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MARGEE KERR SAYS she has the best job in the world: She studies fear for a living, and loves to scare herself as part of her research.
Kerr is a sociologist with a Ph.D. from the University of Pittsburgh, and just in time for Halloween, she’s written a book called ‘Scream: Chilling Adventures in the Science of Fear’.
The book documents Kerr’s adventures around the world experiencing extreme attractions, ranging from the tallest roller coasters in Japan to the CN Tower’s EdgeWalk in Toronto (below), where participants are tethered to the skyscraper for an outdoor walk 116 stories off the ground.
Kerr also works at a haunted attraction in Pittsburgh called ScareHouse, analysing customer responses to help keep the fright levels just right.
“We’re trying to scare people in a way that’s going to make them feel good,” she said.
Kerr is interested in the notion that society usually regards “fear as a negative force. But there’s another side to fear that’s fun and fulfilling”, and that’s the sweet spot sought by recreational activities — whether skydiving, ziplining, roller coasters or haunted houses.
“When we know we’re not really in any physical danger, we can enjoy the endorphins and the dopamine. That response is similar to being really excited and happy,” she said.
Her quest for the ‘Scream’ book took her on “many, many adventures across the world, doing as many scary and thrilling things as I could”.
“I look at it from the cultural perspective, the physiological perspective and the psychological perspective: Why do we engage with this type of material? Part of it is the natural high we get from activating the flight-or-fight response in a safe environment.”
Kerr says the trick is to figure out what types of situations “trigger our flight or fight response. What are people afraid of, what’s going to tap into the fear?”
For example, “we know from science that seeing the whites of people’s eyes will activate the amygdala — the emotional processing centre of our brain”.
That intense response to another being’s eyes explains why scary attractions often have “dolls with big eyes or animatronics with wide-open eyes”.
Startling sounds, fast-moving props and other sudden visual effects also trigger instinctive responses, upping the fear factor without putting people in real danger.
Testing resilience
She added that part of the draw for an extreme adventure or attraction is that “you are testing your own resilience. When you come out the other side of a scary movie or haunted house, you have accomplished something. You’ve tested your will. Even though we know nothing will hurt us, the self-esteem boost is real”.
As for her own responses, she found the CN Tower Edgewalk to be “way more terrifying than I thought it would be”. Skydiving, on the other hand, was pure pleasure for Kerr.
Kerr says her research can have implications beyond theme parks and haunted houses by helping people understand how to tolerate stress.
“We’re trying to find the best ways to teach people how to experience their emotions in ways that are healthy and not debilitating,” she said.
“When people lean into the experience and test themselves in an environment that is safe, they come to learn they can handle stress and they are stronger than they thought they were.”
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Despite my better judgement, I read the Sunday Indo, and scare meself witless at the shit I waste my time reading.
Just keep reminding yourself that it’s only fiction.I know they make it sound real but it’s only make believe.Like Endas man with two pints or him putting the army on the streets of Ireland none of its real.
I’m just about to tell the wife, I’m playing golf tomorrow and giving a trip to Liffey Valley a miss. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death.
good luck with that !
“the closer you are to death the more alive you feel”- james hunt
I got sweaty palms from looking at that gif above, exposed Heights scare the shite out of me.. Funnily enough I love being on a plane though. Take a look at this https://youtu.be/Jk9KW2meQYA
No, no, no, no ,no, no. Just no. Still watched it though.
Jaysus Tommy, now that is extracting the urine.
Because life is boring most of the time. Being scared half to death helps recover the sensation of living.
I don’t like scary movies but I do love the adrenaline rush from rollercoasters, and certain adrenaline sports. But I will not watch scary movies…
Scary movies don’t bother me at all, what gives me the chills, is crime line and crime watch and real life monsters like Graham Dywer and Larry Murphy.
@Stephen, that’s exactly why I give scary movies a miss, the real monsters out there are far scarier than anything the silver screen can conjure up.
It’s a real fear for some, Scelerophobia.
However I do not have that fear.
Probably cause I feel safe and secure, I have no reason to be scared.
So much so I walked 400 meters alone to my car in the dark at 3am in the morning after leaving a bar. Up a street through a dimmed alleyway and into a lone carpark. Just last week.
I felt 99% safe, the street had cctv watched 24 hours a day, I had keys in my hand and no drink taken. A scream would alert 20 or so people who live above the shops on the street. So 1% doubt kept me vigilant and I passed not a living soul.
Reasonable precautions can only do so much. I will not live day in day out in fear. Fear is healthy and keeps us from making stupid choices. Like walking alone to a car at 3am. If my hubby knew that he would kill me….
Perhaps I should be more afraid, but as I see it I’m destined to die on a given day, I know not the day or the hour but when that time comes I will die regardless where I am and whom I’m with. Fate/destiny.
All I need to do is watch Celtic in Europe, that scares the bejesus out of me.
Frightening the shite out of yourself and coming through the far side only heightens your sense of being alive.
My fight or flight response is geared very much in favour of ‘fight’. Unfortunately I’ve thumped people who’ve tried to hop out and surprise me.It’s completely reactionary and has led to a few bloody noses.I’d be a nightmare in one of those ‘haunted house’ attractions.
You sound like David Brent.
With danger I suppose it is a high for a few who end up getting addicted to it. I suppose with the supernatural it is a bit of fun but can you say that about scaring yourself silly about psychos killing people???
People like a good story that gets them hooked and involved with the characters?
“Yea though I walk through the shadow of the valley of death I will fear no evil, for I am the meanest son of a b***h in the valley” (don’t know who said it first)
The British convention of a 116 floor of a building is the 117th story across the Atlantic
117 = 39+39+39
117 = 13+13+13+13+13+13+13+13+13
The United Nations Headquarters is 39 floors
The Decimal English Gematria the word “Barack” is 117.
Is that you Frank?
Frank uses facebook Mark but I do not know?
have your say