. >> reporter: fear sociologist margie kerr who's monitoring the screens there insists conquering youremons isn't just entertaining, it's healthy. >> you've slain the dragon, you've conquered the horde, you know you can survive the zombie apocklist. >> reporter: what are the things we're most afraid snf a new survey found many of the things you'd expect. things like ghosts. clowns. zombies. but at the very top of the list there's bugs and heights. and public speaking. as it turns out, on the show being buried alive was just for starters. >> i'm sure something's coming. >> reporter: surprise, surprise, for the test subject, in came snakes. [ screaming ] and rats. >> ah! >> reporter: and creepy crawlers. >> spike in the beta waves. >> reporter: the test subjects' family and friends watching in horror. >> ow. don't nip at me. ow. don't try to bite me. ow. ow! >> we really are trying to overcome our fears right now. but let me tell you something, i'm going to give you -- >> you're doing, it though. >> i'm going to give you a big hug. we're going to exchange facebook information. >> reporte

fear socialist margi kerr insists conquering your inner demons is not just entertaining, it's healthy. >> you knono you can definitely survive the inevitable zombie apockkcalypse apocalypse. >> a survey found many of the things you would expect we're afraid of, things like ghost, clowns, zombies. but at the very top of the list there's bugs and heights and public speaking. as it turns out, on this show, being buried alive was just for starters. surprise, surprise for the test subject, in came snakes and rat s s and creepy crawlers. the test subjects' family and friends watching in horror. >> ow. don't nip at me. stop trying to bite me. ow. >> we really are trying to overcome ourur fears rightht now. >> let me tell yousomething, i'm going to -- >> you're in here. you're doing it. >> i'm going give you a big hug. we're going to exchange facebook information. >> reporter: it all got to be toouch for one of the three. >> get me out! get me out! get me out now! >> reporter: can you blameme him? i'm david wright for "nightline" in new york. >> get me out! >>> thanks for watching abc news. t

. >> reporter: margy kerr, as well as helping design this place, wrote a book about fear aptly named "scream." >> though it's to our advantage to jump, have a response. because that's going to aid in our survival. >> to scream? to frighten the thing off? >> to alert others. to appear more scary ourselves so when we scream, our face takes on a more contorted expression, which can be scary. >> aahhh! >> reporter: we look scary because we're scared in a haunted house or home on the couch watching "the walking dead." >> we eect something to be a human and then it starts not acting like a human. that is a violation. something different than what we expected. >> and we freak out? >> yeah. fear is largely a result of basically disruptions of our prediction systems. >> reporter: prediction systems can come into play with clowns. >> they are supposed to look happppand they have these ted-on smimis and very exaggerated expressions. yet their eyes and mouth aren't reading the same. >> reporter: the guy playing the clown at a kids' party isn't smiling with his eyes and that subconsciously freaks

fear socialist margi kerr insists conquering your inner demons is not just entertaining, it's healthy. >> you know you can definitely survive the inevitable zombie apockkcalypse apocalypse. >> a survey found many of the things you would expect we're afraid of, things like ghost, clowns, zombies.

my name is margie kerr. know what scares you. >> she helped design what's been called the scariest haunted house in america. scare house in pittsburgh. her theory whatever doesn't kill us makes us stronger. >> you know you can definitely survive the inevitable zombie apocalypa apocalyp apocalypse. >> never mind the homicidal rabbit. you're a survivor. it's shows like the walking dead show fear rates. horror is hip. why else would lady gaga take a lead role. what are the things we're most afraid of? a new survey found many of the things you'd expect, things like ghosts, clowns, zombies. but at the very op of the list, there's bugs. and heights. and public speaking. to ratchet up the fright, a&e is turning to eli roth. >> let's face it, we're all tuning in to see what happens when someone gets buried alive. i want to see the look on their face and see them screaming. >> reporter: so get ready to dig in. david wright for "nightline" in new york. >> so by the way, fear buried alive airs october 26th on the a&e n

place is only open 24 days a year and the run up to halloween has amazing sets and 100 actors and margie kerrof the designers of this terror fest who just wrote a book aptly nameded "scared." >> our thinking brain is taking a break. all of the worry and concern gets pushed to the side because our body wants to prioritize things that help us survive. >> reporter: my post scare house analysis -- >> i didn't flinch at all with the noises. i should be more chilled because i've just been scared half to death. this really might be good for us, and that's why we do it. >> hi. happy halloween. nick watt, abc news, pittsburgh, pennsylvania. >> oh! >> no thank you. no thank you. my brain can take breaks in other ways. >> wow. >> look, it's already getting weird. >> it's pretty spooky. it's getting very weird. this earthquake that's happening. > starting to get the fear. >> i think our eyes are going to be killed by this light right here. >> there you go. no possible way we're going to be able to read what's in front of us. thanks a lot, guys. >> i've just been blinded by the light. >> i have no idea. g