a person, it is necessary to consider different views on this problem. Scientists' opinions fall into two expected types: negative and positive. As an example of the positive impact of horror films, the following article is offered: “...high-quality horror films are good training for human nerves. The leader of the study, Professor David Rudd, argues that when watching horror films we get a kind of pleasure, since our brain adequately assesses the reality of the threat. Realizing that in reality there is no danger, the viewer experiences an exciting sensation from the release of adrenaline. Professor Rudd also argues that repeating a similar fear over and over again creates a certain “habit” in the brain, and it stops responding to it as a threat. According to the Texas scientist, this fact can provide indispensable assistance in the treatment of phobias and other mental disorders.” But there are other facts confirming the negative effects of watching horror films on a physiological level. For example, consider the following article: “Biochemists at the University of Washington have discovered that watching violent action and horror films triggers the body’s self-destruction program. According to scientists, such pictures have a detrimental effect not only on the psyche, but also on human physiology. During the experiment, a group of volunteers was asked to watch several films - a melodrama, a documentary and a brutal action film. After each film screening, a blood test was taken from the participants. According to his results, the melodrama and the documentary had no effect on the composition of the blood, while the action movie made the blood of the subjects “boil.” The subjects showed increased production of antibodies. These cells are usually produced in response to a virus or infection entering the body. However, sometimes antibodies can attack healthy cells in the body, which further leads to damage and destruction of normal tissue. Scientists explain this destructive behavior of the body by the fact that strong fear and internal tension of a person when watching a film full of cruelty are a signal of danger for the body. But since a person does not try to stop this stress and react in accordance with the natural self-preservation program, the body believes that the stress factor is inside. Antibodies are sent to search for the internal enemy, which begins to destroy healthy cells of the body.” Let's also consider an article from Rossiyskaya Gazeta, in which the director of the State Scientific Center for Social and Forensic Psychiatry named after V.P. Serbsky tells us about the true influence of horror films: “...Unfortunately, not only films, but also life around is such that a child sees too many horrors not only on TV. As he grows up, he turns from a victim of violence to a criminal. After all, he adopted this standard of behavior from his stepfather, mother or mentors at school. Films, of course, play not the first but important role here. One of the worst crimes we examined involved vampire movies, which in my opinion cause the most harm. 14-year-old boys committed the murder of their classmate: they lured her into the forest, forced her to dig her own grave, cut her throat and drank her warm blood. This is all taken from the film. And the examination showed that they were all mentally healthy and sane. Moreover, one of them - the leader - was more interested in films about vampires than the others, and forced the rest - the followers - to drink blood. They choked, but could not help but do so. After all, the law of the pack is a specificity of adolescence.” Based on the foregoing, we can conclude that horror films influence a person at the physiological and psychological level, and are both negative and positive character. Namely, because of watching films, uncontrollable reactions occur that affect a person’s mental state, his behavior, and his actions. In addition, experiencing emotions of fear, horror, and anxiety together with the characters in the film, he has the opportunity to overcome them, “rise” above them, “subdue” them and cope with his fear. In other words, the situation of watching a film creates comfortable conditions for the viewer: the events on the screen cannot cause real harm, create a real threat, no matter how frightening they may be. The viewer is in a situation of complete safety. Comfortable conditions when watching a movie, absolute protection from danger - the tip of the iceberg. In reality, our body reacts to an unreal danger as realistically as possible, which has a detrimental effect on our health. But over time, one becomes “accustomed” to cruelty and violence. Empathy for the suffering of another being does not appear, and it becomes quite easy to overstep the ban on aggressive behavior. In this regard, the term “aggression” should be introduced. Aggression is the manifestation of aggressiveness in destructive actions, the purpose of which is to harm a particular person. Aggressiveness is a personality trait consisting in the willingness and preference to use violent means to achieve one’s goals. Aggressive behavior is most often understood as motivated external actions that violate the norms and rules of coexistence, causing harm, pain and suffering to people. However, when working with aggressive behavior It is necessary to remember about other aspects of the manifestation of aggression. The emotional component of an aggressive state is feelings, and above all anger. The most common types of aggression are: · physical - manifested in specific physical actions directed against a person, or causing harm to objects (a person breaks, throws objects, etc.) · verbal - expressed in verbal form (a person shouts, threatens, insults others) · indirect - indirect aggression (a person gossips, snitches, provokes, etc.). But aggression is not always accompanied by anger, and not all anger leads to aggression. Emotional experiences of hostility, anger, and vindictiveness also often accompany aggressive actions, but they do not always lead to aggression. film horror psyche teenager Chapter 2. Experimental work on the problem of the influence of horror films on the psyche of adolescents
.1 Selection and justification of research methods
