Usually, among moviegoers, horror is usually a battered film genre, since it is an art to create films that are really worthwhile and are not simply pigeonholed in the gratuitous scare. directors like Alfred Hitchcock (Psychosis) , Stanley Kubrick (The glow), George A. Romero (The night of the Living Dead) and more recently James Wan (Saw) , among many others, have left their mark. However, watching these types of movies can generate interesting effects on the brain and everything entrepreneur you must take them into account.
From the outset, since the times of Ancient Greece, Aristotle spoke of the catharsis experienced by the spectators of Greek tragedies, who, through viewing the work, purified themselves emotionally and freed their fears. Cut to the new millennium, when brain scan techniques and hormone analysis have made it possible to give a scientific explanation to the phenomenon.
To do this, a study led by Erno Hermans was conducted at New York University, in which 80 people were studied using magnetic resonance imaging while watching horror scenes. The results? As published by the journal Science, “the brain reorganizes its neural networks to respond to stress.”
Horror movies encourage “waterfalls” of ideas
When watching these films, the senses sharpen and you stop thinking slowly, so you act quickly –as if you were on a stage in which you seek to survive when your own life is at stake–; This type of stimulation often goes hand in hand with creativity, which is essential for anyone interested in entrepreneurship, since alternatives are analyzed and ideas are generated at high speed.
“We have shown that noradrenergic neuromodulatory activity in the first phase of the stress response promotes a reorganization of neural resources . These establish a network that encompasses regions involved in redirecting attention, heightening perceptual vigilance, and automatic neuroendocrine control,” Hermans et al. In plain language, this type of film makes the brain alert, wakes it up thanks to the action of the neurotransmitter norepinephrine.
They generate relaxation and happiness
Now, there is also a psychological aspect to consider if you take into account what University of Delaware psychology professor Marvin Zuckerman maintains. He considers that people who need a higher level of excitement and live intense experiences are likely to watch horror movies, as they are even those who tend to practice extreme activities. This break with the routine not only generates happiness, but also helps in relaxation, and we already know that when one is relaxed, the best ideas arise. Not for nothing, going back to the time of Ancient Greece, the cradle of Western civilization was born out of leisure.
They reduce stress
But not in accordance with the above, horror movies affect us physically and intellectually in an imperceptible way. In fact, they can convey ideas through the emotions experienced when viewing these stories; they help to forget problems –which clears the mind–, to release repressed feelings and decrease stress hormones.
So now you know, if you want to reach a “zen” state through another tactic other than yoga or meditation, you can always watch a good horror movie to let yourself be immersed in its mental and emotional twists and turns.
What horror movies would you recommend to entrepreneurs?