10 Horror Movie Clichés That Can Actually Happen In Real Life, According To Research
These overused tropes aren't so uncommon after all.
Stokkete | Shutterstock When Friday night rolls around, all people want to do is kick back, relax, and throw on movie, cuddle with their pet, and order takeout. As they get comfortable, they might stumble upon a horror movie or two that look decent. With food in one hand and the remote control in the other hand, they make the decision to watch a scary movie, setting the mood by turning off the lights.
They may quickly notice horror movie tropes — scared characters stumbling, screaming, or dropping their keys, all at the same time. In their head, they likely believe things like this could never happen to them, but there are plenty of horror movie clichés that can actually happen in real life, according to research. From animals seemingly staring at nothing to people running in circles, the actions in horror movies aren't as bizarre as Hollywood makes it seem.
Here are 10 horror movie clichés that can actually happen in real life, according to research
1. Going to investigate a strange noise
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In a specific horror movie trope, the Final Girl hears a sudden thud downstairs. Jumping slightly out of her bed, she goes to turn on the light, only to realize that the power has been mysteriously cut. With seemingly no other option, she grabs a handy flashlight and investigates the sound while the audience screams and shakes their head at the screen.
While it may be a normal thing for this genre that would never really occur, it's also one of the horror movie clichés that can actually happen in real life, according to research. But why do people investigate a scary noise if horror movie rule number one says to run in the opposite direction? Though it might sound strange, investigating an unknown noise isn't that uncommon.
According to psychologist Susan Albers, PsyD, "It's your brain's way of protecting you by scanning the environment for signs of danger and being extremely aware of your surroundings." These individuals are taught to look around every corner and to constantly be on standby mode, leading them to develop hypervigilance.
Of course, this doesn't make this action any less questionable. While their instincts might scream that it's all in their head, people should be a little bit cautious before jumping into the unknown like this.
2. Falling down and crawling instead of getting up
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When people in horror movies are running away, most of the time they tend to trip over something and fall to the ground. But instead of getting up to keep running, they crawl away, despite running being a better option. But while people watching these movies may reason that they wouldn't simply crawl, there's a reason why people prefer to do so more than they prefer to get up and run.
In the wild, some animals instinctively shrink themselves to appear less threatening. In one study from The American Naturalist, this ideology of making oneself smaller to avoid being spotted led male cichlids, a type of fish, to delay the development of their striking color to make themselves less noticeable to their prey.
In humans, the body's fight or flight response often ends up kicking in, causing people's body to respond slower. While running might seem like the most common sense thing to do, in actuality, people who are terrified are increasingly more likely to make themselves smaller, showing how important it is to be mindful of controlling their bodily reactions.
3. Animals staring at nothing
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Animals sometimes play a large role in horror movies, indicating that something isn't quite right. From a dog's constant barking and whining, to cats sensing negative energy and hissing, animals seem to be hyperaware of paranormal presences. And when animals are staring at nothing, it's another horror movie trope that can occur.
Animals can be a bit weird from time to time. Cat owners may wake up to see their pet staring at them in the early hours of the morning. But staring at a wall for hours on end and barking or meowing on top of that? It's safe to say most people would move out the next day.
But although it might seem like nothing, an animal's eyesight is far greater than a human's.
According to Dr. Ellis Loew, a professor of physiology at Cornell University's College of Veterinary Medicine, animals can see things that humans can't see.
"These animals have the ability to detect lights in parts of the spectrum that, to us, are basically invisible in most cases. It makes certain kinds of things look brighter than they would to us. So going outside, where there is a lot of ultraviolet [light], things would look different than they would inside," he revealed.
4. Running up the stairs when chased
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When someone wielding a weapon hunts down the main character in the movie, they inevitably run upstairs when they're being chased, rather than out the door. It may seem strange, but it's another of the horror movie clichés that can actually happen in real life, according to research.
People severely underestimate how their bodies might react during a dangerous situation. The pumping of adrenaline and their mind going haywire can leave even the smartest people defenseless.
According to clinical therapist Brittney Chesworth PhD, people have certain safety behaviors to reduce the anxiety they're experiencing. In the context of a horror movie, people might run up the stairs to find safety by locking themselves away from the threat as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, this can have the opposite effect as they unintentionally end up trapping themselves inside.
When faced with an intense situation, nobody will ever truly know how they will react until they're in the middle of it. While they might be smart and run out of the house, people who simply want comfort might run to the place they feel most safe.
5. Calling a friend or boyfriend instead of 911
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We've all seen that part of a horror movie where the Final Girl or main character is blasting music in their room, when suddenly, the power goes out, they hear a sudden noise downstairs, or they feel a sense of dread. Feeling alarmed and terrified, they decide the best thing to do is call a friend or partner, rather than the police.
