Geoffrey W. Sutton PhD, Psychology and Culture

The Scary Season Psychology, Halloween, & Mysterious Happenings By Geoffrey W. Sutton, PhD Halloween is that time of year when some Christians feel uneasy about how—or whether—to participate. Costumes range from adorable to grotesque, and for some, the real fear lies not in plastic masks but in concerns about the demonic or supernatural evil. In this post, I explore psychological perspectives on Halloween and related topics such as illusions, Ouija boards, witches, disgust, and death. A Christian Objection to Halloween “Setting aside a day to celebrate evil, darkness, witchcraft, fear, death and the demonic brings disdain to God. Period… Jesus has nothing in common with Satan (2 Cor. 6:14), and neither should we.” — Jamie Morgan (2016) This view reflects a long-standing tension: Halloween’s imagery can feel incompatible with Christian values. But psychology offers a different lens—one that helps explain why spooky experiences feel powerful and why people interpret them in such vari...