There are various research methods, such as tests, questionnaires, focus groups, questionnaires and others. A survey is the most common method of collecting primary information. This is a psychological verbal-communicative method that involves interaction between the interviewer and the respondents by obtaining answers from the subject to pre-formulated questions. In other words, a survey is a communication between the interviewer and the respondent, in which the main tool is a pre-formulated question. The advantage of this type of research is the efficiency and reliability of the information received, but negative side is the possibility of influencing the respondent’s answer through the interviewer’s intonation, manner of communication, and other factors. The test is one of the most reliable research methods. Focus group is a sociological interview based on the use of real group dynamics in an artificially created group to identify the specifics and characteristics of a certain social group’s ideas about the object of research. The use of this method involves a group discussion under the guidance of a specialist (moderator) according to a pre-prepared scenario. The discussion is held in a specially equipped room and recorded on videotape. Focus group participants are selected strictly according to specified criteria and are representatives of the target audience. The following types of research are the most preferable for us: survey; research through focus group. We can justify the choice of research methods as follows: .Through the survey, we will be able to obtain the necessary information about the target audience of horror films, find out the age of fans of this genre, and also be able to identify their attitude towards horror films, that is, horror films. 2.Questioning is an excellent research method that can show us not only the attitude towards films of the horror genre, but also show the reasons that motivate people to watch these films, and show which genre is most preferred. .By conducting a focus group study, we will be able to see the emotions that fans of this genre experience while watching a film, track the audience's reaction to exciting moments, and discuss with them their attitude towards the film they watched. 2.2 Analysis of the studies conducted
At the beginning of our research, we conducted a survey to identify the target audience who prefer watching horror films, determining their age and gender. The survey was conducted on March 28, 2014, in the Maxi shopping center in Syktyvkar. Respondents were asked the following questions: last name and first name of the survey participant; does he watch horror films? attitude to this genre; occupation. The data was recorded by us in the form provided by us in Annex 1.Survey results: Interviewed 29 people Women 10 Men 19 Ages of respondents from 16 to 28 Positive answers to the question “Do you watch horror films?” 21 Negative answers to the question “Do you watch horror films?” 8 Next, we conducted a survey. The questionnaire forms were sent out via e-mail so that each participant could devote the necessary time to filling it out. The survey participants were 20 young people aged 16 to 21. The main selection criterion was their passion for horror films. Within 3 days, participants had to read, fill out and submit the questionnaire to process the results. The questionnaire form that was sent to the participants is presented in Appendix 2. The questions that were specified in the questionnaire allowed us to understand the motivation for watching films of the horror genre, to find out the moments that fans like in this genre. In March 2014, we conducted a focus group study. The group consisted of ten people. The age of the audience was from 13 to 17. The main selection criterion was membership in the group of “horror movie fans.” The purpose of the focus group is to track the audience's reaction to a horror film they saw. Discuss with them what was taken away, what they liked about this film and what they didn’t, what moments were especially scary, and what exactly they frightened the audience. The study was conducted in a cinema hall. The guys sat down and the movie “Saw” was turned on. American-Australian film in the horror/thriller genre. The film was initially rated NC-17 by the Motion Picture Association of America due to the abundance of scenes of violence. It was decided to cut out some particularly bloody episodes. After this, the film was re-rated and received an "R" rating. While watching, the participants were calm and sat quite relaxed throughout the entire film, occasionally changing positions. After watching, we had a conversation. The respondents were asked questions. So, for example, to the question “ What are the emotions from watching? Did you like the film?"The following responses were received: Shevchenko Gleb: “...It’s normal, more boring, though, than the previous parts, but they told everything.” Medvedev Roman: “I liked it, it’s just as interesting as the others.” Moiseeva Anna: “I find it generally boring, the plot is interesting, of course, but I don’t like psychological horrors, I’ve never been scared.” To the question “Wasn’t it really scary at all?» respondents responded as follows: Moiseeva Anna: “Not at all, well, there’s a lot of blood and that’s all.” Semyonova Diana: “No, it’s disgusting, of course, but when severed heads fall, it’s even funny. It’s not natural, in my opinion, but it’s definitely better than at the “destination”! But here’s the point...in short, this is not a horror film.” Other participants expressed similar opinions. To the question “Were you disgusted? After all, the film contains many bloody scenes."we received the following responses: Vadim Lozovoy: “It’s not particularly bloody, they only showed it twice, when a man was cut with an ax, and at the end, what’s nasty about it. Blood and gore." Andrey Smirnov: “Exactly, it’s not us who are cutting off.” Moiseeva Anastasia: “I would rather say that when the blonde’s head was cut off, it was more unexpected. It's a pity. But it’s disgusting - no.” To the question “Did you feel sorry for the victims?”respondents responded as follows: Borisov Vasily: “According to the idea, they are all either murderers or drug addicts, so in theory it shouldn’t exist.” Vadim Lozovoy: “I agree, it’s their own fault, they could all have escaped, but they killed each other.” Upon request describe the main characterwe heard the following: Medvedev Roman: “Maniac - killer, avenger, smart.” Borisov Vasily: “I don’t know. But in general he was a very smart person, he knew how to think through people’s actions in advance.” Moiseeva Anna: “In general, considering the plot, if anyone remembers, it’s because his wife was hit in the stomach, she lost her child, in other words, he loved his wife very much, and now he’s taking revenge. Avenger!" Tavyakova Diana: “Nonsense, did the others also somehow offend his wife? He made fun of a lot of people, in my opinion, he was minding his own business, he has no right to judge someone. He’s crazy, it’s not for nothing that he had brain cancer.” To the question “What do you think is the point of the film?”The following responses were received: Toncharov Sergey: “It’s about making people value human life.” Borisov Vasily: “Yes, and also that everyone is given a second chance, well, the saw chose the victim for a reason, but because of some committed act, and, as it were, punished them. He gave me the opportunity to improve." Moiseeva Anna: “He said that murder is terrible, and that after his trials, no one remains the same.” Based on the conducted research, the following conclusions can be drawn: Firstly, of the majority of respondents, films in the horror genre are preferred by the male audience, and they have a positive attitude towards such films, and are happy to both attend the premiere and watch them at home. The age of fans of films of this genre varies from 16 to 26 years. This age characterizes the chronological boundaries of adolescence .
