Why Are Horror Games Appealing?
©2016
Textbook
33 Pages
Summary
This book tries to explore why so many people actively seek out and enjoy horror as a form of entertainment. Why some find pleasure in horror is a question that many have asked before, but never fully answered. This book does not claim to deliver a general answer to that question, but rather offers an overview of the most popular theories and hypothesis, as well as a study focusing on the player affect. The explanations and solutions offered include mostly psychological, emotional or general approaches. Every approach presented has its benefits and flaws and will be discussed accordingly. How these come into play individually, as well as in connection to each other, will constitute a major part of this study.
After having provided the general theoretical basis of horror and why it might be so appealing to some people, this study goes on discussing the medium game, and in a further step, tries to explore if the unique characteristics of the medium game change the overall horror experience one might have. Different aspects and properties of the medium in question are discussed in detail – how immersion affects us as consumers, what the role of interactivity is and how they both relate to one another in-game, how this understanding comes into play in a game design context and how it can create a whole different experience for the player, and lastly, how certain game design elements can be utilized to further improve the emotional response.
After having provided the general theoretical basis of horror and why it might be so appealing to some people, this study goes on discussing the medium game, and in a further step, tries to explore if the unique characteristics of the medium game change the overall horror experience one might have. Different aspects and properties of the medium in question are discussed in detail – how immersion affects us as consumers, what the role of interactivity is and how they both relate to one another in-game, how this understanding comes into play in a game design context and how it can create a whole different experience for the player, and lastly, how certain game design elements can be utilized to further improve the emotional response.
Excerpt
Table Of Contents
Meta-Emotions, Catharsis and the Need for Affect
To start my search for different theories that might help explaining the mystery of
why we enjoy the experience we get from a good horror story, I want to discuss catharsis, as
well as other theories that use emotions in their explanation models, and explain why it might
be a relevant aspect when trying to answer the overall question of this paper.
Meta-Emotions
When we talk about emotions and start thinking about how much we actually know
about our emotions, it becomes soon clear that it is a rather abstract concept which is hard to
visualize or fully explain. The model of meta-emotions suggests that there is more than one
emotional state we can find ourselves in at the same time. Every now and then, the emotions
we experience at certain points in our lives appear more complex than others. Especially in
the case of experiencing positive emotions as well as negative emotions at the same time.
"Sometimes we wallow in sorrow; some pleasures are embittered with pains. Fears can be
pleasant, and joys may be spoiled with regret" (C. Jäger, A. Bartsch, 2006). A very simple
example to further illustrate the subject matter would be to enjoy a delicious piece of cake
while feeling bad about not sticking to or even cheating on ones diet. It soon becomes
apparent that there is something paradoxical about the emotions we feel.
When enjoying something you're not supposed to or feeling sad about something that
is actually making you feel mainly happy, it becomes clear that emotions can manifest
themselves in the most interesting combinations. Furthermore, that means that we have the
ability to direct emotions towards other emotions, or in other words, the way we feel about
how we feel. "We shall call such higher-order emotions meta-emotions." They way these
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meta-emotions come into play and how they are elicited is yet to be researched in greater
depth. Nevertheless there are a few interesting investigations made on account of meta-
emotions (C. Jäger, A. Bartsch, 2006).
Catharsis
The term "catharsis" has existed for more than two millenniums now. It was first used
by the Greek philosopher Aristotle back in the ancient Greece. The linguistic origin of that
term can be found in the greek word "Katharsis" which means as much as purification or
purgation. Aristotle used this term to explain why people were enjoying tragic theatre plays
such as Oedipus the King. Unfortunately, the exact definition of the word catharsis has never
been specified. Over the past centuries, it has always been heavily debated what the true
meaning is. Nevertheless, it is mostly believed that it refers to a cleansing or purification of
emotions when experiencing a controlled tragic event, for instance in form of a theatre such
as the one mentioned above. This means that the spectator is identifying herself or himself
with the actor and is feeling the portrayed emotions as if they were real and their own. The
spectator can then exercise her or his own anxiety, fear and terror through them. This allows
her or him to direct the negative emotions outwards and furthermore experience the purifying
effect of catharsis. Other critics also see catharsis as a form of moral lesson that allows one to
experience extreme fictional scenarios which in the end serves as reference (Howard, n.d.;
Nightingale, 2006; Catharsis, n.d.).
