Halloween Thrills Span Movies, Haunted Drives, Science

A psychology researcher says pretend scares can feel enjoyable because the brain’s alarm system triggers a fear response while the prefrontal cortex recognizes that the danger is not real, turning fear into excitement. Children may need gentler, gradual exposure to spooky experiences because the brain systems that help them reason through fear mature later. In Greenville, seasonal attractions are offering those thrills through a haunted car-wash drive-through and a returning community haunted house. A separate Halloween reading guide pairs familiar movie characters with spooky books, including a story about a ghost trying to resolve unfinished business.