Haunted Houses and Why We Love Being Scared of Them

Haunted Houses and Why We Love To Be Scared

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re discussing the haunted house sub-genre and why we’re both scared and intrigued by it.

Haunted houses have been a horror staple since the genre’s inception. It’s become a whole sub-genre of its own, and a thriving one at that. The house basically stars as a main character. But haunted house movies can be about more than just ghosts. The definition of the word haunt is quite broad: to visit often, sometimes spontaneously; to linger in one place; to cause harm. One can be haunted by past trauma, or even living people.

We all know how the story goes: people - usually a family - arrive and move into a house that’s new to them. At first, things are fine or even great, and the amazement and excitement drown out any ideas of danger. Then strange things start to happen — unexplained noises, sudden changes in temperature, and characters begin to feel like they’re not alone. The evil or ghostly source increasingly gets more violent, and ultimately, needs to be defeated.

British geographer Jay Appleton noted the two things we look for in a house — prospect and refuge. Prospect means having the opportunity of a clear view of your surroundings, while refuge refers to shelter and protection. Basically, we need to be able to see without being seen. These two features are derived from our basic human psychological needs. We also need to be somewhere easily recognizable, meaning a place where we won’t get lost.

Haunted houses lack legibility, prospect, and refuge — all three qualities needed for an “optimal environment for human comfort.” When we’re faced with someone or something unfamiliar and confusing, we put our guard up. People or places outside of what we perceive as normal are unpredictable. We don’t know if this is a threat or not. And that ambiguity automatically makes us feel unsafe, setting off our creepy detectors. It’s common to assess your surroundings, particularly when entering a new space. We like to know if and how we’ll be able to escape if we need to, or that we can call for help. Spooky houses limit our chances of fleeing, whether it’s a confusing layout, a series of obstacles (hedges, fences, locked doors) or something else entirely.

So, why do people in horror movies move into houses without prospect or refuge? Sometimes it’s inherited, they’re too cheap to pass up, or maybe a family moves there while the place undergoes renovations with the intention to flip and sell. Maybe a group of strangers signed up for an experiment, and they stay in the house because of money or work. Sometimes... they can’t leave.

Most people have an idea of what a haunted house looks like. The unofficial blueprint is big, old, and dark. Victorian and gothic houses (or mansions) have an inherently spooky aesthetic. This is how we envision the prototypical haunted house: it’s filled with antique furniture, creepy art (like photos, portraits, and statues), perhaps covered in cobwebs/spiderwebs. The floors creak and the wind rattles everything. It’s usually drafty, with large open spaces. Maybe there are secret doors leading to hidden rooms, and/or grand libraries with tall bookcases. All of these features indicate old age. The older the place, the more likely something bad happened there. Another factor is a disturbing history. If someone died there, we automatically think that the trauma is embedded in its walls. If it was a violent death, like murder or the taking of one’s own life, then that’s definitely a red flag. Also, watch out for who’s living around it - or if there’s anyone at all! The latter may be another red flag.

The most common reason for a house being haunted is due to a tragic event that previously occurred. There’s a tangible fear that the place is tainted. These types of sites are common settings for supernatural horror, and horror in general, because we’re confronted with death. When it comes to the afterlife, the idea of a soul not passing over is commonly associated with feelings that it’s malevolent, and/or has unfinished business - whether it’s solving their own murder, sticking around to “help” a live person uncover the truth, or simply for revenge.

If the spirits are trapped, they’ll find ways to reach the living. Their presence typically makes the area suddenly cold, or cause a rotting smell to pervade the room. They might announce their arrival by knocking things over, touching the living person, or even speaking (usually in whispers). If their goal is to harm the living person, things go up a notch. That’s where the violence comes in. Ghosts will attack when you’re most vulnerable, like in the bathroom or while you’re asleep.

If there’s something evil or cursed kept inside of a house, chances are that its presence affects the place. It could be an ancient artifact, a dead body or skeleton, a doll, or an actual creature. Once it’s freed, either purposely or accidentally, all hell breaks loose. And if it’s something that others can’t see, you’re left to deal with it yourself.

Haunted house movies can also serve as psychological thrillers. There’s less gore and mayhem, but the results can be just as terrifying or deadly. There are times when films trick us into thinking a house is haunted by spirits, or possessed by demons, when it’s actually something else. Psychological factors such as hallucinations or delusions can be the cause of the strange happenings. When the source of torment is a person, it’s usually going into slasher territory. However, there’s something even more haunting when you’re the single target because there’s no madman going around killing for the fun of it. The terror becomes more personal, psychologically invasive, maybe more so than physical.

Questioning your own sanity is a horror all its own. Trying to get others to believe in the supernatural in the movies is pretty much an impossible task. Experiencing things and believing in the supernatural is isolating. These concerns are either laughed off or logically explained by friends or family, and/or maybe even medical professionals and law enforcement. Other times, they’re just dismissed completely, with people saying that those who believe in such things are crazy. In some cases, the person (or persons) being asked for help knows what’s happening, but continues to gaslight the other. Women and children are more often the ones who experience these terrors, and are more susceptible to possession or haunting.

A major source of fear is being attacked in the safety of your home. When your home becomes more of a prison than a refuge, that’s another level of violation. Homes are extensions of ourselves, and when they're infected or breached, it feels like trespassing on an intimate level. Sometimes the houses themselves aren’t haunted, but they come with some creepy (and often intrusive) neighbors. It’s a form of invasion because the house or location still feels cursed in some way. You could even say it’s haunted by the living.

Our interest in haunted houses is similar to that in true crime. We watch to learn how to survive potential encounters, how to prepare ourselves, and how to avoid danger. There’s something cathartic about being scared but ultimately feeling secure in the safety of your own home while watching someone else get terrorized in theirs. Sure, it puts us on edge, and we jump at every sound we hear. But that’s the fun of horror!