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As simple and coherent or compelling this theory might seem at a first glance, there
are definitely some weak points that are worth mentioning. Firstly, the cathartic effect theory
assumes that the main motivation to want to witness a tragic event (theatre, movie, game etc.)
is to release negative emotions throughout the process of experiencing them. Yet the question
presents itself if the emotions being referred to are not actually created by experiencing
whatever tragic event in the first place. This would mean that the emotions created by the
experience and the ones who are claimed to be purged through the cathartic effect cannot be
the same, and therefore, purging or releasing these negative emotions in question cannot be
regarded as the only nor the main motivation behind the craving of experiencing horror. One
might refer to these negative emotions that catharsis is supposed to purge as all the negative
emotions that had been accumulated over a certain period of time, which then on the other
hand would contradict its applicability to what we know as contemporary horror or "art-
horror" as Noël Carroll would refer to it.
Nevertheless, its theoretical approach might well play an important role in the general
theoretical process behind answering the question why we enjoy horror in the first place.
Even if the theory might be proven wrong, it still functions as a piece of the bigger puzzle or
as a foundation for other more elaborate theories to build upon on.
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Transfer
And this is exactly where the excitation transfer theory comes into play, utilizing
aspects of the catharsis hypothesis while finding supposedly better or at least more promising
solutions to the overall applicability of the theory. The transfer model is based on what Dolf
Zillermann calls the Mood-Management-Theory, which he has developed in the 1970s. In his
work, Zillermann advocates the importance of hedonistic behaviorism and their effects. In
other words, it states that the most important factors concerning our behavior and the reasons
why we do, or not do certain things, is driven by the simple motivation of maximizing the
gratifying reward of the positive emotions we feel. This concept would then for example be
able to explain, to some degree at least, why we do certain things over others and therefore,
why we choose to experience certain forms of media entertainment. In a further step, the
theory suggests that the emotional gratification one experiences is dependent on the
individual's arousal level, induced by what we experience. Which means that a low arousal
level evokes a less intense emotional experience than the one achieved by a very high arousal
level.
When we apply this thought process now onto experiences such as the ones horror
entertainment provides, and keep what we know about the cathartic effect and the concept of
meta-emotions in mind, it reveals the surface of what the excitation transfer theory tries to
illustrate. Assuming that watching a horror movie then invokes some extremely negative
emotions seems to make little sense at first considering the hedonistic motivation basis used
here. But, when focusing on the gratifying and rewarding overflow of positive emotions after
the spectator sees the plot resolve itself, suddenly provides a completely different perspective
on the subject matter. If we now, in a further step, consider that the more intense the
emotional experience is, the stronger the joyful emotions are, it might as well explain why
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audiences and producers of horrifying entertainment always try to push the limits further and
further in order to provide constantly increasing horrifying images (Jäger & Bartsch, 2006;
Kunczik, 2006).
Seeing how the transfer theory utilizes fear and the emotional relief that follows it
when watching tragic or horrifying imagery, the resemblance to the earlier discussed catharsis
hypothesis becomes more apparent. The most notable difference between the two approaches
though, lies in what kind of fear is referred to. The catharsis hypothesis only refers to a pre-
existing fear that has, on its own, not directly anything to do with whatever form of
entertainment that is being consumed. It implies that the fear, which serves as motivation, has
already formed itself before the individual decides to watch a tragic play (or any other form
of tragic, horrifying form of entertainment) and that the need to release or purge that fear is
the reason why the individual would go in the first place. The excitation transfer approach, on
the other hand, does not expect an already pre-existing fear but refers to whatever fear is
emerging during the process of watching a tragic play (or any other form of tragic, horrifying
form of entertainment). Therefore, what is referred to as one of the biggest flaws of the
catharsis hypothesis, is not only being avoided but explained in different and more relatable
way. Having the emotional state which is required for the catharsis hypothesis to work might
not be something everyone has ever experienced first hand, or is even able to relate and
identify with. But nearly everyone has already made the experience of a sudden, exciting rush
of adrenaline one might get watching a scary movie, playing a stomach twisting game or even
riding rollercoasters and the very comfortable feeling of relief that follows such an
experience. All these feelings occur in the process of doing these things and are mostly
inevitable (Jäger & Bartsch, 2006). Of course one might argue that not everyone is actively
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seeking out such intense experiences. A lot of people would do everything in their power to
avoid any kind of extremes. Glen Sparks, a professor of communication who studies the
effect of media on people says that only about one-third of people actively seek out these
intense experiences. Another third actively tries to avoid any kind of extreme situations,
while the last third occupies a sort of middle ground, where they do occasionally seek out
such entertainment and also enjoy it, but only to a certain degree (Sparks, n.d.).
Sensation Seeking
Why people seem to handle the desire for such forms of entertainment in such
different ways has to do with their NFA, or need for affect, as Anne Bartsch,
Markus Appel,
and Dennis Storch called it in their paper "Predicting Emotions and Meta-Emotions at the
Movies: The Role of the Need for Affect in Audiences' Experience of Horror and Drama".
