Author(s): Emily Bailey, Hazel Petersen
Mentor(s): Katerra Miller
Institution SUU
The sensationalization of the true crime genre has undeniably captivated audiences. This phenomenon is shown through unprecedented access to media. Due to increasing demand media outlets are supplying higher documentation of crimes, causing a decrease in interdiction towards the obsession of true crime. The interest for true crime has been more recently accepted and research on the effects this media has on emotional and physiological responses is still lacking. To measure emotional and physiological statuses among those who do and do not consume true crime, a sample of 40 Southern Utah University (SUU) students’ resting blood pressure and heart rate were recorded; along with aggression, empathy, and subjective units of distress scale (SUDS) levels. Participants were then exposed to a true crime clip, followed by another collection of heart rate and blood pressure. A post-exposure survey of SUDS and empathy towards those in the video was then administered. We expect to observe varying results within our collected data. We expect to see an increase in physiological distress from participants who do not regularly consume true crime media and higher levels of habituation among those who consume high levels of true crime. Regardless of the outcome, results from this study will benefit future media consumption and research.