Are you a true crime fan who just loves learning about new cases and watching documentaries that dissect everything that happened?
Or do you enjoy suspenseful thrillers that make your heart beat faster as you hide behind your blanket?
Naturally, humans avoid stuff that scares them, so what is it in our psyche that makes us love these types of movies/documentaries?
They Give Us a Safe Way to Explore Fear
A big reason why people like true crime and thrillers is that they provide a safe space to experience fear. You can feel the suspense, tension, and adrenaline without ever actually being in danger.
And there is a psychological element to the story in helping the brain learn how to manage fear while safe. It is similar to why people enjoy riding roller coasters. The body reacts, but the mind knows it is safe.
This controlled exposure can even foster a sense of emotional resilience. Your mind gets to contemplate some dark realities while you are fully shielded from the feared potential. The story ends. The danger is over.
You survived effortlessly. In an unexpected way, you feel a sense of relief and even empowerment.
They Activate the Brain’s Curiosity and Problem-Solving Instinct
True crime and thrillers fulfill our intrinsic human need to comprehend the incomprehensible. Our brains are wired to notice patterns and explanations. Subconsciously, we are constantly scanning our space for signs, motives, and eventual outcomes.
When we encounter or consume something that invokes a mystery or a crime, we instinctively attempt to build the pieces and come to a conclusion; and if there’s one thing we all know, that feeling of connecting dots invokes a pseudo-satisfying feeling, like finishing a puzzle.
The experience does not stop there; it actually fires critical areas of the brain responsible for logic, intuition, and creative thinking.
The Pleasure Of ‘Figuring It Out’
There is something psychologically pleasurable about the entire process of “figuring it out.” Even if what we have just read is disturbing, it still triggers a satisfying experience to decode the actions of a character.
Ultimately, it is a healthy way to stimulate your brain and change your thought process a little. In essence, it provides a way to stretch your mind, focus your attention, and feel mentally alert without any real-world pressures.
More importantly, thrillers let you take on the role of a detective without the pressures of the world.
They Help Us Understand Human Behavior and Dark Motives
Many people tune into true crime for the exploration of the human mind, specifically, the darker aspects of the human mind. True crime can show us what might compel a person to perpetrate violence on another person; this is both disturbing and fascinating to comprehend.
The reality is that our fascination with extremes is built into us psychologically because it exposes us to truths of humanity that we typically do not experience or see.
Increased knowledge of manipulation, obsession, and criminal psychological behavior can make the average person feel better educated and informed. It can even allow that person to identify dangerous behaviors or warning signs in their personal lives.
True crime is more than just entertainment; it becomes a way to comprehend human nature.
They Give Us a Sense of Control in an Unpredictable World
Life is random, and true crime exemplifies that fact. Ironically, observing or listening to these occurrences can also feel grounding. It gives a false sense of control because you’re admiring danger from the outside.
Psychologically, this helps individuals navigate their fears about safety, mortality, and uncertainty. As readers and audience members, you might be able to relate this to your life experience as you watch how a life of crime unfolds, thus preparing yourself or feeling more aware in your daily life.
It allows for “what if” practice at a distance. In addition, thrillers or true crimes can offer closure to a degree: the villain is caught, the case is closed, or the danger is removed. Life does not always offer that closure, but stories do, and like a cathartic experience, closure offers comfort.
They Allow Emotional Release Through Suspense and Tension
People sometimes don’t realize they carry stress or unsolved emotions with them. When you watch a thriller or true crime, you build tension, and once the story ends or the mystery is unsolved, you experience a release of that accumulated tension.
Psychologically, this is part of the emotional cycle, which has a cathartic effect. During the heightened emotional process of the suspenseful moment, your system is elevated.
Once that turbulence drops off, you experience both calmness and emotional release. It is almost like a reset of the nervous system.
They Provide Social Connection and Shared Fascination
True crime and thrillers bond people. Talking about a shocking case, sharing theories, or a shocking twist creates an immediate bonding experience.
Psychologically, humans crave shared experiences, especially shared experiences that elicit strong emotions. The genre of true crime provides an opportunity for something meaningful, bizarre, or even exciting to talk about and makes social interactions deeper or even more engaging.
People feel connected when they can analyze motives, debate theories, or even express their reactions. True crime as entertainment transforms into a shared curiosity that forms connections through a mix of mystery and emotion.
Born and raised in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Ever since I was a little girl, my imagination knew no bounds. I remember vividly how I’d scribble down short stories, each page bursting with adventures and characters conjured up from the whimsy of my mind. These stories weren’t just for me; they were my way of connecting with my friends, offering them a slice of my fantasy world during our playtimes. The joy and excitement on their faces as we dived into my fictional realms motivated me to keep writing. This early passion for storytelling naturally evolved into my pursuit of writing, turning a childhood hobby into a fulfilling career.