1. The Physical and Emotional Effects that Horror Movies have on Humans
Allie Reaves
Chesapeake Bay Governor’s School Glenns Campus

2. Something to ponder
How does the body react physically and emotionally to fear?
What do we enjoy about watching horror movies?

3. Speculations Human Nature: Physical Reactions:
Munera and Venatio Shows in Roman Coliseum
Physical Reactions:
Laughter (Halloween, Horror Novels, Share Scary Stories)
Adrenaline

4. Speculations Not all enjoy being scared: Triggers Memories
Human Instincts
Learn about the “enemy”

5. Project Survey used to see if movie triggered reaction
Before, during and after the movie feelings and heart beats per minute
Increased heart rate means adrenaline has rushed through the body

6. Hypotheses and Variables
With respect to the mean emotional reactions to the movie:
Ho= Scary movies will have no effect on human emotions.
Ha= Scary movies will affect human emotions by their reactions toward to the movie.
With respect to the mean physical reactions to the movie:
Ho= Scary movies will have no physical effect on the human heart rate.
Ha= Scary movies will make humans react physically through a changed heat rate.
Variables
Independent: chosen movies and pause times
Dependent: resulting number of heartbeats and feelings

7. Materials Movies within the acceptable genres Stopwatch
Survey and pencil
“Before” section
“During” section
“After” section

8. Method Before: During: After: Record heartbeat and feeling
Fill out “before” section in survey
During:
Pause movie after 60 minutes
Continue movie
After:
Fill out “after” section in survey
“After” section

9. results

10. results Average Heartbeat of ages 0-20: p-value=0.5

11. Conclusion and other studies
The null hypotheses can be rejected.
As people watch scary movies, depending on their mood, their heart rate will either increase or decrease.
Other studies:
Computer Programs
Test cases like this one but with 182 people and 40 different horror films
Ways to make this project better:
Group Session (witness and record)
Reduce the amount of questions (some were irrelevant)

12. Acknowledgements
I would like to thank Mrs. Beam, Mr. Freedman, Ms. Luek, and Mrs. Pettyjohn for helping me with my project. I would also like to thank my family and friends as well as the students of CBGS for their help and support of my project.

13. Questions????????
Questions????????
Questions????????