True crime stories infiltrate our lives. Between news stories, podcasts, documentaries on every streaming service, and entire television stations devoted to true crime, we are bombarded with tales of murder and brutality. The people most drawn to these stories seem surprising. Overwhelmingly, women are attracted to true crime stories. The question is why are women so obsessed with true crime and is it negatively impacting our lives?
Studies indicate men are more likely to commit violent crimes (Gruman et al, 2016). They are also more likely to be the victim of crime (Vicary & Fraley, 2010, p. 82). So why are women so invested in true crime documentaries and podcasts? A recent study (Vicary & Fraley, 2010) may have some answers. Based on the results, one reason women seek out true crime stories is self-preservation. The study reinforced the hypothesis that women choose true crime to understand the psychological motives (Vicary & Fraley, 2010, p. 84) of the murderer as well as learning tips to defend themselves in the event that they become victims of crime themselves (Vicary & Fraley, 2010, p. 84).
While depictions of violence in the media have negative consequences such as short-term increases in violent behavior in people (Gruman et al, 2016) as well as desensitization (Gruman et al, 2016), this study shows there are positive effects, too. If women are learning survival techniques, as the study suggests, then there are some benefits to viewing violence in the media.
References
Vicary, A. M., & Fraley, R. C. (2010). Captured by True Crime: Why Are Women Drawn to Tales of Rape, Murder, and Serial Killers? Social Psychological and Personality Science, 1(1), 81–86. https://doi.org/10.1177/1948550609355486
Coutts, L. M., Gruman, J. A., & Schneider, F. W. (2016). Applied Social Psychology : Understanding and Addressing Social and Practical Problems. Sage Publications.