By Savannah Moscon & Rebecka Serpa

You are scrolling online and see a breaking news article with a large “GRAPHIC CONTENT” warning. Do you click on the link? You may be surprised to learn that the graphic content warning is often the hook that draws people in to read the article. The fascination that people have with topics or events that are considered disturbing, taboo, or even horrifying is referred to as “morbid curiosity.” Indulging in mental stimulation through experiencing threat or trepidation in a safe but controlled environment – such as watching a scary movie, or going through a haunted house – is an incredibly common hobby, though clearly engagement varies among individuals. The entertainment industry is no stranger to this phenomenon; data shows continual demand for,  and (increasing!) interest in, True Crime documentaries (Fig. 1). Over the years, research has shown that the human fascination with the morbid, otherwise known as recreational fear, is multifaceted and quite complex. Here we explain the physiological and psychological responses to fear, and how evolution has shaped these responses to help us learn about the dangers we face.

Possibly the simplest study showing the commonality of morbid curiosity is a study demonstrating that given the choice to view a ‘neutral’ image (one that does not evoke a strong emotional response) or an image involving death, violence, bodily harm, or mutilation, people chose to view the ‘morbid’ image much more often.¹ Given that most people have some propensity for morbid curiosity – that aforementioned “recreational fear” – this result would seem to fit. It is important to note, however, that individuals’ desire to experience recreational fear varies dramatically based on their psychological and even physiological traits. People often believe that their emotional response is a consequence solely of the surrounding events, but this is not the case. According to the Conceptual Act Theory – well-regarded in the area of affective science within psychology and neuroscience – our emotions are experienced through conceptualization and thus are guided by embodied knowledge about that emotion.² This is to say, emotions that are experienced in a highly variable manner, and previous experiences affect how you emotionally respond to an event.

Initial theories suggested that fascination with the morose was driven by the desire to feel an adrenaline rush.³ This ‘sensation seeking’ hypothesis was mainly disproven by the finding that there is no relationship between the rated intensity of a gruesome image and one’s desire to choose to see the image.³ Modern theories attempting to explain morbid curiosity are far more complex. Interestingly, newer findings reveal that brain structure plays a large role in one’s desire to indulge in recreational fear, but the most common theory postulates that morbid curiosity stems from the psychological drive to understand and control the world around us.³ This falls in line with the fact that nearly all psychological traits we can classify (e.g., anxiety, agreeableness and fight or flight) are aspects of cognition that are shaped by evolution. So – what are the physiological and psychological aspects that keep you clicking play on the next true crime documentary?

A key player in our emotional response to morbid events or stories is the sympathetic nervous system, specifically the amygdala. The sympathetic nervous system deals with feeling and managing fear through the release of adrenaline and other endorphins. The brain region most tightly connected to our fear response is the amygdala, which determines possible threats, decides emotional responses, and stores memories related to fear.⁴ In fact, those that indulge in recreational fear tend to have an amygdala that appears structurally different in neuroimaging studies. These structural differences are suggested to be related to a greater fear threshold.⁴ Watching or listening to true crime horrors allows the audience to feel adrenaline, causing an increase in heart rate, a boost of energy to your muscles, and enhanced mental performance.⁵ This prepares the listener for a flight-or-fight response. In the brain, the amygdala perceives the risk of danger and subsequently signals for the release of a combination of adrenaline, dopamine, and other endorphins.⁶ Of course, the amount of each chemical released depends on the individual and on the perceived level of risk. However, once the risk is reduced, many feel a sense of pleasure or reward which, for some, can even be addictive. Many find it rewarding, even empowering, to experience this fight or flight response in a controlled environment.

Discussion of the psychological aspect of morbid curiosity would be incomplete without delving into the surprising sex differences revealed through research into this phenomenon. Many assume that men are more prone to indulge in recreational fear as it is assumed that men tend to be less emotionally affected by violence (e.g. violent sports) – and it is true that studies have determined that men tend to enjoy the consumption of horror media over women, possibly due to women having a higher disgust sensitivity.⁷ However, research shows that women are the predominant consumers of true crime, comprising 73% of the genre’s general audience.⁸ The three most motivating factors for women to engage in true crime stories and media are social interaction, escape, and voyeurism.⁸ In one study, when given the choice of a book about true crime or an alternate violent topic (war or gangs), women were much more likely than men to choose the true crime genre.⁹  This may be surprising as women are much more afraid of being the victim of a crime.^10,11 These fears are not without foundation; as of 2019, men comprised of 89% of persons arrested for murder and nonnegligent manslaughter, 96.5% of rape, and 77.2% of aggravated assault.¹² So why are women so intrigued with true crime and serial killers? Simple. Understanding criminal behavior is relevant to one’s evolutionary fitness as it helps one avoid becoming a victim of a crime.⁹ Research shows that women are intrigued by true crime books that feature a female victim because of the survival strategies and techniques in the novels which can help prevent becoming victims or, alternatively, aid in seeking justice.⁹  True crime media also helps women learn how cope and to protect themselves in a society where 1 in 5 women are victims of rape and 1 in 3 women experience domestic violence.¹³ One study determined that those fascinated with morbid curiosity showed greater resilience and demonstrated more effective coping approaches.¹⁴

A separate in-depth study found that our morbid curiosity can be broken down into a desire to understand four key concepts:³

• The minds of dangerous people—what motivates individuals to commit crimes
• Paranormal danger—phenomena that seem to defy scientific explanation
• Interpersonal violence—an interest in seeing, but not necessarily understanding the motives of violent acts
• Body violation—an interest in understanding the limits of the body and viewing body mutilations

Interestingly, the extent that one experiences morbid curiosity could not be predicted based on other personality traits including disgust tolerance, psychopathy or general curiosity. Surprisingly, neither the big five personality traits (openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism) nor a large repertoire of additional traits could account for any variation in the level of one’s morbid curiosity.³

So next time someone calls you a psychopath for listening to true crime podcasts, send them this article! This being said, we also want to highlight the possible downsides of overindulging in the true crime genre. People can become desensitized and have decreased empathy.¹⁵ If one consumes too many documentaries, it can have a negative impact on one’s emotional well-being.¹⁶ We also must consider the impact of these stories on the victims. When audiences take a deep look into the lives of victims of violent crime, details of these individuals’ lives become public information. We must always balance the benefits of sharing the stories (mainly to spread awareness of an event or danger, to call for community support for justice, and to inform people on how to avoid being victimized) with the distasteful ways some media may portray victims with a lack of benefit to society. With that being said, if you enjoy engaging in recreational fear – indulge in your morbid curiosity, it may save your life!

TL:DR

• Morbid curiosity is an evolutionary benefit driven by a desire to understand the dangers of the world.
• Physiological differences in the amygdala contribute to variability in people’s fear responses and their levels of interest in recreational fear.

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References

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