Thecuy, do you consider yourself someone who enjoys sad-themed content or listening to mellow music?
It depends on individual taste and preferences, but some people choose to watch or listen to sad content when they are experiencing similar emotions. However, psychology provides an explanation for this habit, Thecuy.
Citing Verywell Mind, psychologists have discovered strong reasons why we are drawn to sad stories, even if they are fictional. Here is the explanation.
1. Sad elements connect humans to real life emotions
Sad elements link humans to real-life emotions/ Photo: unsplash.com/Aleksandar Kurešević
When we enjoy a work of fiction, we experience an emotional reaction. Even though we know the story is not real, we automatically feel emotions in response to it, Thecuy.
This occurs because if we connect with a story, especially if we feel as though we are drawn into the narrative or immersed in it. The emotional content of the story will resonate with us, making us feel as if the story were real.
2. Sad moments can inspire gratitude
Sad moments can inspire gratitude/ Photo: Pexels.com/CHRISTOPHER GUIRGUIS
Thecuy, another reason we enjoy sad stories is that they make us feel grateful, even if perhaps not in the way we anticipate.
In an additional study, participants who felt deeper sadness while watching the tragic film titled Atonement reported that they enjoyed the film more and experienced greater happiness in their lives.
However, this only occurred when they thought about the close relationships they had while watching the film. Researchers also examined whether participants who compared their lives to the tragic characters in the film experienced a similar increase in happiness.
It turned out that such self-focused thoughts did not affect the viewers’ mood. Instead, those who experienced the greatest increase in sadness while watching the film were the ones most likely to recall their close relationships in response to it.
We enjoy sad stories because they help us reflect and feel more grateful for the bonds we have with the people we love and care about, Thecuy.
3. Ability to experience sadness without anxiety
Ability to experience sadness without anxiety/ Photo: Magnific/cookie_studio
Thecuy, our perception of a story’s realism is not the only reason we enjoy sad tales.
Another study examining responses to sad stories found that participants experienced the same level of sadness when recalling tragic events from their own lives as when watching tragic videos or films.
However, there is a striking difference between recalling personal tragedy and witnessing fictional tragedy: participants experienced much greater anxiety when recalling personal tragedy than when watching tragic videos or films.
This may be the key to our ability to enjoy sad fictional stories. If a sad event occurs in real life, it is often accompanied by anxiety because we know we must continue to face its consequences.
On the other hand, we do not feel anxious when enjoying sad stories because the emotions we feel through them will not continue to affect us after we finish watching, reading, or listening to them.
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