By the end of adolescence, the processes of maturation of the human body are completed: body growth, formation of the musculoskeletal system, puberty, as well as the most recent processes in the neurophysiological development of the central nervous system; acquire certainty of facial features and appearance in general. At the same time, the degree of personal maturity of boys and girls in this period is still significantly inferior to the degree of maturity of the body. The psychological content of this stage is associated with the development of self-awareness, solving problems of personal and professional self-determination, and the beginning of entry into adulthood. But, unfortunately, those complexes and fears that were formed earlier do not go away, and each person fights them in different ways. Secondly, horror films can serve as an auxiliary element in the fight against fears. If we consider this problem in this context, it becomes clear why this age category prefers horror films. The survey study shows us not only the reasons for wanting to watch this genre, but also finds out about the emotions that fans of these films experience while watching. After all, there are adrenaline-dependent people who engage in extreme sports, because they need to experience this invigorating feeling in their blood constantly. Focus group research revealed the picture most fully. After talking with the participants, we were able to conclude that they are immune to scenes of violence and there is no sense of compassion. But at the same moment they are not aggressive, not asocial, but on the contrary: open immediately, they found contact with each other, and sincerely expressed their opinion about the film. We can assume that fans of horror films experience their fears in the cinema, being in unreal reality, they overcome their complexes, feel tension while watching, get rid of aggression, and after the end of the film, the “renewed” can again live in their usual rhythm. But at the same moment, the external manifestation often diverges from the psychological state of a person. Our focus group participants are positive and open guys, and their mental state hides aggressiveness and resentment. Conclusion
Analysis of the literature on the problem under study, as well as the research we conducted, allowed us to draw certain conclusions: Fans of horror films range from 15 to 17 years of age, and their preference for films in this genre is age-related. The motivational aspect for watching horror films is the desire to experience thrills and escape from everyday life. While watching, fans are calm and do not react to sensitive moments; they are not frightened by the sight of blood or scenes with the cutting off of the characters’ body parts, but the survey showed that 98% “root” for the victim. With such a calm reaction to bloody scenes, it is worth assuming that among fans of horror films, aggression is clearly expressed. Thus, we investigated the objectives in the research work. Based on the results described above, we can conclude that watching films of the “horror” genre is weakly expressed at the psychological level, and in order to identify the influence of this genre on a person’s mental state, it takes years and deeper research. psychological tests. But at this stage, we were able to identify that people use horror films as a means of relieving stress and as a source of new sensations. Bibliography: 2.Questions of psychology: Scientific. magazine - M.: Question. Psychology, 1955, p. 114. .Journal "Psychology" .Definition of "motivation" .Definition of survey as a research method .Definition of the genre "horror film" .Definition of focus group as a type of research .Psychological navigator. Article . « Russian newspaper" - Federal issue No. 3747 dated April 15, 2005 .Soren Kierkegaard “The Concept of Fear” Encyclopedia “History of Philosophy” .Article on the impact of horror films .Article about Alfred Hitchcock .Age characteristics .Encyclopedic Dictionary of Medical Terms: Annex 1
Registration form
Full name of the Participant Date of birth Position Do you watch horror films? What is your attitude towards this genre? Appendix 2
Application form
Questionnaire formLast name First name Patronymic Why do you prefer horror films to comedy films?What horror films do you prefer?psychological, frightening, bloody, need to be ticked Why do you want to watch horror films? Do you watch old ones or go to premieres of horror films? What is your favorite horror film? Why do you like it? What emotions do you experience when watching? fcheck the box Which heroes of horror films do you like?In horror films, do you “root” for the victim or the negative character?What moments in horror films do you like best?After watching you feel calm or is there a feeling of anxiety? Do you think that horror films affect the psyche? Appendix 3
Questionnaire protocol
1. Oksana Nikolaeva, 01/29/93, student: I watch horror films, but not often. My boyfriend loves them. But I take it quite calmly; sometimes it can be very scary. Niin Miroslava, 12/11/92, student: No. I love melodramas, and horror films are stupid films. Vlasov Dmitry, 25/21/88, student: Yes. Good genre, I have a positive attitude. Lyutoeva Irina, 10/1/92, student: no, very scary. I feel bad and don’t watch it, because then you can’t sleep. Guryanova Evgenia, 02/08/90, student: yes, I watch them all the time, great films, though not always scary, but there are moments that take your breath away. Lyutoev Maxim, 03.11.93, student: Yes, the adrenaline needs to be pumping. I feel great. Grigoriev Mark, 03/02/93, student: yes, but lately there is nothing worthwhile. I think it's good. Morozova Anastasia, 01/23/91, student: Yes, I see, I like that it’s scary. Usmanov Vladislav, 08/22/87, student: no, then my head hurts after them. I have a bad attitude, it’s scary. Alekseev Artem, 11/08/84, manager: not really, I don’t sleep well afterwards. I would say that I have more negative attitudes towards them than positive ones, sometimes you can watch them for a change. Popov Andrey, 02/14/87, student: no, I don’t have time to watch films at all, I take it calmly, I don’t remember a film