Swedish amusement park Liseberg is looking for volunteers for “The Peak Fear Experiment” at a secret location in Sweden. The participants can expect to face their worst fears and explore their own limits of scary entertainment. The experiment, conducted in collaboration with world-leading scientists from Recreational Fear Lab at Aarhus University in Denmark, will take place on October 11th, 2023.
“If you are over 18 years old, enjoy being frightened, and can be in Sweden on October 11th, you could be the one we are looking for to participate in ´The Peak Fear Experiment´. Together with researchers from Recreational Fear Lab and our participants, we will find the sweet spot between fun and unpleasant. The experiment will subject the participants to different types of fear to discover their ´Peak Fear´”, says Mårten Westlund, PR and Communications Director at Liseberg.
Since “Halloween at Liseberg” started in 2015, the amusement park in Gothenburg, Sweden, has welcomed almost two million visitors looking to be scared and entertained by its Halloween attractions. Typically, being frightened is associated with negative experiences, however, research has shown the opposite can also be true:
“Frightening entertainment may have a range of positive psychological effects; it may actually be good for us to play with our fears by, for instance, watching scary movies or visiting ‘haunted attractions’. Such entertainment, it seems, can function as a kind of fear vaccine and build up resilience to stress and anxiety by practising emotion regulation and expanding our limits. So, we’re very excited about this collaboration with Liseberg and about seeing how our research results may be used to optimize scary entertainment in the real world”, says Mathias Clasen, PhD and co-director of Recreational Fear Lab at Aarhus University.
The researchers at Recreational Fear Lab have identified three main types of horror fans; those who seek the adrenaline rush, those who are genuinely frightened but nevertheless want to overcome their fears, and those who use the scary experience to navigate a frightening world.
“At Liseberg, we are experts at creating emotional experiences, whether these concern g-forces, concerts or, as during Halloween, fear. Through ´The Peak Fear Experiment´ we aim to deepen our knowledge of fear and horror so that in the future we can attract more people of all ages and customise frightening and entertaining experiences for everyone”, says Mårten Westlund.
Participants for the ´The Peak Fear Experiment´ will be selected by a jury of representatives from Peak Fear Lab and Liseberg. During the experiment, the participants will be monitored by a team including physicians and psychologists. Before the experiment, the participants will undergo a health examination. Liseberg will cover travel and hotel expenses for those participating in ´The Peak Fear Experiment´.
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