Author Description
From Vampire Apocalypses, Shark Attacks, Witches, And Ghosts, To Murderous Dolls Bent On Revenge, Horror Has Been Part Of The American Cinematic Imagination For Almost As Long As Pictures Have Moved On Screens. But Why Do They Captivate Us So? What Is The Drive To Be Frightened, And Why Is It So Perennially Popular? Why Horror Seduces Addresses These Questions Through Evolutionary Social Sciences.
Menrva's Summary
THE THESIS
This book investigates the evolutionary mechanisms that drive human fascination with horror and the psychological appeal of simulated fear. Mathias Clasen, a scholar specializing in the study of horror, utilizes an evolutionary social science framework to analyze why audiences seek out frightening media. He argues that horror functions as a form of adaptive play, allowing individuals to practice threat detection and emotional regulation within a controlled, safe environment.
THE SCOPE MAP
What You Will Find
- An evolutionary theory of negative emotion and fear response.
- Analysis of iconic American horror films including Jaws, The Shining, and Halloween.
- A framework for understanding horror as a biological and psychological phenomenon.
Scope Limits
- The analysis is primarily focused on American cinematic horror rather than global or literary traditions.
- The text does not provide a comprehensive history of horror literature or non-Western horror media.
THE AUTHORITY PERSPECTIVE
Experts in the field of media psychology recognize this work as a significant contribution to the evolutionary study of entertainment. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose, which balances rigorous scientific theory with accessible film criticism.
Page Count:
0
Publication Date:
1900-01-01
Publisher:
Oxford University Press,
ISBN-10:
0190666544
ISBN-13:
9780190666545
Non-Fiction
Psychology
Horror
Literary Criticism
Evolutionary Biology
American fiction
Horror tales
Film Studies