GOTHENBURG, SWEDEN — The Peak Fear Experiment was an event at Liseberg Amusement Park in Sweden which took place on October 11, 2023. The purpose was to explore the limits of recreational horror and find the sweet spot between fear and fun. Now the final research report is here!
Out of 1,640 applications from 22 countries, two participants were chosen: Vicki Bååth, a 45-year-old teacher from Sweden, and Helge Branscheidt, a 38-year-old hair and make-up artist from Germany. Liseberg conducted the experiment in collaboration with researchers from the Recreational Fear Lab at Aarhus University in Denmark, who now publish the study results in The Peak Fear Report:
“This experiment shows that subjecting yourself to recreational fear in a safe environment can improve your psychological resilience and stress management ability and help you build strategies for managing fear and negative feelings. In other words, it can help to develop you as a person,” said Mathias Clasen, Ph.D., and co-director at the Recreational Fear Lab at Aarhus University.
For Liseberg, the purpose of the experiment was to gain increased knowledge and insight into how recreational fear can best be designed to optimise fear experiences in the amusement park:
“Every year, thousands of guests visit Halloween at Liseberg to experience fear. The results of this report show that Liseberg has excellent knowledge in the area of recreational fear. Now we want to use these insights to further develop our fear attractions. One aspect we want to examine is whether we can help visitors to tailor their fear experiences at the park,” said Karl Svedung, Head of Marketing at Liseberg.
Both participants found the experiment a thrilling and fun experience that also challenged them on a deeper, more personal level:
“For me, the scariest element was the unknown, not knowing what was going to happen. It might sound very strange to others, but I enjoyed being in those scary places, letting rip and going crazy,” said Helge.
Vicki had to temporarily interrupt the experiment by shouting the safe word, Peak Fear. However, she doesn’t regret taking part:
“I had to find ways to avoid going into panic, like when I decided to get angry to manage my fear. This enabled me to enjoy the fear experience at the same time as being scared. This is the most fun and exciting thing I’ve ever experienced, and I was very proud of myself when I took control of my fear,” she said.
Agency: Welcom, Gothenburg, Sweden
Creative Director: Jonas Sjövall
Art Director: Andreas Larsson
Copywriter: Niclas Hallgren
Senior Account Director: Joakim Brinkenberg
Account Manager: Karin Källberg
PR Strategist: Adam Wladis
PR Strategist: Robert Johnsson
Digital Designer: Madeleine Mei
PR Coordinator: Linnea Axede
Digital Project Manager: Erica Steen
Front End Dev: Jens Augustsson
Front End Dev: Ellen Brage
Front End Dev: Amanda Karlsson
Back End Dev: Stefan Singer
Back End Dev: Richard Westberg
Other: Martin Cedergren
Production Agency: Is This It, Gothenburg, Sweden
Directors & EP: Björn Fävremark & John Boisen
DOP: Philip Svensson
Gaffer: Kalle Olsson
Line producer: Johanna Smitz
Sound: Lars Wignell
Soundmix: Andreas Mellkvist
PA: Emma Hedman
Livestream Membia: John Kumlin
Livestream Membia: Molly Olsson
Recreational Fear Lab, Aarhus University, Denmark
Mathias Clasen, PhD, Associate Professor and Co-director of the Recreational Fear Lab, Aarhus University Marc Andersen, PhD
Thomas Terkildsen, Psychologist and Researcher at Recreational Fear Lab, Aarhus University
Coltan Scrivner, PhD, Behavioral Scientist at the Recreational Fear Lab, Aarhus University, and the Department of Psychology, Arizona State University
Liseberg, Gothenburg, Sweden
Head of PR and Communication: Mårten Westlund
Head of Marketing: Karl Svedung
Project Manager: Lina Ludwigson
PR Coordinator: Sofia Wikstedt
Head of Development Season and Events: Lotta Carlsbogård
Producer Season and Events: Sandra Leiknes
Concept Coordinator: Elisabeth Söderberg
Content Lead: Robert Ununger
Content Production: Adam Nordling
Other: Anna Engman
Other: Pontus Hallsberg
Actors: Ronja Kruus, Anton Edberg, Dragan Jozic, Elias Wallin, Diana Nilsson, Ella Green
Actor/Driver: Robin Ahlqvist
