Jump scare
A sudden, startling event designed to provoke an immediate reaction, often through an abrupt image, sound, or both.
Startle response: A rapid, involuntary reaction to an unexpected stimulus, involving defensive movements and heightened arousal. The jump scare exploits this reflex by presenting a sudden stimulus.
Horror film: A film genre that uses fear, threat, or the uncanny to affect its audience. Jump scares are a recurring device in screen horror.
Slow-burn horror: Horror that builds unease gradually rather than relying on frequent sudden shocks. Its dread accumulates over time instead of peaking in one abrupt event.
Fear: An emotional response to perceived danger that prepares an organism to protect itself. A jump scare briefly activates fear through perceived sudden threat.
Orienting response: An automatic shift of attention toward a novel or unexpected stimulus. A sharp change in sound or image rapidly captures attention.
Horror video game: A video game designed to evoke fear through threats, atmosphere, or vulnerability. Player control lets games time scares around movement and exploration.
Gore: Explicit depictions of bodily injury, blood, or mutilation in fiction and media. Gore unsettles through graphic content, not necessarily sudden timing.
Disgust: An aversive emotional response to perceived contamination, degradation, or violation. Some scares pair suddenness with images that provoke revulsion.
Predictive processing: The brain’s use of prior experience to anticipate incoming sensory information. A scare can overturn the scene viewers expect to continue.
Haunted attraction: An entertainment venue designed to create frightening encounters through themed environments and performers. Live performers can trigger scares at close range.