A team of sociologists from the National Research University Higher School of Economics examined why stories about serial killers—whether on film, television, podcasts or other formats—have grabbed audiences around the world. The inquiry looked not just at what people watch, but at the deeper pull behind crime narratives and how digital platforms have amplified their reach. By tracing viewing habits across streaming services, podcasts, and on-demand content, the researchers aimed to map the social significance of crime storytelling in the modern media landscape. While the project began in Russia, its questions and implications resonate with international audiences, including viewers in North America who encounter these stories through global media ecosystems. The work sits at the intersection of sociology, media studies, and psychology, exploring how entertainment, information, and emotion mingle when the topic is violent crime.
To uncover the motivations behind such consumption, the team conducted in-depth interviews with young adults. The sample included a diverse group of men and women aged 18 to 36 from fourteen Russian cities, offering a broad view of how crime narratives are interpreted in different urban contexts. The interviews were designed to reveal not just preferences, but the underlying reasons people turn to documentaries, dramatic series, and podcasts about crimes. Participants described a range of factors that drew them to these materials, from curiosity about the criminal mind to a desire for suspense, thrill, and a sense of connection to larger social questions. The researchers paid particular attention to the everyday contexts in which media is consumed, such as commutes, weekends, and times of personal stress, to understand how routine life interacts with the urge to seek out crime stories. The aim was to build a nuanced picture of why crime content appeals to young adults across varied life circumstances and media habits.
One of the key findings centers on the question of whether watching violent content leads viewers to imitate real-world violence. The evidence gathered in interviews suggested that the appeal of violent events did not arise from a wish to witness violence first-hand, nor did it spark a personal drive to commit crimes. Instead, respondents tended to separate fictional or documentary depictions from their own actions. They often framed their interest as a way to understand, rather than endorse, the behavior of criminals. This distinction appeared robust across subgroups within the sample and aligned with a broader emphasis on critical viewing rather than sensational consumption. In other words, liking crime stories did not equal condoning cruelty. The participants frequently asserted that such stories should be examined, discussed, and managed through prevention and public-awareness efforts.
Researchers identified two core motivational strands that consistently emerged in the conversations: cognitive and emotional. The cognitive motive reflects a desire to explain why criminals act as they do by linking their choices to a complex mix of childhood experiences, trauma, mental health factors, and social conditions. People seeking this understanding want to see patterns, test hypotheses, and situate individual cases within larger theories of crime and development. The emotional motive, by contrast, provides a charged emotional experience. Watching or listening to crime narratives can generate excitement, surprise, fear, relief, or empathy, offering a temporary counterbalance to everyday monotony and emotional dryness. For some, this dual pull helps illuminate how media can function like a safe rehearsal space for confronting danger and uncertainty.
Crucially, the researchers emphasized that interest in violent crime stories does not entail a glamourization of criminals. Participants rejected the actions of the depicted individuals and often highlighted the need to prevent such acts in real life. The tone of the conversations suggested a responsible curiosity, one that recognizes the real harm caused by violence and seeks to understand it in order to stop it. This stance matters in the broader public discourse about media literacy and the social impact of crime content. By distinguishing comprehension from endorsement, viewers can engage with difficult material without normalizing wrongdoing.
From the findings, practical takeaways emerge for mental health professionals, educators, and media producers. Curiosity and the search for new experiences drive engagement with crime narratives, but the effect on well-being depends on context and individual resilience. The study points toward the value of developing supportive programs for people under stress or experiencing emotional hunger. For instance, media literacy programs can help people critically evaluate what they watch, while therapeutic approaches can channel the emotional energy raised by crime stories into constructive activities. In North America, where streaming access is high, these insights can inform public health messaging, classroom discussions, and community outreach. They also highlight the role of platforms in shaping exposure and the potential for designer content to include reflective prompts that encourage safe consumption.
Looking ahead, researchers acknowledge limitations in focusing on a single cultural milieu and call for cross-cultural replication to see which patterns hold across different societies with varied media ecosystems. The questions raised by this work extend beyond Russia, inviting comparisons with audiences in Canada and the United States who regularly encounter crime content on global platforms. By combining qualitative interviews with broader survey data and digital analytics, future studies can trace how platform design, pacing, and genre conventions influence viewer motives and lessons learned. In the meantime, the present findings offer a nuanced view of why crime narratives attract attention, how audiences interpret them, and how professionals can respond with balanced, evidence-based strategies. The goal is not to police curiosity but to foster understanding and safer engagement with a genre that continues to captivate mass audiences.