SCARE TACTICS

WHAT WILL YOU DISCOVER?

Understand yourself better mentallyHow do horror films alter the way we think?How does it influence the new thoughts and experiences we build?

WHAT TEXTS WILL YOU USE?

The Horror Film – Peter HutchingsVarious horror movies / clips such as:

• The Shining• Silence of the Lambs• Poltergeist• Blair Witch Project

WHAT DISCIPL IN ES WIL L BE COVERED?

Biology• Why do horror films send a chill up our spines?

Psychology• How do horror films affect us mentally? Why are we

scared of certain movies and not others?Sociology

• Why do horror movies vary internationally? Has society made us prone to fear?

WHAT TOOLS WILL YOU USE?

Experience and reflection• Why are you personally affected by horror films in

the way that you are?Behavioral Psychology

• How do horror films affect us mentally (short term, long term, and behaviorally)?

What makes a given fear rational or irrational

EXTEND IN G L EARNIN G OU TSIDE OF THE CLASSRO OM

Do a study of a random group of people watching horror films measuring physical affects as well as a survey of psychological affects.Guest Speaker who studies the psychological effects of horror moviesHost a horror movie film festival at StetsonAt the end of the semester compose a movie script for the perfect psychological thriller

GENERAL CLASS ORDER

Basics of psychology, specifically the elements utilized in horror films/video games as well as a study of the biological aspect of it

International horror films and the differences from country to country will be looked at to study the cultural impacts on why we are scared by certain things• Study urban legends often portrayed in horror films

Watching films and analyzing the elements that were used to create the scary effect

Project in which students will create what they believe would be the perfect psychological thriller that would scare the living daylights of an audience of the country of the student’s choosing

FINAL BREAKDOWN: IMPORTANT POINTS

This class forces people to look at parts of pop culture – and parts of themselves – that they’d rather run fromWhat we want to change is that people think there’s no “value” to horror movies; we don’t realize that they impact us.  A horror movie does more than make you scream

Thank You