that would really scare me. Pisarkova Anastasia, 07/04/90, student: Yes, I watch it often, it’s scary, but I really like it. Dudina Anna, 10.21.93, student: Yes. I feel great, my boyfriend and I always watch it in the evening in the dark, it’s scary as hell and I advise you to try it Timofey, December 23, 1992, student: No. Now there are no scary horror films, I just go to laugh. Tsarev Ignatius, 09/08/88, student: Yes, I watch it all the time, I have nothing against it. Volkov Semyon 10.10.86, sushi chef: Yes, and regularly, a shake-up for the brain, I have a positive attitude. Morozova Svetlana, 06.28.93, student: no, I prefer cartoons, they are good. I feel a little uneasy when I watch bloody films, that is, those where body parts are cut off and the like. Dzhugashvili Nazar, 03/21/87, seller: I like horror films, they are exciting, interesting and give me goosebumps. Popova Marina, 1.09.87, student: Yes, and I watch it because it’s scary. I like that it’s scary, because it’s not really scary, that’s their plus. Shevchenko Mikhail, 23.01. 93, student: yes, but in moderate doses, that is, not all the time. My attitude is positive. Smirnov Andrey, 02/14/85, pizza maker: Yes, of course, it’s rare that something scary happens, but overall it’s better than the tearful films that my girlfriend watches. Nikolaychuk Stepan, 10/30/88, student: yeah, they're cool. I treat them calmly, there is nothing scary about them. Orlova Svetlana, 01/17/92, student: Yes, I really love this genre, Japanese ones are best, I have a very positive attitude. Vishnevsky Roman, 09.22.94, student: Yes, but it's not my favorite favorite genre. I have a generally positive attitude. Mikhailov Sergey, 12/1/86, taxi driver: Yes, I watch, my favorite zombie films. no, but I love comedies and science fiction. I have a negative attitude towards horror. Semyonova Victoria, 03/14/88, student: Yes, I grew up on them. My attitude is extremely positive, and there is little that can scare me now. Karpov Vyacheslav, 9.09.88, student: in principle, yes, but there is nothing normal, but I like it that way. Erlikh Daria, 06/08/86, manager: I love them, but they are not scary at all, I want them to really be scary, I treat them well.
Naturally, horror films influence the human psyche. But how do they influence? Horror films and other genres that use fear are designed to scare us. Causing fears hidden deep in the subconscious, they effectively concentrate on forbidden desires, fear, anxiety, dark side human personality, war, famine. Horror films appeal to the primitive nature and primal fears of man: vulnerability, fear of another person, society, or separation from it, loss of self-identity, fears of death, the opposite sex. Those. the most primitive aspects that simultaneously attract and repel us. It is interesting that teenagers often take methods from such films. For example, in China, The Death Diaries, The Ring, and The Ring 2 were banned because the amount of violence increased and teenagers copied the behavior of the characters from the film. In Russia, there was also a case when a group of teenagers lured a girl into the forest, and then killed her and drank her blood after watching enough films about vampires. But, it must be said that besides horror films, there are other reasons for this behavior of children. Problems in socialization, lack of attention from parents and teachers, the state, etc. After all, films and books cannot completely replace education. Neither bad nor good. And some people commit crimes after reading books and take methods from there. Well, what can you do if people lack imagination?
Of course, the most important factor in watching horror films is fear. Fear is a negative emotion, and the effect of fear on the human body has been studied quite well. Intense fear and constant (but precisely strong), launches a program of self-destruction of the body). In 2009, RBC daily published the results of an experiment conducted by Biochemists from Washington. This study found that watching violent films has a significant effect on people. And it affects not only the psychological component, but also the physiological one, however, like any danger. Several volunteers were asked to watch 3 films: a melodrama, a documentary, and an action film. After each session, a blood test was taken from the volunteers. According to the results, the melodrama and the documentary had no effect on the composition of the blood, but the action movie made the blood boil. In humans, the amount of hormones and antibodies in the blood increased sharply. Antibodies are supposed to fight the danger, but since the person was not distracted and watched the film further, and did not react to the manifestations of his body, the antibodies began to look for a threat inside the body and fight it. Typically, the conclusions of such studies are extended to horror films. In principle, this is logical, since the manifestations of fear are the same in any case, but it is only partly logical, since there are not so many specialized studies aimed specifically at horror films. In addition, horror films are also psychological, i.e. without violence, or with a minimum amount of it. For example, films based on classical works Stephen King, or any films without bloody scenes.
Psychologists have noticed that fans of horror films are more aggressive. Aggressiveness, a personality trait that consists of a willingness to use violent methods in achieving goals, and a readiness to do so. But the aggression of horror movie fans is, oddly enough, primary. Secondary aggression is developed, on the contrary, less so. Those. It is more difficult to bring them to a white heat, or to enrage them. When watching horror films, people experience, together with the heroes of the films, emotions of fear, horror, anxiety, and have the opportunity to overcome them, cope with fear, i.e. the situation of watching a film creates more or less comfortable conditions for the viewer. The events shown on the screen cannot cause any real harm, and the viewer is in complete safety and is aware of this. Those. he can cope with the threat and adapt to such an imaginary-real threatening situation.
