Why We Can't Look Away — Armchair Expert (Coltan Scrivner on Morbid Curiosity)
Update: 2025-12-10
Description
What if our urge to look at the scary and the strange is actually a survival tool? In this 6-minute summary (from the original 2-hour Armchair Expert episode), hosts Dax Shepard and Monica Padman talk with psychologist Coltan Scrivner about morbid curiosity, fear regulation, and why people flock to true crime, haunted houses, and violent spectacle. You'll learn the four domains of morbid curiosity, the ‘sweet spot’ of fear people enjoy, the three types of horror fans, and why curiosity about danger can aid emotion regulation rather than cause harm. Coltan explains the evolutionary logic (predator inspection, rehearsal through storytelling), shares eye‑tracking and heart‑rate findings, and offers practical parenting and mental health insights. Keywords: morbid curiosity, psychology, mental health, true crime, horror, fear regulation. Listen now to get the key ideas in minutes.
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