Fieldwork
Voices from the dark
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Instrument
1.Do you identify as neurodivergent (autistic, ADHD, anxious-profile, or otherwise), and is that identification formal/diagnosed, self-identified, or both?
2.At what age did you start watching horror on purpose, and do you remember why?
3.Would you describe yourself as a casual horror viewer, a dedicated fan, or somewhere in between?
4.Can you describe a specific time horror seemed to calm you down rather than upset you? What was happening in your life or your head right before you watched?
5.What does that calm actually feel like in your body, if you can describe it — physically, not just "I felt better"?
6.Do you notice a difference in your general anxiety level on days you watch horror versus days you don't?
7.Has horror ever helped you fall asleep, focus on a task, or get through a hard emotional moment? Can you describe one instance?
8.Do jump scares and slow-building dread feel different to you? How would you describe that difference?
9.Are there specific sounds, visual styles, or pacing choices in horror that you find especially calming or especially unbearable?
10.Do you have any sensory sensitivities (sound, light, texture) in daily life, and do you notice them showing up — or disappearing — while watching horror?
11.Do you ever feel more sympathy for or identification with the monster/villain than the "normal" characters? Can you give an example?
12.Have you ever felt like a horror character's experience of being feared, misunderstood, or "othered" mirrored something in your own life?
13.Do you rewatch the same horror films on purpose? If so, which ones, and why those specifically?
14.Do you prefer watching horror alone or with others, and does that change the effect?
15.Is there a specific film, director, or subgenre that works especially well for you, and can you say why?
16.If you had to explain to a skeptical friend or family member why horror calms you down, what would you say?
17.Is there anything about your relationship to horror that you've never said out loud before, or that you wish more people understood?
18.Would you be open to a short recorded interview (with full control over how you're quoted), or do you prefer to answer in writing?