It’s Halloween—a season of thrills, chills, and the occasional jump scare. But before you’re off to enjoy the season’s tricks and treats, let’s talk about the hidden power behind all those spooky thrills: emotion. As it turns out, learning and development teams can take a page out of the horror genre playbook, channelling emotion to drive deeper, more lasting learning experiences. It’s more than a gimmick—science backs it up, making emotion a powerful (yet often underutilised) tool in L&D.

The Science of Emotion in Learning: Why Fear and Fun Stick with Us

Let’s start with some science. When we experience strong emotions—fear, joy, surprise—our brain releases neurotransmitters like dopamine and adrenaline. These chemicals don’t just affect our mood; they supercharge our ability to pay attention and remember. Think about the last thriller you watched. That adrenaline-fueled sequence of events probably stuck with you. Now imagine using that kind of emotional engagement to help employees remember complex information or refine new skills. Research from Harvard University reveals that emotional engagement can improve memory retention by as much as 50% (Harvard, 2020).

From Horror Flicks to Corporate Training: The Role of “Negative” Emotions

In horror films, fear is used to keep us glued to the screen—heart pounding, palms sweaty, brains on high alert. In learning, invoking fear sounds counterintuitive, but when carefully applied, it has its merits. Fear of failing a task, for instance, can encourage learners to pay closer attention. Consider “simulated failure” in safe, controlled scenarios: a study from the University of Chicago found that learners who were given low-stakes “failures” during training were 30% more likely to recall solutions later (University of Chicago, 2019).

While we don’t want to scare employees senseless, we do want them to feel invested. The threat of consequences, like time limits or limited attempts, can add just enough urgency to spark focus and commitment without actual fear of failing at their job.

Adding a Dash of Joy: The Treat in Trick-or-Treat

Horror isn’t only about scares; sometimes, it's about relief, laughter, and camaraderie. Comedies like Ghostbusters or spooky classics like Hocus Pocus use humour and fun to keep audiences engaged. Similarly, positive emotions like excitement, curiosity, and humour are essential ingredients for learning. They make content approachable and keep learners wanting more. An article from the American Psychological Association found that students learning with a mix of positive emotional stimuli were up to 45% more engaged and likely to re-engage with similar content in the future (APA, 2021).

This blend of emotions—fear to raise stakes, humour to lighten the load—turns an average lesson into an experience. The trick is to balance it right. Use interactivity, relatable scenarios, or gamified tasks to evoke positive engagement, and pepper it with moments that challenge the learner’s comfort zone just enough.

Creating Emotional Impact in Digital Learning: It’s All About Connection

Digital learning can be an uphill battle for engagement. There’s the temptation to tab-hop, attention often wavers, and let’s face it—training slides aren’t exactly thrilling. So, how do we inject emotion into a digital course?

One key approach is storytelling. Story-driven content invites empathy and imagination, taking learners from passive participants to emotionally invested players. An L&D team at a major telecoms company recently experimented with an interactive learning experience about cybersecurity. Rather than listing the risks, they designed a series of “hacker attack” scenarios. Learners were assigned characters and faced simulated threats, some of which ended in light-hearted “failures” (think accidental cat memes) while others “escalated.” According to their internal evaluation, employees were 60% more likely to complete the training and retain core cybersecurity principles than before the change.

Designing with Emotion in Mind: Your Recipe for Lasting Learning

Here’s a framework to start using emotion in your L&D strategy:

Create Anticipation – Just like the suspenseful build-up in a thriller, anticipation grabs attention. Use storytelling or pose thought-provoking questions early on. This primes learners for engagement.

Incorporate Safe Risks – Low-stakes challenges keep learners alert without genuine fear. Time-limited quizzes, single-attempt scenarios, or even branching stories with “consequences” can give a taste of urgency.

Encourage Positive Engagement – Celebrate successes, no matter how small, and use humour when it fits. Gamify elements to encourage learners to keep going, and add a touch of fun to alleviate the pressure.

Conclude with Closure – Just as horror films give you a moment of relief (think Beetlejuice’s playful ending), conclude with clear outcomes. It lets learners reflect on what they’ve gained and prepares them to apply it.

Beyond Halloween: Making Emotion a Regular Guest in L&D

As Halloween teaches us, emotion is a powerful force, and it doesn’t need to be reserved for horror flicks or holiday gimmicks. By blending elements of suspense, joy, curiosity, and even minor “failures,” L&D teams can create content that doesn’t just deliver information but anchors it in learners’ minds.

Emotions are, after all, universal. They’re why we love a good story, why the big match gets our hearts racing, and why a catchy tune is hard to forget. So, this Halloween, let’s borrow a few tricks from thrillers and add some treats to our training. By designing with emotion, we can transform the learning experience into something truly memorable—no costume required.