Why we can't stop watching murder mysteries
According to my Netflix account, I just can't get enough of true crime. Whether it's Who Killed Little Gregory, Murder to Mercy, or The Confession Killer, if it's a story about someone getting away with something dastardly, and then finally getting caught, it's up my street. And it appears to be up a everyone else's too.
According to Rolling Stone, the 2010s was the decade that crime went mainstream. But why? Why are we drawn to tales of serial killers, rapists and paedophiles?
How evil are we? 👺
Well, it starts with our innate desire to know just how bad us humans can really be. According to psychologist Dr Meg Arroll, the darkness of the subject matter is what makes true-crime stories so compelling.
“As humans we want to understand the darker side of our nature. True crime stories allows us to explore that in a safe way, from a safe distance.”
True crime shows give us a unique insight into something psychologist Dr. Paul G. Mattiuzzi calls our “most fundamental human impulse”—murder.
It's an opportunity to know ourselves, or rather the parts of ourselves that we'd rather not know. It also allows us to prepare for the unlikely outcome that we might find ourselves in a similar situation.
Murder prep 👿
According to researcher Megan Boorsma, people are drawn to threats to their wellbeing, i.e. they like hearing about stories that have circumstances that feel familiar: a murderer within a family, a killer relationship (literally) or in environments that feel familiar to us.
Others have noted that women, in particular are drawn to true crime, because it's an opportunity to learn how to increase their chances of survival if they find themselves in a dangerous situation.
One study, published in 2010, found that women were more drawn than men to true crime books that contained tips on how to defend against an attacker. On top of that, they were more likely to be interested in books that contained information about a killer’s motives than men were; and that they were more likely to select books that had female victims.
“Our findings that women were drawn to stories that contained fitness-relevant information make sense in light of research that shows that women fear becoming the victim of a crime more so than do men," the researchers concluded; "the characteristics that make these books appealing to women are all highly relevant in terms of preventing or surviving a crime.”
Amanda Vicary, the study's lead author, concluded that “by learning about murders—who is more likely to be a murderer, how do these crimes happen, who are the victims, etc.—people are also learning about ways to prevent becoming a victim themselves.”
They give us a sense of control 👌
On top of the handy tips for how to avoid getting murdered, true-crime shows give us a sense of control over our own lives, while we watch the lives of people on screen unravel. We're a strange bunch, aren't we?
“As a source of popular culture entertainment, [true crime] allow[s] us to experience fear and horror in a controlled environment where the threat is exciting but not real,” says Scott Bonn, a criminology professor at Drew University.
Others describe the experience as the equivalent of horror stories for adults. "There’s something in our psyche where we have this need to tell stories about being pursued by monsters,” says Harold Schechter, a true-crime writer.
Our interest in what motivates violent crimes boils down to being afraid, A.J. Marsden, assistant professor of human services and psychology at Beacon College in Leesburg, Florida told the Huffington Post; true crime allows viewers to “dive into the darker side of humanity, but from the safety of the couch.”
In summary: true crime is a hybrid of self-help, thrill-seeking, and life-affirming entertainment served up in easy-to-watch chunks we can access any time, anywhere.
Case closed.
Ok, where can I learn more? 📚
- Why we're eternally fascinated by serial killers.
- Neuroscientist Jim Fallon delves into what makes serial killers tick.
- The Serial Killers Coloring Book - For the person in your life who just cannot get enough of the stuff.