Research unit based at @AarhusUni. We study frightening leisure activities: scary play, creepy movies, horrifying haunts. Currently funded by @DFF_raad.
What's the Recreational Fear Lab, and what are we up to? You can learn about some of our projects and meet several lab members in our new promo video (@TTerkildsen, @Marc_M_Andersen, @MathiasClasen, @MorbidPsych, and @mihaela_taranu): https://t.co/PHRQdfgOxy
Calling Stephen King fans of the world! I want to know about your King fascination. Please help by taking and sharing this survey: https://t.co/tgIXZFQWQv.
If you complete the survey, you can enter the raffle for a homemade SK figure. (Prototype depicted here.)
Our 5th annual workshop on recreational fear is happening in Aarhus on Dec 12!
Free participation, registration required. Venue: Aarhus Institute of Advanced Studies (https://t.co/5GCIfbTxVn)
Speakers + program: https://t.co/ZeIZwfQTTU
Register: https://t.co/kP2n5iOOzR
- but an exciting one. Thanks to our amazing research assistants, fantastic collaborators, and to the brave participants who screamed for science. ๐ป
๐งโโ๏ธ๐จ New Publication in Emotion
Thrilled to share our new paper: "Scared Together: Heart Rate Synchrony and Social Closeness in a High-Intensity Horror Setting"
https://t.co/6PLlhsQwgQ
These results align wiith prior research showing that shared experiences can amplify both emotional intensity and physiological alignment. Whether this synchrony emerges during shared fear or reflects pre-existing alignment between close individuals remains an open question -
Fear play is mostly social - done with parents, siblings, or friends. And it might serve a purpose: helping kids manage emotions, evaluate risks, and promote learning. This is the first study to show how common that is across childhood.
Amazing work, Mihaela! Congrats!
๐จ Kids LOVE fear?!๐จ Our new study led by Mihaela Taranu from the Recreational Fear Lab uncovers something surprising: Children across all ages actively seek out scary experiences - for fun! ๐https://t.co/Ih15DHj22O
They ask to poke a dead bird with a stick.
They sneak peeks at horror clips online.
They dare each other to jump from the shed roof.
They test how close their finger can get to a knifeโs edge.
These might sound concerning or odd - but theyโre developmentally typical!
Inside the Fear Lab! Out today in The Dark Side issue 267, I interview @RecFearLab co-creator, @MathiasClasen. Get your copy now before I buy them all. It's a very special spread. cc @PromoteHorror
Thanks to all who have taken part already!
We now have a large number of scifi & thriller fans ๐ธ๐ง, but true crime, horror, drama, and fantasy fans are lagging (among others) ๐ฎ๐น๐ง - where these fans at?
Take part to tell us why your genre is your favourite (5-10 mins)!
It's only taken six months but here it is. I've put my @RecFearLab talk from August 2024 on Slide share.
"In the two minutes before you go to sleep: Children and adolescentsโ responses to horror and horror film"
https://t.co/hYgDUrCofe