Facing our fears: How horror helps
Tuesday, October 22, 2013 - 12:00
in Psychology & Sociology
As scores of Americans enter the darkened realms of haunted houses, nighttime hayrides and horror film marathons, monsters, ghosts and pop-culture goblins wait to give them a scare. A popular Halloween tradition, these dramatized attractions, coupled with costumes, trick-or-treat candy and festive decorations added up to an estimated $7 billion in 2011. While it may seem odd to celebrate a night of fright with so much enthusiasm, confronting what scares us isn’t a new phenomenon.