The concept of the need for affects is again widely utilizing the idea of meta-emotions
and tries to shed more light onto the question why some people enjoy intense media content
while other people seem to show no motivation to seek such content out whatsoever. "The
NFA is defined as the 'general motivation of people to approach or avoid situations and
activities that are emotion inducing for themselves and others'" (Bartsch, Appel & Storch,
2010, p170). It is a conceptual property attributed to every individual and takes into account
"moods, emotions, preferences, and related evaluations" (Bartsch et al., 2010, p170).
According to that idea, all individuals have a certain desire for emotional affect in their lives.
If the NFA is high, then that person will actively seek out whatever extreme experience that
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provides enough distress to satisfy the initial NFA. On the other hand, an individual which
has a low NFA will try to keep their emotional state stable and avoid anything too exciting.
Applying the concept of NFA might also hint at why phenomenons such as genre preferences
become so apparent (Bartsch et al., 2010).
A very similar approach as the one just explained involving the need for affect is
being referred to as sensation seeking. It appears to utilize very similar concepts, which is
why its' mentioning is appropriate at this point.
Research on ,sensation seeking' suggests that strong emotions can satisfy a desire for
salient and intense experience. (...) The strength of the sensation seeking motive has
been shown to influence subject's emotional preferences. Sensation seekers preferred
emotionally intense media stimuli, regardless of whether these elicited positive or
negative emotions. Participants with a weak sensation seeking motive, by contrast,
preferred neutral and positive stimuli. (Jäger & Bartsch, 2006)
In a field study conducted by Anne Bartsch,
Markus Appel,
and Dennis Storch, the
results were meant to find out more about how the different levels of NFA affected the
emotional experiences of the spectators, some remarkable findings have been made.
According to the study, a high NFA resulted in an amplification of the emotional experience.
Therefore, negative emotions felt by individuals with a higher NFA were stronger and more
intense then the ones experienced by individuals with a lower NFA. Furthermore, it appears
that a high NFA also allows for a more positive evaluation on the level of meta-emotions.
Which means that although the negative emotions felt by individuals with a high NFA are
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worse, the way these individuals thought about them and resolved them on a meta-emotional
level was proportionally more positive and rewarding.
"Besides heightened levels of emotional reactivity we found evidence that the NFA
was related to a more positive evaluation of emotions in terms of meta-emotion." In other
words, individuals who have a high NFA and therefore have a strong emotional experience,
seem to be more acceptant towards their feelings. On the other hand, the other side of the
NFA spectrum appears to enjoy their emotional responses to intense experiences far less and
also find their emotions "less normatively adequate" (Bartsch et al., 2010).
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The Shadow, the Monster and the Curiosity
C.G. Jung's Shadow and the Collective Unconscious
Carl Gustav Jung believes that the human mind possesses something he called
collective unconscious, a common foundation of psychological archetypes that every human
being shares with each other regardless of what cultural, social or personal experiences and
memories. One of these archetypes is the one referred to as the shadow. The construct of the
shadow is a very interesting concept which has been an anchor point for many theories apart
from the one I am about to present. C. G. Jung was a doctor and a psychoanalyst in Zurich
who strongly believed that utilizing the concept of the shadow and working with it is a major
part of his work with patients, their mind and himself as a psychoanalyst. He characterized
the shadow as being a partly conscious and partly unconscious aspect present in our mind.
This Jungian archetype represents the darkest side in us which contains the irrational,
instinctive and least desirable aspects in our personality which we try to hide because of
societal reasons, self esteem or simply out of shame. It implies that every individual is ridden
by the same sinister urges locked away deep inside the unconscious. It is according to him
one of the archetypes which influences us the most. Not only does it influence us but it also
holds the power to create a conflict which in the end can prevent us to react or push us to do a
variety of unexpected or maybe even unwanted actions. It is also important to state that this
archetype is certainly not a trait which is acquired over time by specific individuals due to
certain experiences they might have made in their lives, but is given from the very beginning,
it is part of each and every one of us. Its major difference lies in the way it presents itself,
how it influences us and of course what consequences the outcome holds. Furthermore, Jung
clearly mentions that the shadow's character is highly driven from the individuals sub-
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Details
- Pages
- Type of Edition
- Erstausgabe
- Publication Year
- 2016
- ISBN (PDF)
- 9783960676096
- ISBN (Softcover)
- 9783960671091
- File size
- 493 KB
- Language
- English
- Institution / College
- Fachhochschule Salzburg
- Publication date
- 2016 (December)
- Grade
- 1,0
- Keywords
- horror videogame why horror game design paradox appeal affect video game survival horror
