Conventionally psychological horror uses common fears and vulnerabilites in order to creating feelings of fear and discomfort in the viewer and focus on dark parts of human nature that people would prefer to supress. 

 

 

 

 

 

Two common conventions used are, focusing on mental conflict and plot twists. Mental conflict is achieved through archetypal shadow characteristics like self doubt, anxiety and paranoia, while plot twists aim to show the internal conflict of a character. 

 

 

 

 

 

Conventional settings for the horrors are domestic, like homes, schools etc. this is in order to give as much realism as possible and draw the audience into the place of the characters.

 

 

 

 

 

Conventional characters include a mentally tormented antagonist, which is usually a character we are led to trust somewhat, before the polt twist mentioned above is used to reveal their true nature.