At the University of Texas, they also studied the influence of horror films (but specifically horror films) on the human psyche and its aggressiveness and came to the conclusion that high-quality horror films are training for human nerves. The leader of the study, professor of clinical psychology David Rudd, says that when watching horror films, we get a kind of pleasure, since our brain adequately assesses the reality of the threat. Realizing that in reality there is no danger, the viewer experiences an exciting sensation from the release of adrenaline. In his opinion, repeated similar fear causes a certain “habit” in the brain. The habit of adrenaline and watching horror films, by the way, was noticed not only by him, but also by other scientists. Some believe this can lead to adrenaline addiction. And constantly watching horror films and wanting to take risks. But David Rudd says the body "stops responding to threat, which can be invaluable in treating phobias and other mental disorders." That is, horror films can be used in clinical medicine. “Horror films and thrillers perform an important function - they are a good psychotherapeutic tool to cope with your fears. Horror films often help relieve stress and get rid of aggression. But I would not recommend watching such films for especially impressionable people” Yulia Galanova, director of the psychological center "The Psychologist and Me." The most interesting thing is that especially impressionable people will not watch it. It's scary.
One more interesting fact, the number of horror movie fans is growing every year. And in last years, viewing of horror films increased by 65%. This trend is due to the fact that culture is becoming more humane, and people lack adrenaline. Often, even in literature, you can see how, quite recently, threats and belts were the main methods of education. And also in politics, threats and violence. Today, this is also used, but I must say, less and less. Although wars and belts still occur in life today. Physical punishment is a symbol of our weakness in front of a child, but positive motivation lasts much longer and is much stronger. Besides, earlier conditions for existence were much worse, and people constantly faced danger in the form of predators, fatal and non-fatal diseases. Today this is practically not the case. The development of medicine has gone far ahead, and we live in houses with central heating, and the predators that most people may encounter are a dog or a cat. We get the lack of adrenaline that is released during fear from mountaineering trips, horror films, and flights. balloons, base jumping, going to attractions, etc. And some people have crocodiles, bears, or tigers. In principle, all this is understandable. People lack natural adrenaline. And they begin to obtain it artificially. Small doses of adrenaline are beneficial for people. Fear does not cause harm if it is not constant and is not expressed too strongly.
The influence of horror films on children
There are a lot of people online who talk about the harm horror films do to children's psyches. There are many studies on the influence of information with elements of aggression and violence on the psyche of children and adolescents. But researchers, as a rule, do not separate violent films from horror films. And, there are no special studies devoted to studying the influence of horror films on children. And there are also psychological horror films where there is no violence at all, or little of it. There's probably more in the news. And no one bans news. I wonder, if there have been no studies, what are the conclusions about the dangers of horror films based on? Just a personal opinion? Therefore, all the insinuations about the harm caused by horror films look a little strange. Much the same as with a sect, or cannabis. Everyone is sure of their danger, but practically no one knows what a sect is, and the physiological changes from the use of cannabis are less than from tobacco. And who actually needs it? We believe the rumors, it’s easier this way. However, if the film is horror, has many scenes of violence, vampires, bloody scenes (this applies not only to horror), or if the child is under 6 years old, you should refrain from watching it with children. In addition, there is one argument for horror films that makes up my opinion. If your child sits at the computer all day long, watching whatever he wants, whenever he wants, and then they influence him, it’s worth wondering if horror movies are to blame? Or maybe you yourself? And why is your child being raised with horror films? Some children are raised by dogs, and no one accuses them of raising him poorly.
It should be borne in mind that the greatest desire to watch horror is caused by children from 6 to 12 years old. It is then that at school or at camp, children begin to tell horror stories to each other. These are the same horror films in miniature that your imagination imagined. Perhaps you still remember some of them. At least I remember. And I remember how everyone was afraid, and everyone listened, then they were afraid, covered themselves with a blanket, and fell asleep. Teenagers see much worse things on our television screens. Nevertheless, there must be recommendations on age restrictions: even teenagers over 16 years old are better off going to these films with their parents.
In general, horror films have Negative influence, and positive, but, oddly enough, there is much more positive. Watch quality horror films, and preferably not every day. Enjoy watching. And don't worry, your psyche will be fine.
Concepts we will use: fear, adrenaline, consciousness, subconscious,
Fear– the internal state of a person that arises during a real or imagined disaster; negatively colored emotional process.
Adrenalin- a brain substance hormone, an excitation reaction in the human body, responsible for the “fight or flight” function.
Consciousness- a brain process that reflects objective activity in the psyche of living beings.
Subconscious- a term used to denote processes occurring in the psyche that occur without their reflection in consciousness and in addition to conscious control.
Undoubtedly, films influence the human psyche and consciousness negatively. Horror films are designed to evoke feelings of fear, horror, hidden fears in a person, and manifest them in emotions. Note that many teenagers, seeing horror films on TV, copy the behavior of certain characters, therefore, especially in our time, the amount of violence among teenagers has increased. Many young people, having watched enough of such films, lost control of themselves and fell into attacks of aggression towards others. Once there was a case in Russia, teenagers had seen enough of films about vampires, and, replacing a girl in the forest, they raped her, killed her and drank her blood.
