The science of scaring: an inside look at the making of haunted houses
Oct 17, 2025, 7:00 AM | Updated: 8:57 am
An actor dressed as a clown works to scare people at the Fear Factory haunted house in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025. (Scott G Winterton, Deseret News)
(Scott G Winterton, Deseret News)
SALT LAKE CITY — It’s that time of year when ghouls and goblins make their appearance and scaring is in the air.
Many people want nothing to do with scary creatures and things that “go bump” in the night. But others seek out being scared; which is one reason why haunted houses are so popular.
“It’s all about the adrenal rush,” said David Ornegri, licensed clinical therapist and Director of Clinical Supervision for both Planted Healing and PLAE Therapy. “… Many people love the endorphin rush they get after the initial scare is over, so they want to repeat the feeling.”
Heather Boyce, a lifelong haunted house goer, echoed the sentiment.
“I love that feeling that starts in your stomach and jumps into your chest,” she said.
However, Ornegri said some people do use these experiences to overcome their fears.
“Getting desensitized about phobias in a controlled environment can be a good way to overcome them, even though it is a form of entertainment.”
Related: Halloween is a big industry in Utah
How to scare people
Most people go to haunted houses in groups to have fun with their friends and family. But how do these places know what is scary for such a variety of people?
Heidi Dunfield, the co-owner of Fear Factory SLC, said the decisions about which attractions they use start a year ahead of time.
“We sat down to the drawing board before we opened for the season in 2024 to create our newest fear room called ‘Abatoir’ which premiered this season,” Dunfield said.
Then as soon as the 2024 season closed, they began building the new sets for this year.
Dunfield said not only do the staff come up with ideas on how to scare visitors, they also ask people to answer questionnaires about their experiences.
“What did you like? What didn’t work for you? Is there something you would like to see again next year?”
She also said the environment is key.
“It isn’t just about hearing screaming all the time. You need to have areas of silence and darkness to build up the anticipation or the scary parts won’t work,” Dunfield said.
Ornegri also agreed saying anticipation is key to get the jump scare many people are seeking.
Scaring changes throughout the years
What scared people a generation ago won’t hack it now. That’s according to Dunfield who said “Dracula and Frankenstein might have scared people forty years ago, now it’s the real life monster that seems scary now.”
The Fear Factory SLC specializes in feeding upon peoples’ phobias, whether it’s spiders, clowns or zombies. The newest room is the ‘Abatoir’ which is French for slaughterhouse.
An actor poses for a photo while working at the Fear Factory haunted house in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025. (Scott G Winterton, Deseret News)
Boyce said that room probably wouldn’t scare her because she knows the chainsaws don’t actually have a chain on them.
“I always know it’s all fake, so it’s getting harder and harder to get scared. But I’m still seeking that thrill.”
Ornegri said it could be that Boyce isn’t going to the right haunted houses for her and pointed out how interesting it is that a lot of people are seeking out that thrill.
“Something funny about us human beings, we are only one of a small handful of species that actually seeks out danger as entertainment,” said Ornegri.
Dunfield said the bar is lifted every year because of what people are exposed to outside the Halloween season.
“We have to get more and more creative each season as peoples’ tolerance for gore increases with what is now presented in movies and on TV,” she said.
Awards for scaring
The Fear Factory SLC is getting national recognition. Dunfield said this year they are being presented with “The Legendary Haunt Award.”
It’s presented by other industry people who recognize not just the attractions, but also how the lighting, the sound effects, and the type of make up the actors use all add to the scaring.
(Fear Factory SLC)
The day after the haunted attraction closes this year, many industry insiders from around the world will descend upon the Fear Factory SLC to tour the facility and present the award. It is made up of six buildings which go up to as high as six stories with two underground passages.
“We welcome our colleagues,” Dunfield said. “The more we can learn from each (other), the better the industry becomes and more likely to have repeat customers. If someone has one bad experience, they’re not likely to return to any haunted house. But if they have a good time getting scared, they’ll hopefully visit many attractions every year.”
