There are two kinds of people in this world: those who watch horror films for the plot, and liars.

As someone who regularly watches horror films with my boyfriend, I’ve started to suspect that ghosts, demons and possessed dolls aren’t the only things responsible for keeping us glued to the screen. Somewhere between the first jump scare and the end credits, horror movies seem to create an entirely different kind of tension.

And, according to science, that might not be entirely in our heads.

Psychologists have a theory called excitation transfer, which sounds like something you’d learn in a second year lecture you definitely forgot to revisit. The idea is surprisingly simple, when you’re scared, your body releases adrenaline, your heart speeds up, and you’re left buzzing with energy. The catch is that your brain doesn’t always know what to do with all that leftover excitement. Sometimes it ends up attaching those feelings to whatever, or whoever, is nearby.

Scientists have found that horror films activate many of the same threat-response systems associated with fear and excitement, leaving viewers physiologically aroused long after the immediate scare has passed. Which might explain why the atmosphere feels noticeably different once the credits start rolling. You know the feeling.

So yes, that racing heartbeat might be because a demon just appeared in a wardrobe. Or it might be because someone you are attracted too is sitting six inches away. Preferably both.

Suddenly, generations of horror movie date nights start to make a lot more sense. My boyfriend and I discovered this entirely by accident. We’d settled into a routine of putting on horror films whenever we wanted a cosy night in. We started innocently enough. In bed. Snacks. Looking for a film. Standard couple activities. What we didn’t account for was the fact that horror films are basically designed to lead to no personal space.

The music gets quieter. A character decides to investigate a suspicious noise, because apparently common sense doesn’t exist in horror universes. You know something horrifying is about to happen. Then it does. Before you even realise what’s happening, you’ve grabbed the person next to you. One jump scare later and theres no longer any space between you.

Coincidence? Science says maybe not.

The genius of horror films is that they create the perfect excuse for physical closeness without either person having to acknowledge it. Nobody questions why you’re suddenly clinging to someone’s arm when a possessed child is sprinting down a corridor. It’s practically encouraged. And while romantic comedies are busy trying to manufacture chemistry through awkward first dates and grand declarations of love, horror movies are out here making people’s hearts race the old fashioned way. Through pure terror.

For us, no films have demonstrated this better than The Conjuring series.

I genuinely believe those films should come with a warning. Not because they’re scary, although they absolutely are, but because they somehow turn a normal evening into a night of extra steamy activities. Every creaking floorboard, every shadow lurking in the background, every scene that seems suspiciously quiet has you gripping the nearest available human for support. Which, for me, is usually my boyfriend.

The Conjuring films don’t rely on endless gore or cheap tricks. They build anticipation so effectively that you’re practically vibrating by the time anything actually happens. By the end of the film, you’re still carrying around all that adrenaline, except now the scary bits are over and you’re sitting next to someone you actually like. Convenient.

The film’s finished. The demons have hopefully been defeated. Neither of you is paying attention to the screen anymore. There’s a strange sexually charged energy in the room that definitely wasn’t there two hours earlier. What started as “Should we watch a film tonight and have a queit evening?” has somehow become a completely different evening. particularly noisy.

Perhaps horror movies are the ultimate wingman.

They’re cheaper than a fancy date, require minimal planning and do half the flirting for you. They create adrenaline, anticipation, physical closeness and shared emotional experiences. If romance thrives on excitement, horror films are basically doing the groundwork.

Of course, none of this is a guarantee. Watching The Conjuring won’t magically make someone fall in love with you. But if you’re already attracted to the person sitting beside you, a couple of hours of elevated heart rates, nervous laughter and accidental hand holding probably isn’t hurting your chances.

I say ditch the predictable date night formula. Find someone you like. Turn the lights off. Put on the scariest film you can find. Test the theory for yourself. Worst case scenario, you’ll watch a great horror film.

Best case scenario?

You won’t make it all the way through the sequel.

Words By Ellis Campion

Image by Ellis Campion