JOURNAL ARTICLE

New Findings from Arizona State University Describe Advances in Psychology and Psychiatry (Vulnerability and the Computational Logic of Fear: Insights From the Horror Genre).

  • Published In: Psychology & Psychiatry Journal, 2026. P. 167 1 of 2

  • Database: Psychology Source 2 of 2

Abstract

The article discusses a study from Arizona State University that introduces the Protagonist Vulnerability Index (PVI), a computational method aimed at understanding why certain narratives elicit stronger fear responses. The PVI measures the vulnerability of protagonists in relation to antagonists and their risk of attack, revealing that higher PVI values correlate with horror classification and physiological fear responses. The research also links film preferences to psychological traits, indicating that a preference for high-PVI films is associated with lower agreeableness and higher openness. The findings provide insights into the structural and psychological factors that activate evolved threat-management systems in storytelling. [Extracted from the article]

Additional Information

  • Source:Psychology & Psychiatry Journal. 2026/01, p167
  • Document Type:Article
  • Subject Area:Literature and Writing
  • Publication Date:2026
  • ISSN:1944-2718
  • Accession Number:190765169
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