Richmond psychologist explains why horror movies scare us

A cognitive psychologist based in Richmond has explained how horror movies exploit the way human vision works to deliver their most effective scares, according to the Omak Chronicle.

The psychologist notes that scary movies create tension in the gap between perception and recognition, as viewers’ brains try to make sense of what they are seeing. This is illustrated by a scene from the 2018 film "Hereditary," where a possessed character is visible on the ceiling but often goes unnoticed by viewers initially.

The expert explains that this effect is due to inattentional blindness, a phenomenon where people fail to notice something in plain view because their attention is focused elsewhere. Horror directors use this to their advantage by guiding viewers’ attention to create suspense and surprise.

This insight into visual perception shows how horror films intuitively manipulate audience attention to enhance fear, highlighting the complex interaction between cognitive psychology and film-making techniques.