Murray State University’s Humanities+ Series explores “The Science Behind the Scare”
By Nate Curlin | Oct 22, 2026
MURRAY, Ky. — Murray State University’s College of Humanities and Fines Arts’ (CHFA) Humanities+ program will host “The Science Behind the Scare: Physiological Responses to Horror Films” on Thursday, Oct. 29 at 4:30 p.m. in Faculty Hall room 208 on Murray State’s campus. Presented by Dr. Megan St. Peters, associate professor of psychology at Murray State, the Humanities+ event is free and open to the public.
The Humanities+ Series explores how individuals flourish in today’s challenging world. Through innovative programming and community engagement, the series fosters creative, intellectual and educational opportunities focused on cultivating the skills individuals need to live and learn well.
St. Peters’ presentation will explore how the body reacts to scary movies and why people react so differently to them. She will share research showing how physiological signals, like heart rate, measure a movie's scare factor, and why some people love horror while others avoid it completely.
“I’ll be sharing research that ranks the scariest movies based on heart rate data,” said St. Peters. “It reveals which films people love to watch and which ones they avoid at all costs.”
During the presentation, audience members can download an app to monitor their own heart rates in real time, showing how two people watching the same scene can have completely different reactions.
Although the topic relies on science, St. Peters points out that it connects directly to the humanities by focusing on human behavior and connection.
“The humanities explore how people interact with one another,” St. Peters said. “This topic gives us a fascinating look at our individual differences and shared human experiences.”
St. Peters holds a master’s degree and Ph.D. in psychology (neuroscience and behavior) from Northern Illinois University. She also completed postdoctoral research at the University of Michigan and earned her bachelor's degree at the University of the Ozarks. Her research focuses on physiological psychology and biological influences on human cognition, including the effects of stress, anxiety and sleep.
For more information about the event, visit the Humanities+ program’s website, murraystate.edu/humanities, or contact program director, Dr. Josh Adair, at jadair1@murraystate.edu. Area teachers interested in receiving professional development credit for attendance to the event should contact CHFA Education Placement Coordinator Kristen Swisher at kswisher@murraystate.edu.