Why A Good Scare Is Sometimes The Right Call
People who love a good thrill are known in psychology as high sensation seekers. According to psychologist Ken Carter, high sensation seekers produce less cortisol than low sensation seekers in risky situations like white water kayaking. They also seem to produce more dopamine, which is that neurotransmitter that's associated with pleasure. Behrouz Mehri/AFP via Getty Images hide caption
People who love a good thrill are known in psychology as high sensation seekers. According to psychologist Ken Carter, high sensation seekers produce less cortisol than low sensation seekers in risky situations like white water kayaking. They also seem to produce more dopamine, which is that neurotransmitter that's associated with pleasure.
Behrouz Mehri/AFP via Getty ImagesThis week is our last with Maddie as a host, so we're spending it with a trip down memory lane. The first episode Maddie invites us to relive and enjoy is our first listener question episode on the science behind thrill-seeking. She talks to psychologist Ken Carter about why some people love to get scared.
Related Links:
- Buzz!: Inside the Minds of Thrill-Seekers, Daredevils, and Adrenaline Junkies, by Kenneth Carter
- The Science Of Scary: Why It's So Fun To Be Freaked Out by Maddie Sofia and Emily Vaughn
Reach the show by emailing shortwave@npr.org.
This episode was produced by Rebecca Ramirez, edited by Viet Le and fact-checked by Brit Hanson. Our thanks to Gilly Moon and James Willetts, the audio engineers this episode.