No films can replace upbringing and attention from parents. Many parents sometimes do not think about what their child is doing, what he is watching, listening to. Sometimes, in order to become closer to their child, parents themselves join this “trend” by watching horror and action films with the whole family. Horror films “turn off” simple “functions” in a person’s mind, for example, love, care, understanding. Probably everyone knows about the current cruelty of teenagers. One of the reasons is watching such TV shows. Children watch and learn from it. There have been cases where children and teenagers killed their pets, killed street animals, and played with their corpses.
First of all, horror films cause fear in a person, which is what they are designed to do. Namely, the fear that is inside a person, in the soul. After watching a horror film, a person becomes more emotional, vulnerable, and is often frightened by any rustle. These films are intended to instill fear, to frighten, to intimidate. A frightened person is the easiest to control. Especially if this person is a teenager, it is easier to control him. If the scale is huge, then the consequences become serious. This is all psychological techniques. Whoever can scare gets power.
Psychologists have noticed that people watching horror and action films become aggressive. As you know, aggression is a state in which a person is ready to attack; this state is a contradiction to the human being.
Some people have noticed that after they watch enough horror or action films, and other similar films, their mood deteriorates, a feeling of anger, aggression, and hatred appears. Pain, rage, violence, which we see in almost every film, is perceived by the human psyche as a signal for such behavior. Many people now want adrenaline, and the so-called “weak horror films” are not interesting to them, but whatever they are, they negatively affect us. According to statistics, the number of such amateurs is growing every year. IN classical literature we find that the belt and threats were only methods of education. Politics also involves threats and violence. Hundreds and even thousands of foreign horror films appear on our television screens.
Scientists divide the brain into three sections: consciousness, subconscious, unconscious.
So. Using the example of a cause-and-effect relationship: watching horror films, action films, as well as various thrillers, including TV shows with violence, are postponed into the unconscious, which leads to conflicts at work, at home - in the family, desire for assault, fits of screaming, anger and aggression, irritation.
All levels of consciousness are interconnected. Having watched any film with negative content once, a person, like a drug addict, gets hooked on these kinds of films. Then he needs more and more. He is looking for everything new and what will scare him. Constantly feeding on fear, a person fuels his behavior. Watched horror films, for example: “Final Destination”, “Scream”, “The Ring”, etc. They didn’t consider them “something like that,” they unconsciously absorbed everything they saw.
A small child, having seen some horror movie, the moment of a murder, a fight, etc. may be mentally damaged for life. As scientists have found, this often leads to crime and maniacism. Children's cartoons with violence sometimes frighten children; the consequences are also common nightmares and sleepwalking.
As we see, there are types of information that completely destroy a person’s psyche, sometimes making him a moral invalid. Therefore, we all need to strictly monitor what fills our own brain, our heart.
A feature film that terrifies its audience, instills fear and causes the release of a dose of adrenaline is definitely an object of influence on the human psyche. This kind of cinema has long won enormous attention. And, moreover, not only from the audience, but also psychologists from all over the world are trying to find an answer to intricate questions: “So how do horror films influence a person? Is his psyche suffering?
People believe that they watch “horror films” only to “tickle the nerves” or simply out of curiosity, but the effect of watching can only be negative - a person wakes up with increased aggression, anxiety, or even stress. But is this really so? Let's try to dig a little deeper and find in this, no matter how strange it may sound at first glance to a simple layman, positive influence.
Horror films help fight phobias
According to Texas University of Clinical Psychology scientists, watching so-called horror films can have a very positive effect on the human psyche. It can serve as training to combat human phobias. The main thing is to choose really high-quality films, with a correctly constructed storyline, and containing as little violence as possible. So how does it work? The essence is this: a person watches a film, he seems to live the life of the main character, and experiences the same fears. But at the same time, the viewer clearly understands that he is completely safe, that nothing really threatens him. Thus, by gradually increasing viewing sessions, a person no longer fears what recently “made the hairs on my head stand on end.” Yes, yes, that’s how the human psyche works, and it’s not for nothing that people say that we fight each other with each other.
“Phobia, psychoneurological disorder” - watch a horror film
For clarity, let us give an example of such a positive effect on the human psyche. Let's imagine that one woman is very afraid of the dead.
She is afraid to think about them, to remember, she cannot attend the funeral of even a person close to her - this fills her with horror, it is real stress for her psyche. The poor thing cannot be at home on her own; she constantly feels as if she is being haunted by the evil spirit of some dead person. Another symptom is that you may dream about the dead. Any qualified specialist who receives such a patient for an appointment will immediately determine the diagnosis: “phobia, neuropsychiatric disorder.” And what a surprise our woman will be when, instead of drugs, the doctor prescribes her several sessions of watching horror films on a certain topic. Yes, yes, modern psychology, as a science, has stepped far forward, especially in the West, and now it is not afraid to experiment, using a completely new approach to solving certain problems for the benefit of human health.
You need to choose quality content
So, let's return to our woman. A psychotherapist can even select high-quality films for her himself, as is practiced in the West, and can simply give some advice on choosing suitable films that will have a positive impact on the psyche. Most likely, the attending physician will recommend that she spend the first few viewing sessions in the company of someone to get used to it. It is better to choose a person from your close circle for this matter. But if there is no such person willing, then a visit to the cinema would be an excellent alternative in this aspect - our patient will definitely feel safer there, because there will be a lot of people around.
