The Sensitivity of the Amygdala: Exploring the Impact on Movie Preferences
by [Journalist Name]
Sanggye Paik Hospital, South Korea – In a fascinating revelation, Professor Won Kim, a distinguished mental health medicine expert at Inje University Sanggye Paik Hospital, has shed light on the variable sensitivity of the amygdala among individuals and its surprising influence on movie preferences.
Contrary to popular belief, horror film aficionados may not be zombies themselves, but rather possess a specific neurological predisposition. According to Professor Kim, individuals with a dull amygdala tend to gravitate towards horror movies, seeking the thrill and arousal required for a positive impact on their physical and mental well-being. On the other hand, those with a more sensitive amygdala may develop a phobia towards such thrilling cinematic experiences.
How does the amygdala play a role in our response to fear? As humans, our fear response has been ingrained in us since primitive times, serving as a vital survival mechanism. Imagine encountering a tiger out of the blue – in such situations, our brains trigger an emergency alarm system, prompting us to either fight or flee, a decision that can be life-saving.
Buried deep within the brain lies the almond-shaped amygdala, working in tandem with the cerebral cortex to evaluate the level of danger in a given fear-inducing scenario. It sends signals to the hypothalamus, which then orchestrates the autonomic nervous system to mobilize the body for action, either fighting or running away.
When the sympathetic nerves of the autonomic nervous system are stimulated, a cascade of bodily changes ensues. Pupils dilate, hearts race, breath quickens, and hairs stand on end. Profuse sweating occurs as the body directs all its resources towards the muscles, preparing for a potential confrontation or escape. This sweating mechanism serves to cool down the body in the face of heightened exertion.
Enter horror movies – where there’s no real tiger lurking nearby. The brain, however, perceives these thrilling scenes as emergencies, setting off the same fear responses as it would in a life-or-death situation. The result? Sweating without the corresponding muscle movement and heat production. The body’s heightened senses may lead to a chilling sensation as the sweat cools the skin.
Professor Kim astutely observes, “The sensitivity of the amygdala varies from person to person, giving rise to diverse movie-watching preferences. Some individuals crave more intense and spine-chilling experiences to stimulate their blunted amygdala.”
Interestingly, individuals who despise horror films often possess an exceedingly sensitive amygdala prone to react even to minor stimuli. These individuals may find any kind of stimulation distressing due to their predisposition to be easily startled. Prolonged exposure to disliked stimuli can lead to an extended action of stress hormones, eventually resulting in chronic stress and the onset of stress-related illnesses like depression and anxiety.
Understanding the intricacies of our brain’s response to fear not only unravels the mystery behind our movie choices but also unveils the delicate balance between excitement and personal well-being. Further exploration of how individual variability shapes our preferences may shed light on a wide range of human experiences.
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Won Kim, Professor at Sanggye Paik Hospital, “The sensitivity of the amygdala varies from person to person”
A preference for horror films arises under the influence of the amygdala. Courtesy of Getty Imagebank
Is it good for your health to fly in the hot summer while watching horror movies? According to Kim Won, a professor of mental health medicine at Inje University Sanggye Paik Hospital, this is different for each person.
Professor Kim said, “People with a dull amygdala become horror movie maniacs for proper arousal and stimulation, which can have a positive effect on their physical and mental health. Conversely, people with a sensitive amygdala develop a movie phobia horror.”
The fear response is an emergency alarm system that humans have had for survival since primitive times. If we suddenly encounter a tiger, our brain triggers an emergency alert system to initiate a fight or flight response where we have to decide whether to fight the tiger or run away.
In these situations, our brain gets busy. Deep in the brain, the almond-shaped amygdala (amygdala) determines whether the current fear situation is dangerous and, together with the cerebral cortex, begins to find an appropriate response according to the degree of danger. In line with this, the hypothalamus gives orders to the autonomic nervous system to convert the body into a fighting system.
When the sympathetic nerves of the autonomic nervous system are excited, changes begin throughout the body. The pupils dilate, the heart beats faster, and breathing quickens. Hair stands up across the body, muscles on the limbs rise, and sweating profusely. These responses are the body’s mechanism for concentrating all the force and blood into the muscles, either fighting back or running away. At this time, sweat is secreted to cool down.
When you’re watching a horror movie, there’s no real tiger next to you. The brain gave the order to fight, saying it was an emergency, but in the end, it was just sweating without muscle movement and heat production. Because the senses of the whole body become sensitive, the sweat cools down and you feel cold and cold.
Professor Kim said, “There are people who watch horror movies well and people who don’t, because the sensitivity of the amygdala varies from person to person. They want something scarier and more intense to stimulate their blunted amygdala.”
The amygdala of a person who hates horror movies tends to be very sensitive to even small stimuli. These people may hate stimulation because they are usually surprised. If you continue to be exposed to stimuli that you do not like, the action of stress hormones is prolonged, leading to a chronic state of stress, and stress diseases, depression and anxiety can occur.
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