The Psychology of Spooky Season: The reason you may love haunted houses and scary movies (or not) [Video]

Halloween is approaching, and people are in the spooky spirit. Normally, people tend to avoid putting themselves in scary situations, but during this season, people tend to run toward them.Why is that? Psychology professor Dr. Christian Waugh at Wake Forest University gave us some insight.Waugh says being spooked can actually make you feel good. That is because when you are scared, your body releases adrenaline and activates your fight-or-flight instincts to protect you from danger.But when you trick someone or get your spooky thrills at a haunted house, your body still unconsciously perceives that you are in danger, when in your consciousness, you know you are actually safe. The difference in how your unconscious and conscious mind perceives fear, in this case, may allow your body to interpret your experience as pleasure.Waugh also says everyone experiences varying levels of pleasure from being scared differently.Actors at the Woods of Terror in …