A horror movie’s final survivor cautiously moves through a dimly lit house, their hand covering their mouth to muffle their breathing. They are visibly terrified as they try to find their way in the darkness, desperate to escape the same fate that befell the killer’s previous victims. But as a viewer, you are all too familiar with this scene. You feel prepared for the inevitable jump scare about to happen on screen.
Suddenly, the killer jumps out of a closet with a hatchet, accompanied by a loud burst of music. The audience screams in unison, but you remain composed, though you can feel your heart racing and the hairs on your arms standing on end. You jump in your seat, spilling popcorn as your friends laugh at your reaction.
Jump scares have a way of getting to us, triggering a primal response that is deeply ingrained in our evolutionary history. According to audiologist Natalie Calderon Moultrie, our brains are wired to react to sudden, high-amplitude sounds as a signal that something is amiss.
Nonlinear noise, as Moultrie explains, is a sudden change in sound that grabs our attention and triggers a distress signal in our brains. This response is rooted in our ancestors’ need to be alert to potential dangers in their environment, a survival mechanism that remains active in our modern brains.
Studies have shown that the startle response to jump scares involves a series of physiological reactions that prepare the body to react quickly to perceived threats. From blinking to increased heart rate and adrenaline release, our bodies are primed to fight or flee in response to sudden stimuli.
So, the next time you find yourself startled by a jump scare in a horror movie, remember that it’s just your body’s way of preparing you for danger. Embrace the experience as a reminder of your evolutionary heritage and ability to handle fear when necessary.