Horror films dull fears.
Of course, at first she will be terribly scared to watch horror films about dead people. But the realization that all the actions taking place on the screen have nothing to do with her will give a person a feeling of security. When the sessions begin to work, that is, become addictive, the feeling of fear will gradually begin to go away. It's logical. After all, when a person sees the same thing every day, even if it is aesthetically unacceptable, then over time he will not be afraid of it, since he will simply get used to it, it will become commonplace for him. This is how the human brain works. So the woman who watches the dead on the TV screen every day will eventually stop being afraid of them. Only by this method will she be able to overcome her fear, and most importantly, by an absolutely safe method for her body, in contrast to taking tranquilizers, as a result of which the natural human psyche is destroyed. It has a positive impact on the human psyche!
Bloodlust is an unhealthy psyche
Now let’s look at another “bright side of the coin” of horror films, that is, we will recognize their positive influence on a person in other situations.
Let's talk about patients of a slightly different category, whose psyche differs significantly from the one mentioned earlier. But, undoubtedly, such a psyche is also considered unhealthy. We will talk about people in whose subconscious the so-called “thirst for blood” sometimes awakens. No, not in the literal sense of these words. It is rather a primitive feeling of pleasure from bloody carnage, from any acts of violence, dormant in a person’s subconscious.
Different opinions
Some analytical psychologists argue that our society has become fully civilized, and this primitive feeling has been, as it were, healed by our culture. Others fundamentally disagree with this theory. But according to the former, it exists, and there is no escape from it. And to avoid dire consequences, this feeling must be satisfied. And here again a session of “cinema therapy” will come to the “help”, which will have a positive effect on the human psyche. Thus, by watching a film that already contains an act of violence and other atrocities inherent in the horror genre, the patient satisfies his needs without committing any illegal actions. Yes, these desires are undoubtedly terrible, but you shouldn’t hide these kinds of “skeletons in the closet.” They need to be dealt with by any legal means, first of all, by taking the person to a psychotherapist. Whether you agree with this or not, we will leave this right to everyone to decide personally.
Getting rid of depression
No matter how paradoxical it may sound, horror films can relax a person and distract him from depression. This is why scary movies have become so popular these days. Let's also talk about this form of influence on the human psyche. And this is also a positive influence! Psychologists say that if a person has any problems and becomes depressed because he feels hopeless, then some kind of shake-up will help him. Moreover, this shake-up should so agitate the patient’s nervous system and his psyche that his problems will seem trivial to him.
Horror films tune our psyche to the wave of “I’m fine”
It is horror films that can program our brains to believe that in reality everything is fine with us, that our problems are very insignificant. Still would! After all, watching the picture, we subconsciously put ourselves in the place of the hero, who has a very hard time in his role. As practice shows, with such a simple method as shock therapy, a person is able to overcome stress and get out of a state of depression. The impact on the human psyche is obvious in such cases, and again a positive impact!
Chasing adrenaline with a horror movie
Have you ever wondered why there are amateurs among us? gambling, or people interested in extreme sports?
After all, this is unsafe for human life and health! The answer is simple - we lack adrenaline. Our psyche is structured in such a way that we simply by nature cannot live a calm, measured life all the time. life - man needs a thrill. So people artificially create extreme conditions for themselves.
And where can we get them, these thrills, how to satisfy the lack of excitement, if day after day our society becomes more and more cultured and tolerant. Risking one's life by jumping on the roofs of high-rise buildings is not something an adequate person would want to do. And not everyone has the physical training necessary for such activities. Naturally, a sane person should not get involved in illegal acts for the sake of adrenaline rush.
But going to the cinema with friends to watch a quality horror movie is the solution to the problem. The most important thing is a safe solution! Well, you are guaranteed a boost of hormones! Another positive effect on our psyche.
The dark side of a horror movie
Horror films can have more than just a positive impact on people.
Of course, we shouldn’t forget about the bad. I think some of you have already heard or read in crime chronicles a story about how Russian teenagers, having watched enough horror films, committed repeated acts of violence and murder as a group. Moreover, they abused the bodies of their victims, as happened in the horror films that the killers were based on. Here we see a situation where a person’s psyche has been damaged by watching horror films.
In America, clinical experiments and studies have already been conducted on the aspect of children's viewing of horror films, that is, their influence on the children's psyche has been studied. This test gave a clear result: children are completely contraindicated from watching this kind of films.
The essence of the horror viewing experience
Children of different ages were shown horror stories over three days. The prerequisite was that they had never watched such a movie before that moment. Parents had to make notes every hour about the behavior of their children, and notes were made without fail before the session, during the session, after it and at night. So, despite absolutely different ages children and social status of the families participating in the experiment, the notes made by the parents were of the same nature:
- the children began to sleep poorly, they were tormented by insomnia for a long time, they constantly tossed and turned during sleep, woke up often, some even cried and asked their parents to sit with them, that is, the psyche undoubtedly suffered;
- some children became very aggressive, often argued with parents and peers, raised their voices, used foul language, and there were cases of assault;
- In the minds of children, the line between good and evil was blurred; it was as if they ceased to understand what they could do and what actions they should not do.
