Crime, Curiosity, and Control: Why True Crime Hooks the Mind

For many, unwinding means putting on their favourite playlist on their headphones, while they work or relax with scented candles or stuffed teddies. But for many others, it includes listening to podcasts and videos on “missing people” and “serial killers”. True crime is something that has moved from a niche genre to the centre of popular culture. People play these podcasts during their commutes, free time, or just when they need a source of new information. The appeal of true crime goes beyond the shock value or suspense. 

These are real stories that draw people in because they feel creepy and unpredictable, while still offering a sense of distance and safety, since it is not happening in the present. They follow a clear structure with a beginning, a mystery, and sometimes a resolution. While extremely bone- chilling, this pattern of true crime podcasts and content are highly engaging since the audience experiences all the emotional highs and lows in these stories. described in crime- related content.

A key reason as to why true crime is engaging is because of its ability to stimulate these dangerous situations of crime and violence without the audience actually experiencing it. The brain evolved to learn from danger without facing it directly, so watching true crime videos provides these ‘practice runs’ with such situations. Viewers will often find themselves paying close attention to minute details, imagining how events unfolded and considering what actions they would take in similar circumstances, if they were ever to occur. This process of stimulating these experiences in our minds satisfies curiosity about the unknown while also reinforcing some awareness of the risks associated with these situations. By engaging with these narratives from a safe distance, audiences consuming this content can explore fear, understand consequences of actions, and make sense of threatening situations without being placed in actual danger.

Research suggests certain traits are linked to interest in true crime. High levels of openness to experience are associated with curiosity about complex or darker topics, making this genre more appealing. Higher anxiety or neuroticism has also been linked to true crime consumption, as individuals may seek to understand how harm occurs and how it can be avoided. Sensation seeking can play a role as well, although the excitement involved is mainly psychological rather than physical. Interestingly, gender differences have also been observed. Women tend to consume more true crime content and often describe it as a way to learn about personal safety, while men, on average, show more interest in the mechanics of crime, showing how these differences lead to different experiences.

True crime can also help people manage their emotions by letting them face their fears in a safe way. Listening to or watching these stories allows some tension to be released and anxiety to be experienced in tiny doses, knowing that the danger(not actually real) ends when the episode finishes. The structure followed by these stories gives a sense of control, turning real fear into a narrative that can be paused, replayed, or stopped at any time.

This obviously doesn’t mean that it’s everyone’s cup of tea, due to the kind of travesties that are mentioned in crime- related content. But there certainly are ways for people to be more mindful and more aware in the way they indulge in crime content. It starts by simply paying more attention to how these stories make you feel, taking breaks if anxiety or fear prolongs, and choosing content that focuses on context, actual consequences of crimes and accurate details rather than just shocking hooks, which derail the audience from understanding the real world. 

Mixing true crime with stories of recovery and positive outcomes can help maintain perspective, while still allowing the audience to be invested and understand the story behind crime stories without being too hooked on to just the “crimes committed”. When consumed thoughtfully, true crime is actually a very useful medium to educate, warn, and even offer protection, like helpline services, without creating unnecessary fears just for views.