#59: Why Being Scared Is Good for You | Coltan Scrivner

We’ve made life so safe that most of us are out of practice at handling fear. Michael speaks with Coltan Scrivner about why being scared can be good for you. Scrivner, a psychologist at Arizona State University and author of Morbidly Curious, unpacks why humans are drawn to danger, the four kinds of morbid curiosity, why horror fans held up better in the pandemic, the sweet spot of fear, and when too much true crime starts to warp how dangerous the world feels. They discuss:

(00:00) Cold open
(01:03) Why we can't look away from crime and danger
(06:59) The four kinds of morbid curiosity
(12:44) Why everyone slows down for car wrecks
(15:41) When true crime warps your world
(20:53) Are horror fans less empathetic?
(27:45) Why people root for killers
(31:33) Why women love true crime
(34:34) Michael's morbid curiosity score
(37:04) The sweet spot of fear
(40:04) Kids and scary movies
(43:44) Is Dateline before bed bad?
(46:07) Why clowns and creepy old women get us
(50:37) Horror fans and the pandemic
(53:08) The woman who can't feel fear
(57:32) His scariest ghost hunt
(1:02:33) Rapid fire: Best horror movies and villains

Get Coltan's book, Morbidly Curious: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/705578/morbidly-curious-by-coltan-scrivner-phd/
Take Coltan's Morbid Curiosity Test: https://www.coltanscrivner.com/morbid-curiosity-test

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Host: Michael Easter
Executive Producer: Robbie Hiser
Music: The Heater Manager
Graphics: Jackie Philips

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