Why do we like to be scared? | Dr. Margee Kerr | TEDxFoggyBottom

From haunted houses to horror films, why do we enjoy being scared? Sociologist Dr. Margee Kerr reconsiders the physical and psychological effects of fear on the body to figure out exactly what it is about being scared that’s just so fun. Dr. Margee Kerr is a sociologist and author who earned her PhD in 2009 from the University of Pittsburgh and currently teaches and conducts research on fear, specifically how and why people engage with “scary“ material. Dr. Kerr is the co-investigator on a first-of-its-kind study which measures how the brain and body respond to “fun-scary“ experiences like haunted attractions, paranormal investigations, and thrill rides. She works as a consultant for attractions and museums and is the author of SCREAM: Chilling Adventures in the Science of fear, named as a must read by the Washington Post. Her work has been featured in the New York Times, Parade, Atlantic Monthly, and NPR’s Science Friday, among other places. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at