Morbidly Curious
A Scientist Explains Why We Can't Look Away
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- $2.99
Publisher Description
“A fascinating examination of a feature of human nature that all of us have, most of us deplore (at least in others), and few of us understand.”
—Steven Pinker, New York Times bestselling author of Rationality and Enlightenment Now
"An entertaining examination of the underlying reasons behind our attraction to the macabre."
—The New York Times Book Review
The leading expert on the science behind morbid curiosity explains our spooky, gory, and macabre fascinations
What makes us peek at a car wreck or binge-watch true crime shows late into the night? Why are some of us drawn to horror movies while others shudder at the thought? In Morbidly Curious, scientist Coltan Scrivner takes readers on a thrilling journey into the psychology of morbid curiosity, uncovering why we can’t resist the macabre. From grisly serial killers to spine-chilling paranormal stories, Scrivner reveals the psychological forces that compel us to explore our darkest fears—and explains how this proclivity is more than just a quirk. It’s a powerful survival instinct, helping us mentally prepare for real-world threats, all from the safety of our imaginations.
Blending fascinating insights and cutting-edge research at haunted houses across the world, Scrivner makes a powerful argument for the value of playing with fear and embracing the gruesome. Whether you're a horror fan yourself or just want to better understand the true crime craze, Morbidly Curious will open your eyes to the hidden benefits of exploring the dark side of human nature.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Why are people irresistibly drawn to horror films, violent video games, and true crime? In his scattershot debut treatise, Scrivner, a behavioral psychologist and horror film producer, frames such "morbid curiosity" as an evolutionary advantage—it lets people use relatively risk-free environments (like movie theaters) to learn about threats from which they might need to protect themselves. To support his thesis, Scrivner pulls evidence from psychology, anthropology, cinema studies, and evolutionary biology, citing everything from Nightmare on Elm Street villain Freddy Krueger's razor-claw glove (especially terrifying because claws trigger "deeply rooted fears" that prime the brain to escape predators) to zoological studies of interactions between cheetahs and gazelles, dream theory, haunted hotels, and violent sports. While many of these disparate accounts intrigue, Scrivner's conclusions can feel selective or open to alternative interpretation. for example, the fact that kids remember stories about predators, like lions or tigers, better than accounts of what animals eat, as one study showed, doesn't necessarily indicate an evolutionary predisposition to coping with fear. The impression readers will be left with is that of an author throwing a lot of ideas against the wall to see what sticks. There are plenty of insights, but Scrivner leaves copious room for doubt.
