Margee Kerr has been thinking about how zombies can help people overcome their fears.
Kerr is a sociologist. This type of scientist investigates aspects of human society. At the University of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania, Kerr studies our fears, collecting data on how and why people seek out frightening situations. Haunted attractions use her findings to make their exhibits spookier and more fun. Kerr’s love for everything scary has led to trips all around the world in search of the perfect scare. She wrote about her experiences in her book Scream: Chilling Adventures in the Science of Fear.
People often see fear as something to be avoided, says Kerr. But fear can be used to help people lead happier and more empowered lives, she contends. Her latest project looks at how virtual reality can make treatments for intense fears, or phobias, less intimidating. In this interview, Kerr shares her experiences and advice with Science News Explores. (This interview has been edited for content and readability.)
Q: What inspired you to pursue your career?
In my work for my PhD, I looked at why some parent groups are organized around the idea that vaccines cause autism. [Vaccines do not cause autism.] I studied how and why fear was useful for inspiring large groups of people.
During that time, I had days where I was just so “in my head” from work on a computer all day. So to take a break and have some fun, I looked for haunted houses. I went to a local haunted attraction and had a light bulb moment. I had spent all my time thinking about fear as this negative thing. Yet here I was lining up to spend money and my time to be scared. That’s when my path shifted. I wanted to explore why people want to engage with things we usually see as negative and scary.
Q: How did you get to where you are today?
Growing up, my family had horses, but we didn’t have our own farm. We would board our horses at different places. I met a…
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