It makes sense that we run away from scary things. That’s a good way to stay alive. But why do some people also love scary things? Why do people gravitate toward horror?
Guests: Mathias Clasen and Marc Andersen, co-directors of the Recreational Fear Lab at Aarhus University
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Jul 22
What the Odyssey is hiding
The Late Bronze Age, when the Trojan War supposedly took place, was way more modern than Homer made it seem. But around 1177 BCE, a vast network of interconnected societies suddenly collapsed. What caused arguably the greatest societal collapse in the history of the world? Hint: ... Show More
25m 25s
Oct 2024
Exploring the Science of Spookiness at the Recreational Fear Lab
Why do so many of us love a good scare? Whether it’s horror movies, haunted houses or creepy podcasts, there’s something thrilling about feeling spooked—especially around Halloween. In this episode, host Rachel Feltman dives into our fascination with fear and morbid curiosity wit ... Show More
17m 32s
Oct 2023
Ep 35: Why do we enjoy playing with fear?
This is Episode 35 of PsychCrunch, the podcast of the British Psychological Society's Research Digest, sponsored by Routledge Psychology. From haunted houses to scary movies, many of us find a thrill in a good scare. But… isn't that a bit counter-intuitive? In this episode, we as ... Show More
19m 40s
Oct 2025
Like Being Scared? Here’s Why
Like haunted houses? Scientists do! That’s because they’re an excellent place to study how humans respond to – and even actively seek out – fear. In an immersive threat setting, as opposed to a carefully controlled lab, researchers can learn a lot about what scares people, why an ... Show More
14m 15s
Oct 2021
BOO! The Science of Scary with Mathias Clasen & Heather Berlin
<p>Why do we like being scared? On this episode, Neil deGrasse Tyson and comic co-host Chuck Nice explore the haunting effects of horror and recreational fear with horror scholar and author, Mathias Clasen, and neuroscientist, Heather Berlin, PhD. </p><p>NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons c ... Show More
55m 30s
Oct 2015
Episode 6: The Science of Fear
<p>This week, for Halloween, the Hidden Brain podcast gets spooky. We explore the science of fear — traveling to a haunted house curated by a scientist to investigate what scares us, and why some people enjoy this sensation more than others.</p><br/> <p>Hosted by Simplecast, an A ... Show More
20m 27s
Oct 2020
Ep. #38 | Why Do We Like Being Scared?
Jae is here for a solo ep to figure out why some of y'all just love being scared so much? It's the time of horror movies, haunted houses, and jump scares. You'd think we'd want to avoid these things at all costs and yet...
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20m 12s