Philosophy Talk

On 12 October, Dr Lee gave an intriguing talk for the Kitcher Society on The Paradox of Horror, discussing why people pursue experiences that evoke fear and discomfort while also finding them pleasurable.

Dr Lee introduced the paradox by describing the way people often watch horror films with a mix of fear and attraction—covering their eyes, yet still unable to look away. Horror, he explained, is a powerful and popular genre in art and media worldwide, designed to provoke negative emotions through films, books, paintings, video games, and more.

Dr Lee then examined several theories that attempt to explain this contradiction. The first theory suggested that horror doesn’t provoke ‘real’ fear, but Dr Lee refuted this, pointing out that horror does trigger genuine hormonal, physiological and behavioural responses. Another theory proposed that people enjoy horror because they are sadistic and take pleasure in the suffering of others, but this fails to explain horror paintings or experiences without visible suffering. A third idea suggests that horror provides a catharsis or purging of unwanted emotions, but many people report feeling more frightened afterwards. Further theories included the notion that people enjoy horror because it allows them to confront repressed feelings of attraction toward the monster, though Dr Lee noted that this lacks empirical support and doesn’t explain the appeal of the fear itself. He also discussed Noël Carroll’s theory, which suggests that horror satisfies an inherent curiosity about the unknown. However, Dr Lee pointed out that people often re-watch horror films even after curiosity is resolved. 

Ultimately, Dr Lee presented his own theory, ‘hedonic pluralism’, which proposes that in a safe environment, fear turns to excitement, making negative emotions enjoyable and providing cognitive rewards such as satisfying curiosity, mastering fear, and validating emotions.

Overall, it was a thrilling and illuminating talk that revealed many unique insights into the psychological appeal of horror.