- children began to give preference to games in which there were actions of a violent nature; during the game, moments of imitation occurred negative heroes horror films watched.
The destructive influence of horror films on the children's psyche
In general, this test was originally designed for a larger number of days. But in order to avoid causing even more harm to the child’s psyche, parents and research scientists decided to interrupt the experiment by the end of the third day. This time was enough to sum up the results of the experiment. Participants and observers came to a unanimous conclusion: horror films have a negative impact on a person who has not reached the age of majority; they destroy the child’s psyche, which this moment is at the stage of formation. And if it is formed based on such art, then we risk raising moral invalids. To prevent this oversight, parents need to prohibit their children from watching horror and, if possible, limit the viewing of thrillers and action films.
How not to cause harm
In order for the effect on a person from watching horror films to be more positive than negative, you need to follow some rules:
- choose only high-quality films;
- visit psychologists and psychotherapists from time to time (this is the 21st century, and visiting such specialists has long been natural process even for an absolutely healthy person) tell them about your problems, thoughts, what worries you (maybe it’s better for you not to watch horror films at all);
- Do not allow children to watch horror under any pretext!
Is it possible to summarize the influence of horror on people?
When drawing conclusions about how horror films actually influence the human psyche, it is impossible to say anything definitely. As you can see, there is a positive influence of such cinema, and there is also a negative influence. But there can be no more doubt that horrors excite a person’s consciousness, leaving an imprint in the mind after viewing. To watch or not to watch is a personal choice for each person, but you must understand that after a movie show, your psyche may never be the same again!
Have you ever wondered why there is a multimillion-dollar army of horror movie fans? People begin to get involved in watching horror films from adolescence, secretly from their parents. The very first viewings leave a lasting impression and are very frightening, but the teenager does not refuse to watch horror films in the future. He wants more and more, over time it becomes like a kind of drug.
And if you like “horror” films, you have reviewed all the world’s masterpieces of past years, tirelessly follow new releases, and you are almost no longer excited by the sight of blood or ominous screams, don’t worry, you’re fine. And your mental health is not in danger. Moreover, science has proven that watching horror films can be beneficial for your overall physical and mental well-being. Well, if you belong to the category of skeptics or ardent opponents, read the eloquent facts.
Horror movies can boost immunity
A study to find out how watching scary movies affects the human body was conducted on 32 men and women. And this is what scientists discovered. It turns out that during this period the formation of white blood cells, which are responsible for maintaining immunity, resisting diseases and rejuvenating the body, is stimulated. 
This can be a great calorie burning exercise.
Another study noted that horror films can be a great way for fans of the genre to burn calories. It all depends on the course of events on the screen, but on average, one full-fledged “horror” movie can save you 200 calories.
People love to feel fear
Researchers have always been concerned with the question of whether fans of the genre experience negative emotions after viewing the film. It turns out that people feel all the fears, disgust and worries only directly while watching. Even though they like to experience negative emotions, these emotions are short-term and end with end credits. When people are afraid, secreting chemicals are released into the body. 
Why don't we like to experience such experiences in reality? Everything is very simple. IN real life we feel a real threat own life and we worry about our own safety. While what is happening on the screen has no connection with reality, and people clearly understand this. We like to realize that all this is not happening for real, and thus we get the desired release of hormones.
Good mental training
The chemicals produced in the body have a huge impact on psychological condition person. And if people have certain phobias, watching horror films will help strengthen the psyche and counteract the further development of phobias. While viewing such pictures, the brain is constantly kept in a state of tension.
Sensing danger, even if it is not real, the brain begins to produce additional energy aimed at activating neurotransmitters: serotonin, dopamine, glutamate. Thus, the body maintains full combat readiness for the entire duration of the action. And, as we have already noted, with the final credits the tension is released by the moviegoer, and he feels relaxed and satisfied. 
Where does a potential threat signal come from?
Here's another remarkable point. It turns out that the signal about a potential threat passes through a small part of the intermediate part of the brain - the hypothalamus. It is this department that has a connection with the glandular system and initiates the release of adrenaline, which, in turn, releases opiates that create an analgesic effect. Now the easy dependence of fans on films in the horror genre becomes clear. In addition, all of the above chemical processes train the brain and relieve phobias. After all, if a person encounters a similar situation in real life, he will be confident that he will be able to resist it.
Scientists' conclusion
Of course, there are side effects from watching scary movies. However, scientists have concluded that the slight level of stress caused by the action unfolding on the screen is absolutely harmless. In a sense, viewing such pictures can be considered a testing ground for the body and psyche.
How it works
The information that fans glean from their favorite scary movies is stored in their memories, in the depths of their souls, and even in their DNA. Frightening moments act as a simulator for the psyche; they recreate a certain level of trust in a critical situation; information also settles in a person’s subconscious that his mind and emotions will cope with problems in other areas of life. 
Is there a danger of desensitization to violence?
Scientists say that human brain distinguishes between information about screen and real violence. After watching horror films, people don’t grab a weapon and go shoot their neighbors, and don’t turn into evil and insidious maniacs. Excessive impressionability and disruptions in sleep rhythms can become a real threat to health. That is why viewing such tapes should be measured.