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The Jordan Harbinger ShowAuthor: Jordan Harbinger
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1276: Coltan Scrivner | The Evolutionary Logic of Morbid Curiosity
Episode 1276
Tuesday, 27 January, 2026
Why do we rubberneck accidents and binge true crime? Behavioral scientist Coltan Scrivner explains the surprising psychology behind our morbid curiosity.Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/1276What We Discuss with Coltan Scrivner:Morbid curiosity isn't a character flaw — it's an evolutionary feature. The same instinct that makes us rubberneck at accidents helped our ancestors learn about threats without becoming victims themselves. It's your brain's built-in threat-assessment system, gathering intel from a safe distance.Horror movies work because of a specific formula: an overwhelmingly powerful villain versus a vulnerable protagonist. That imbalance — think Pennywise hunting kids or Jason stalking camp counselors — triggers our threat-detection systems in ways action films simply can't replicate.True crime's massive female audience isn't random. Women face threats primarily from people they know, so their curiosity focuses on spotting danger signals and understanding how predators operate. Men, who historically face violence from strangers, gravitate toward watching combat simulations like UFC.Decades of research and millions of dollars confirm: violent video games don't create violent people. The Mortal Kombat moral panic of the nineties produced the ESRB rating system — but the generation raised on those pixelated fatalities turned out just fine.Engaging with scary play — whether horror films, spooky games, or even childhood tag — actually builds emotional resilience. Kids who experience controlled fear learn to regulate anxiety, giving them psychological tools to handle real-world stress as adults. So don't skip the haunted house.And much more...And if you're still game to support us, please leave a review here — even one sentence helps! Sign up for Six-Minute Networking — our free networking and relationship development mini course — at jordanharbinger.com/course!Subscribe to our once-a-week Wee Bit Wiser newsletter today and start filling your Wednesdays with wisdom!Do you even Reddit, bro? Join us at r/JordanHarbinger!This Episode Is Brought To You By Our Fine Sponsors: HelloFresh: Get $80 off your first order at hellofresh.com/jhs80Bombas: Go to bombas.com/jordan to get 20% off your first orderDeleteMe: 20% off: joindeleteme.com/jordan, code JORDANAudible: Visit audible.com/jhs or text JHS to 500-500Homes.com: Find your home: homes.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
