Bread and Circuses: Why Many People Are Drawn to Violent Movies and Series 0 9

Some of us find pleasure in settling down on the couch and watching violence on screen. But what lies behind this fascination? Are all people, deep down, cruel?

Death, blood, and violence have always attracted viewers. Ancient Romans gathered in the Colosseum to watch battles. In later eras, public executions were also very popular. In our time, filmmakers like Quentin Tarantino continue to portray brutality on screen. Many of us seem to enjoy this as much as Tarantino himself does when creating such films.

Research shows that 90% of the highest-grossing films contain scenes of violence involving the main character. Similarly, most Americans are drawn to horror films and watch at least a few of them each year.

Some people are more likely to enjoy violent news than others. Men with aggressive traits and lower levels of empathy are more likely to enjoy watching such scenes. There are also certain personality characteristics associated with the perception of violence. Extroverts seeking thrills and people open to aesthetic experiences are more likely to choose films with physical violence.

At the same time, more friendly and empathetic people tend to be less interested in such films (although, of course, there are exceptions). But why does this happen? Why do we enjoy watching brutal scenes of slaughter or survival games so much?

One theory suggests that watching violence helps us express emotions and reduce levels of aggression. However, this idea lacks sufficient evidence. When angry people watch violent content, they tend to become even more irritable. Newer studies based on the analysis of horror films show that there are three categories of people who enjoy watching violence, each with their own reasons.

The first group is called “adrenaline junkies.” These thrill-seekers crave new and intense experiences and are more likely to enjoy violence. The second group is interested in violence because they believe they can learn something from such films. In horror studies, these individuals are referred to as “white knuckle viewers.” The last group combines both types of psychology—they feel they are learning from these films while simultaneously enjoying the violence. The authors of the study labeled these people as “Dark Copers” or “those who cope with darkness.”

The idea that people enjoy watching safe violence on screen because it can be educational is called the “threat modeling theory.” This aligns with the observation that those most attracted to violence (aggressive young individuals) are also the most likely to encounter violence in real life or exhibit it.