Brescia Psychology Undergraduate Honours Theses

Date of Award

Winter 4-11-2018

Supervisor

Dr. John Mitchell

Abstract

The present study addressed the paradox of the popularity of horror movies. These movies elicit negative emotions of fear and anxiety, yet horror continues to be a one of the most popular film genres. Personal characteristics have been found to influence individual’s reactions to anxiety-inducing stimuli, such as horror movies. 43 participants completed a questionnaire that measured trait anxiety, emotional regulation, empathy, sensation seeking and film preferences. Personal characteristics were compared among groups of participants with high, moderate, and low preferences for horror movies. Participants with a high preference for horror movies had significantly higher trait anxiety scores. These results suggest there is a relationship between the personal characteristic of anxiety and entertainment preferences.

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