On Mon, 25 Mar 91 20:56:00 EST <GU090IHC@ITHACA> said:
>        I was told in fiction film theory why people go to horror films.
>According to my prof. (and he claims to be able to back it up) people go to
>horror films to relieve sexual tension.  This explains why it draws mostly
>young audiences who are still trying to work out their sexual identity.
>I don't understand how this works, but it is at least a potential reason.
>eyes
 
It was explained to me somewhat differently.  According to some
researchers, young people, especially young males, utilize horror films
as an agent of socialization.  The genre of horror films allows young
people to master fear-arousing situations in relative safety.  By
repeated viewings of this genre, the viewer is soon able to experience
almost no distress from the film.  This is supposedly an important part
of socialization for males and they are soon able to exhibit this
mastery to their peers, especially those of the opposite sex.
For a more complete discussion on this, see ch. 15 of PERSPECTIVES
ON MEDIA EFFECTS edited by Jennings Bryant and Dolf Zillmann, 1986,
Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
 
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      What a thrill--
      My thumb instead of an onion.
                 --Sylvia Plath
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STEVE ROCKWELL
 
INSTITUTE FOR COMMUNICATION RESEARCH
The University of Alabama (Tuscaloosa)
BITNET:    SROCKWE3@UA1VM
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