Primary research questionnaire

Thank you for taking the time to fill out my questionnaire. Everything written below will help me
understand the appeal of the horror and horror influenced genres and how to improve my own
writing, as such please write as frankly and honestly as you can.

This questionnaire will be anonymous unless express permission to use your name is given and all
questions are optional, meaning you needn’t answer any that make you feel uncomfortable.

Due to the open ended nature of many of the questions and your option to elaborate as much as
you like adequate space may not have been given below each question to write all you wish to. In
the case you run out of room please write the number of the question and the rest of your answer
on the backs of the pages.

Do not allow the lack of room below the question to make you feel limited, I would love to gather
answers that are as comprehensive as possible.

(1) What were you scared of as a child and why?

(2) Were there any experiences that scared or traumatised you as a child?

(3a) Were there any books, movies, pictures of television shows that frightened you as a child?

(3b) If so why do you think that was?

(4a) Were you scared of the dark as a child?

(4b) If so why were you scared of the dark?

(5a) Did you believe there was a monster under your bed or in your closet?

(5b) If so what did you imagine this monster looked like?

(6) Did you change your behaviour in order to avoid becoming a victim of monsters?

(7a) Did your parents ever use stories about monsters to control your behaviour (for example a
boogie man that eats bad children)?

(7b) If so what manner of monster were you told would get you (Please explain in as much or as little
detail as you would like)?

(8) Did you believe in monsters and the supernatural as a child?

(9) Do you believe in monsters and the supernatural now and to what extent?

(10) If you believed as a child but no longer believe now at what age did you stop believing in
monsters?

(11) Are you a religious person and if so what religion do you follow?

(12a) Have you ever had an experience that you believe to be supernatural or paranormal in nature?

(12b) If so could you please describe this experience in as much detail as you would like?

(13) Does what you believe influence your behaviour? (i.e. do you avoid certain behaviours or places
out of superstition or fear?)

(14a) Do you like the horror or horror influenced genres?

(14b) If so, why?

(14c) What’s your favourite horror subgenre and piece of horror influenced media?

(15a) How old were you when you watched your first horror film?

(15b) What film was it?

(16) Do you regularly consume media in the horror genre or genres with a strong horror influence?

(17) In what form do you usually consume horror and influenced genres (e.g. novels, movies, games,
television, comics)?

(18a) Do you generally find media in the horror genre to be frightening?

(18b) Please explain your answer?

(19a) Do your beliefs about the supernatural change the way you consume media?

(19b) If so why and in what ways?

(20a) Has a piece of horror fiction ever profoundly affected or influenced you or your views of the
paranormal and supernatural?

(20b) If so what was it and how did it influence you?