Monsters Within: The Psychology of Horror

Overview

Course No. 90014

All treats and few tricks in this Halloween special. Costumes recommended, candy essential.

Delve into the differences between a “horror” movie and a “psychological horror” movie—and learn how the latter can get into our heads and haunt us well after the last credit has rolled.

Video Lessons

01: Psychological Horror Films (28 min)

Join Eric R. Williams to examine psychological horror through three popular films. Discover how vastly different movies stem from the same foundational story.

02: Victorian Horror Novels (35 min)

Explore why Victorian monsters (Dorian Gray, Dr. Jekyll, Bertha Mason) are disturbingly human—projecting societal fears into enduring fictional freaks.

03: The Horrific, Moral, and Transcendental (33 min)

Analyze why we love horror through philosophy. Compare three monster types (horrific, moral, transcendental) as tools to confront fear and morality.

04: Making Sense of Monsters: An Investigation into Horror (8 min)

Why monsters are essential to horror—can the genre exist without them?