According to research and experts, there are a few different reasons behind why people like scary movies. Some even find them oddly comforting. A study published in the Journal of Media Psychology found that people watch scary movies for three main reasons: tension, relevance, and unrealism
In addition to giving you a playbook of sorts, experts say watching horror movies can help you practice coping strategies. ... “Because that's exactly what you do when you're watching a horror movie. You regulate your emotions such that you're in a sweet spot for feeling afraid but also having fun.”
