The Excerpt Love gore and horror, the dark and scary? There’s a scientific reason why.
Oct 31, 2025
Coltan Scrivner, a psychologist from Arizona State University and author focused on morbid curiosity, dives into our attraction to dark content. He reveals how horror and true crime connect to survival instincts, fostering resilience against fear. Scrivner discusses the evolutionary roots of this curiosity, likening it to gazelles' vigilance in the wild. Surprisingly, he shares research showing that fans of horror can exhibit heightened empathy. The conversation also touches on how digital media influences our fascination with darkness and the need for balance in consumption.
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Curiosity As A Survival Tool
- Morbid curiosity is an evolved survival instinct that helps humans learn about dangers from a safe distance.
- Coltan Scrivner framed his research to make scientific findings accessible to the public.
Research Sparked By Personal Interest
- Coltan Scrivner admits he is a horror fan and was personally motivated to study morbid curiosity.
- He began research because there was almost no scientific literature or popular books on the topic.
Learning Danger Without Risk
- Seeking frightening content lets people learn about threats without direct exposure to harm.
- That cognitive rehearsal preserves ancestral learning mechanisms in modern contexts.
