BOO! Did I Scare You?

Summary: No, of course I didn’t. This is because words usually have no impact on the nerves responsible for reactors to the brain. The human body has actually adapted from the time we were animals, using the “fight-or-flight” response. This was when an animal was preparing to either fight its attacker or run from the scene depending on how much of a threat the imposter is.

Impact: (This is an extremely simplified version) Think about the last time you were in a haunted house. You walk into a dark, deserted room. Expecting something to jump out at you, your muscles contract and your heart races. Then, realizing there’s nobody in the room, you straighten a little, still wary but feeling better, and turn around. That’s when you see a hideous Thing jump at you from behind the door you just opened. You scream and nearly pee your pants at the sight. It’s interesting how this occurs, because you relax unintentionally, and everything I just had you picture happens in a matter of seconds. It’s also like this for everyday things. When you’re expecting a call, you’ll find yourself sitting there staring at it for a while, begging it to ring. After realizing it is inanimate and therefore cannot hear you, you get up for food or water or simply to leave it there thinking about what it’s done when, lo and behold, it rings. You jump an inch or two and try to catch your breath before you pick up the phone. Weird, right? Next time you get scared, look in a nearby mirror and watch your eyes.

Critique: Some people go to Haunted Houses intentionally to be scared. As for me, myself personally, I would rather not get nightmares for fun. I’m no thrill-seeker, but I have been scared in a haunted house before and let me tell you, it was not fun. (See above paragraph.)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fight-or-flight_response
http://people.howstuffworks.com/culture-traditions/holidays/haunted-house.htm
http://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/life/human-biology/fear.htm