Folklore in Horror Project

Photo by Daniel Jensen on Unsplash

[UPDATED 4/11/2020] Are you a horror fan or creator? I’m working on a project exploring the role of folklore in horror, and I’d very much like to hear your thoughts on this topic!

As you probably already know, I’m an academic folklorist. I teach courses about folklore at Penn State, and I’m very interested in how folklore moves through and is utilized in various contemporary media. I’m also a big horror fan. In this project I want to learn what people think about folklore in horror: what it is, why it matters, how it affects the storytelling process and the “story-hearing” process, and whether it makes things more scary. In addition to posting calls for participation at Horror DNA and on social media, I’m putting this here in the hopes of generating more engagement.

Although I am a fan, my knowledge of the horror genre pales in comparison to many in the horror community. You all are the experts–I’m here to learn!

If you’re interested in participating in this research, I ask that you first read through the documents linked below. These will give you a better idea of the study and what I’d like to do with your responses.

For this study I’m only seeking online responses from participants aged 18 and above. Please do not reply if you are under 18. By participating you certify that you are at least 18 years of age. 

Participants will be assigned pseudonyms unless they request otherwise.

Here are links to information about the study required by my university:

• Consent Document
• Study Information Sheet

If you’d still like to participate, please get in touch and we can chat. My contact info is in the study documents, or you can join the discussion forum thread here on my site.

Thank you for taking a look. I hope to hear from you!