It's easy to see why most people would be in disbelief while staring at the movie screen. When a person's life is in danger, they would do the common sense thing and call for backup, right? Well, while dialing 911 is important when someone is hurt or sees something suspicious, it's not always as reliable as calling a friend, family member, or boyfriend.
According to a Gallup Poll, only 51% of Americans have confidence in the police. This means that almost half of Americans don't have faith that the police will be of service, leading them to depend on others for help. So, while some people might think it's ridiculous to dial a friend's phone number, it's sometimes the smartest decision to make.
6. Running in circles
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It can be frustrating when the seemingly idiotic characters in the movie try and fail miserably to escape danger. Instead of clearly going directly to the glowing sign that says exit, they fall apart on themselves and run around in circles.
While most would like to ridicule them and simply call them clueless, according to therapist Tom Bunn, LCSW, anxiety can reduce people's high-level thinking and decision-making, causing them to make questionable decisions. So, if someone ever finds themselves being chased down by a 100-year-old vengeful spirit or Michael Myers, they might want to try and find a way to ground themselves before escaping.
Georgia Witkin, PhD, assistant professor of psychiatry, added that the quickest way to slow down the adrenaline flow is by practicing slow and easy diaphragm breathing. "Just counting from 10 back to 1 as you take a breath each time is enough to help you turn off those fear feelings," she advised. But if someone doesn't have time to, finding ways to ground themselves back to reality by using their senses is always an option.
7. Dropping keys when being chased
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It seems that in every scary movie, there's always that one person who drops their keys when they're trying to escape. Shaking their head in annoyance, viewers are likely sick and tired of the clumsy character, pushing back against quite an overplayed trope. But in reality, it's just another of the horror movie clichés that can actually happen in real life, according to research.
People don't want to believe that they'll be that clumsy in a life-or-death situation. But most people are this ungraceful, especially when they're in danger. According to StatPearls Publishing, anxiety can cause people's hands to shake or numbness and light-headedness.
The next time someone has the misfortune of being chased by a monster or someone chasing after them, it might be wise to use the automatic unlock feature or carry a spare key.
8. Helping a random stranger
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While it's nice to perform acts of kindness for strangers, in scary movies, doing this often ends in disaster. A character may be traveling in pitch-black darkness, exhausted from work and barely paying attention to their surroundings. Suddenly, a shadowy figure appears out of nowhere, asking for help. And, as it usually goes, the character gives in without a second thought.
In real life, people know better than to get out of the car when a stranger approaches. Putting themselves in a position of vulnerability isn't a good idea, but just because people know better doesn't mean that they'll do better.
According to research published in The Social Science Journal, people are more likely to trust strangers than their friends. Researchers found that people know better with their friends, resulting in them making decisions based on prior history.
On the flip side, since people don't know strangers, they base their level of trust, and by extension their actions, on personality traits. So, if someone appears charming, they're increasingly more likely to be viewed as more trustworthy.
9. The group deciding to split up
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One of the most common tropes of scary movies is a group of friends splitting up, despite common sense dictating otherwise. Splitting up is the last thing people should do, as there's power in numbers and breaking off into teams can quickly turn an already bleak situation into something much worse.
In the real world, this isn't all that shocking. It seems like a bad idea in horror movies, but people severely underestimate how confidence and group opinion sway decision-making.
According to NYU's Applied Psychology Opus, researchers who studied "groupthink" — defined by research psychologist Irving Janis as "a phenomenon that occurs when members of a group prioritize unanimity over a realistic appraisal of the situation at hand" — found that adhering to group norms and pressures, even when the decision was arguably bad, is normal as their desire to be loyal overrides all other logic.
If someone ever finds themselves in a group situation where people are nodding along and saying to split up, it's likely best to speak up and resist the groupthink. It might be intimidating, but sometimes expressing that opinion permits people to speak their mind.
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10. Accidentally knocking something over while hiding
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When adrenaline is running high, and with little time to spare, the main character of the scary movie desperately looks for a place to hide. Unfortunately, while hiding, they accidentally knock something over, exposing their location without meaning to. It's a trope as old as time, but it's also one of the unfortunate horror movie clichés that can actually happen in real life, according to research.
Dropping an expensive plate or their phone is a common thing main characters do that accidentally reveal their location to the villain. Though frustrating, their misstep isn't necessarily all that surprising, as anxiety has a way of startling the nerves, causing people to drop stuff or trip in the process.
While people might like to think that controlling anxiety is easy, in a real-world situation, getting their mind together is difficult. So, while it might be annoying to see it in horror movies, in actuality, stumbling over and knocking things over isn't so uncommon. Anxiety can get the best of anyone, especially in a terribly dangerous situation.
Marielisa Reyes is a writer with a bachelor's degree in psychology who covers self-help, relationships, career, family, and astrology topics.