In response to scary music preceding a gory moment in a slasher movie, you grab your friend's leg and elicit a powerful scream from the friend. Why did your friend scream so loudly?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Fear-potentiated startle refers to the phenomenon where a stimulus that elicits fear can enhance the startle reflex elicited by another stimulus. In this case, the scary music increases the fear response, which in turn amplifies the startle response (screaming) to having the leg grabbed.

In Response to Scary Music Preceding a Gory Moment in a Slasher