How does the concept of “the uncanny” contribute to the unsettling nature of horror media?

The concept of “the uncanny” involves something that is both familiar and strange, creating a sense of discomfort. This psychological phenomenon is effectively used in horror media to evoke unease. For example, dolls or mannequins, which resemble humans but lack genuine life, often evoke an uncanny feeling due to their eerie similarity to real people combined with their inanimate nature. Films like “Annabelle” or “Child’s Play” use this concept to exploit the discomfort of seeing something familiar in an unsettling context, amplifying the sense of dread and making the horror more psychologically disturbing.