Scholarly articles:
Wiggin, Kyra L., et al. “Curiosity Tempts Indulgence.” Journal of Consumer Research, vol. 45, no. 6, Apr. 2019, pp. 1194–1212. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1093/jcr/ucy055.
This article deals with curiosity and how it is a drive for knowledge.
The source taught me that us, humans, are very curious by nature and this curiosity needs to be satisfied. If this curiosity is not satisfied, it leads to indulgence. For example, in my topic, since we do not experience or see murders on a daily basis then we indulge in true crime series or murder documentaries. The article suggests that curiosity is a drive for missing information meaning that it is our nature to gratify our curiosity. I also learned that curiosity can have a dark side. For example, curiosity can be destructive in the sense that knowledge might not be completely satisfactory and this can lead someone to act upon their curiosity. Someone might have so much information on murder but they are not completely satisfied until they know what it feels like to actually commit a murder.
Lee, Joseph, and M. Theol. “The Human Dark Side: Evolutionary Psychology and Original Sin.” Journal of Religion & Health, vol. 53, no. 2, Apr. 2014, pp. 614–629. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1007/s10943-013-9805-z.
This article deals with the psychology of the dark side of human nature and sin.
This article taught me that humanity has a profound fascination with evil. Ever since the beginning of time, evil has been intriguing. Even in the Bible, Adam and Eve were forbidden to eat fruit form a particular tree but temptation got the better of them. Our dark side originates from this original sin. It shows how sometimes we are tempted to do things and some people will fall into that temptation and go through with it. For example, when it comes to murderers, they are tempted to do such horrible crimes and they actually do it. Same thing goes for people who watch true crime shows, we are tempted to watch it. There is a constant temptation that lingers and we need to satisfy this temptation.
Non-scholarly articles:
Bonn, Scott A. “The Guilty Pleasure of True Crime TV.” Psychology Today, Sussex Publishers, 30 May 2016, https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/wicked-deeds/201605/the-guilty-pleasure-true-crime-tv
This article examines why we are fascinated with serial murder.
This author gives a different perspective as to why people are interested in true crime shows. I learned that these shows are popular because serial killers excite and tantalize the viewers. People are fascinated with them and they want to know everything about them. Even though murder is a horrible crime, we cannot look away and this causes a rush of adrenaline, which in turn, causes addictive effect on the brain. I also learned that not all killers look like monsters but they look like the neighbour next door and this causes fear as anyone can be a serial killer.
Thorpe, JR. “Why Are People So Obsessed With True Crime?” Bustle, Bustle, 29 July 2019, https://www.bustle.com/p/why-are-people-so-obsessed-with-true-crime-experts-reveal-the-evolutionary-reasons-why-18138062.
This article deals with the reasons people watch true crime shows.
I learned that the main reason why people are obsessed with this genre of show is basic human curiosity. People want to know who would commit such a crime, how, why and so on. Another factor that contributes to this obsession is the need to solve the puzzle (the murder). I also learned that curiosity is a motivator for survival. A lot of people watch these shows in order to be prepared, should something like this happen to them. These shows also evoke a lot of emotions from the viewers. These emotions range from empathy for the victim to anger towards the perpetrator.
Artifact:
McDermott, Geno, director. Killer Inside: The Mind of Aaron Hernandez. Blackfin and Makemake, 2020. Netflix, http://www.netflix.com
This is a true crime documentary about football player, Aaron Hernandez, who was convicted for the murder of Odin Lloyd.
This documentary examines the life of Aaron Hernandez and what led him to commit murder. It talks about his difficult childhood and relationship with his parents. This fascinates us because he was a football star turned murderer which, of course, no one expected. I learned a lot about his life and how some of the events in his life might have affected him, psychologically. People watched this series because they were curious about his life and why he would murder someone he considered a friend, Odin Lloyd.
Experiential research:
It is evident that true crime shows are popular in today’s society because of all the speciality channels that are dedicated to this. In my own house, true crime shows are one of the more popular genres that we watch. We watch shows such as Forensic Filesand The First 48. These deal with real life murders, how and why they were committed, and eventually, how they were solved. These shows are very interesting because they look at different perspectives from the victim to the perpetrator to the police who solved the crime. We get to see how the criminal mind works and what drives them which satisfies our curiosity. I also watched Killer Inside: The Mind of Aaron Hernandez and I was so curious to find out why someone, who seemed to be so successful, would commit murder. He was a popular football player, had a fiancée and a daughter, yet he threw it all away.
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