We cross paths with dozens of strangers every day - people we see in the grocery store, those seated next to us at the movie theatre, or those we run into on our morning walks. We do not know what their lives are like but we assume that there are some similarities between us and that we share a collective conscience. Our knowledge of humans being inherently good keeps us from believing that fellow members of our society could incite violence. Barring instances of self-defenses, it is difficult to understand the rationale for harming someone, regardless of the purported reasons that may drive one to such an action.
However, every once in a while, we encounter cases, recent and decades-old, that leave us terrified and speechless. The murders and mass suicides make sensationalized headlines for weeks; they mint money for news organizations and remain entrenched in our memories for years. This has only been elevated by pop culture, giving true crime an unprecedented audience. Koenig’s Serial, Capote’s In Cold Blood, and Netflix’s Making a Murderer are a testament to our undebatable pull towards the criminal mind and intricacies of the justice system. But what fuels our fascination with these macabre stories and the depravity that enfolds our very own communities? Why, despite being resolved to lock up the bad guys, can we not seem to leave them alone?
Psychologists and criminologists help us answer some elements of what engrosses people into true crime. One of the strongest factors is morbid curiosity, defined as an interest in things related to death. Research has shown that people voluntarily engage in negative information. Lee Chambers, an environmental psychologist, mentions how we like to “explore things that are usually farfetched from the realms of fiction, knowing that this actually happened does spark a curiosity”. We have an attraction to events that profoundly impact others and when curiosity is coupled with access to information, armchair detectives get a front-row view of the unveiling.
A deep dive into the true crime genre allows us to delve into the psyche of those willing to break social norms, a feat that remains largely unexplored for law-abiding citizens. It lets us explore the grey areas of humanity and the shock value appeals to us because of its novelty. Criminologist Scott Bonn explains that our interest in serial killers can be chalked down to our interest in violence in general. He says, “Serial killers tantalize people much like traffic accidents, train wrecks, or natural disasters. The public’s fascination with them can be seen as a specific manifestation of its more general fixation on violence and calamity.” This wickedness keeps us both engaged and terrified to the point that we simply cannot look away, preoccupied in pursuit of understanding the underlying mechanisms that dictate such behavior.
There are some crimes that hit closer to home than others. They happen in our city, or to someone our age and, at least for a split second, we cannot help but wonder that it could have been us. Psychologists suggest that this may make us think we can cheat death - we feel we have dodged a bullet by being a spectator and not the victim. It is also postulated that negativity bias - our tendency to attribute more importance to negative stimuli than positive or neutral ones - could influence perceptions about serial killers and make them more interesting because "it's the most negative thing you can think of."
Some experts propose that obsession with true crime is correlated with schadenfreude - the experience of deriving pleasure or joy from others’ suffering. Dr. Sharon Packer, a psychiatrist and professor, explains, “It’s not necessarily sadistic, but if bad faith had to fall on someone, at least it fell on someone else. Whatever the luck of the draw is, at least someone else got the short straw.” This emphasizes the belief that we get to vicariously experience the fear and threat of the crime while being assured of our safety. We feel we are out of harm's way because it has already happened to someone else.
While many assumed that men would be likely to find the gore of murders more interesting, a study found that women were more drawn towards true crime stories. It is regarded that people find ways to prevent being a victim by learning details of the crime - the motives, the murderers, and the victims. Additionally, since women often feel unsafe in a strong patriarchy, watching true crime stories where justice triumphs make them feel a part of the justice system and its protectionary powers.
Often, our intrigue in true crime is accompanied by guilt. We wonder if we have a right to indulge in and enjoy material that is so grisly. While abundant exposure to true crime can be unhealthy, psychologists believe that, in moderation, it poses no threat. As long as we do not idolize the perpetrators and empathize with the victims, let’s binge the next true crime story and enjoy the thrill of a whodunit.
Swanaya Gurjar
