Psychological horror is a subgenre of horror and psychological fiction with a particular focus on mental, emotional and psychological states used to frighten, disturb or unsettle its audience. The subgenre frequently overlaps with the psychological thriller and often uses mystery elements and characters with unstable, unreliable or disturbed psychological states to heighten suspense, drama, tension and paranoia, producing an overall unsettling or distressing atmosphere.
Facts
Notable Example Defining TraitCharacters experiencing psychological instability or extreme emotional distress 1 Connections
Sources
1. Psychological horror - Wikipedia
Films section
Historian David J. Skal described The Black Cat (1934) as 'being called the first psychological horror movie in America.'
Characteristics, traditional definition
Traditionally, psychological horror was defined by its portrayal of characters experiencing psychological instability or extreme emotional distress, where the eerie atmosphere was a direct reflection of the character's internal state.
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