Wouldn't it be the limbic system involved here? :) I wonder also if it might not be more a matter of classical conditioning than evolutionary adaptations. For example, bats-vampires-blood, etc.
Mike Lee, MA Dept of Psychology University of Manitoba Winnipeg, MB, Canada On Thu, 23 Oct 2003, John Kulig wrote: > > Tips ghouls: > > Let's not forget the obvious fascination: death, afterlife & > monsters(no doubt evolutionary adaptations?). Jung was on to something > big in our collective brain. Larry King gets big ratings hosting John > Edwards guy who "talks" to the dead. Put a guest on who reminds us of > the importance of talking to our (live) family members and it's a > yawner. Remember that movie about the child who talked to dead people? > No matter what the frontal lobes believe or not believe, the brain stem > tingles when you walk into a graveyard (I assume it's the brainstem). > > ============================================ > John W. Kulig > Professor of Psychology > Plymouth State College > Plymouth NH 03264 > ============================================ > "Nothing is more American, nothing is more patriotic than speaking out, > questioning authority and holding your leaders accountable" General > Welsey K. Clark, 24 September 2003. > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: Rob Weisskirch [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Sent: Thursday, October 23, 2003 12:47 PM > > To: Teaching in the Psychological Sciences > > Subject: psychology applied to Halloween > > > > To the TIPS ghouls, > > > > I think that Halloween also may have to do with "arousal" of being > scared > > or confused by the costumes of others. There is a study of mate > selection > > (which I can't remember the author--but always refer to as the > Love-Bridge > > study). Male confederates went and approached a woman and talked to > her > > on one of those rickety rope and wood bridges at an amusement park. > The > > women were then asked to rate the attractiveness of the male > confederate. > > They also did it reversing the genders. Then, they the same thing on > > solid ground. The attractiveness of the confederates on the bridge > was > > higher, indicating that arousal may affect attractiveness. So, for > > Halloween, it could be excitement of deception that makes our humdrum > > adult lives exciting. > > > > For adults, dressing in costume may cause "cognitive dissonance" in > seeing > > your male boss dressed as a woman or something other than the usual > > persona. > > > > My 2 cents. > > > > Rob Weisskirch > > CSU Monterey Bay > > > > > > --- > > You are currently subscribed to tips as: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > To unsubscribe send a blank email to > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > --- > You are currently subscribed to tips as: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > To unsubscribe send a blank email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To unsubscribe send a blank email to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
