One of the main hormones released during scary and thrilling activities is dopamine, and it turns out some individuals may get more of a kick from this dopamine response than others do. New research from David Zald shows that people differ in their chemical response to thrilling situations. There is strong evidence that this isn’t just about personal choice, but our brain chemistry. First, the natural high from the fight-or-flight response can feel great. But there are those of us (well, a lot of us) who really enjoy the experience.
Not everyone enjoys being afraid, and I don’t think it’s a stretch to say that no one wants to experience a truly life-threatening situation. Why do some people like the feeling of being scared, while others don’t? I spoke with her about what fear is, and why some of us enjoy it so much. She also teaches at Robert Morris University and Chatham University, and is the only person I’ve ever heard referred to as a “scare specialist.” Dr. Margee Kerr is the staff sociologist at ScareHouse, a haunted house in Pittsburgh that takes all year to plan. But if fear is a natural survival response to a threat or danger, why would we seek out that feeling?ĭr. This time of year, thrillseekers can enjoy horror movies, haunted houses, and prices so low, it’s scary. It was actually the torso and head of a juvenile monkey sewn to the body of a fish. Barnum's "Fiji Mermaid" was featured in 19th-century sideshows, billed as a mummified half-mammal-half-fish.