Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

What Does She See in Him? Hybristophiles and Spree Killers

  • Published:
Journal of Police and Criminal Psychology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

For further understanding of spree killers, we explored fan communities of the same on Tumblr. We aimed to fit their expressed paraphilic desires with earlier typologies of aggressive/passive hybristophiles (women who fetishize killers) and a previously proposed typology of spree killers themselves. Tumblr fan site content (text and pictures) was investigated using a combination of visual and textual content analysis, latent class analysis, and hierarchical cluster analysis, using other celebrity fan sites as controls. The general trend was for hybristophiles to have surprising levels of self-knowledge with a small sub-set expressing worrying tendencies to fetishize the killings themselves over and above sexual desires towards the perpetrators. Although the division of hybristophiles into active and passive has been previously shown, we believe we are the first to link this to spree killers who are more or less explicitly advertising their behaviors to their fan base. Much attention has been directed to issues of so-called toxic masculinity and incels, but it is important to appreciate that they do not exist in a vacuum. This material contributes somewhat to understanding the toxic soil in which killers flourish.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • BBC News (2019) US saw highest number of mass killings on record in 2019, database reveals. Online news source https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-50936575. Retrieved 15 Jul 2021

  • Böckler N, Seeger T (2013) Revolution of the dispossessed: school shooters and their devotees on the web. In: Böckler N, Thorsten S, Sitzer P, Heitmeyer W (eds) School Shootings: International Research, Case Studies and Concepts for Prevention. Springer, New York, pp 309–339

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Brown WJ, Fraser BP (2004) Celebrity identification in entertainment-education. In: Singhal A, Cody MJ, Rogers EM, Sabido M (eds) Entertainment-education and social change: History, research, and practice. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Inc, Maywah, pp 97–116

    Google Scholar 

  • Buss D (2015) Evolutionary psychology: The new science of the mind. New York. Psychology Press

  • Chen A (2012) Why James Holmes has fans on the Internet. Retrieved on 1st July 2019 from http://gawker.com/5930565/why-james-holmes-has-fans-on-the-internet

  • Costa JJ, Matos AP, Rosario MDP, Ceu Salvador MD, Luz Vale-Dias MD, Zenha-Rela M (2016) Evaluating use and attitudes towards social media and ICT for Portuguese youth: the MTUAS-PY scale. The European Proceedings of Social and Behavioural Sciences 99–115

  • Cowley C (2011) Face to Face with Evil: Conversations with Ian Brady. London. John Blake Publishing

  • Cramer P (2001) Identification and its relation to identity development. J Pers 69(5):667–688

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Davis K (2013) Young people’s digital lives: the impact of interpersonal relationships and digital media use on adolescents’ sense of identity. Comput Hum Behav29(6):2281–2293

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • de Grasse Tyson N (2019) Tweet on spree killings https://tinyurl.com/mfsrzzmy. Accessed 31 May 2120

  • Del Giudice M (2020) Rethinking the fast-slow continuum of individual differences. Evol Hum Behav 41(6):536–549

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dietz PE (1986) Mass, serial and sensational homicides. Bull N Y Acad Med 62:477–491

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Dixson AF (1998) Primate sexuality: comparative studies of the prosimians, monkeys, apes, and human beings. Oxford University Press, USA

    Google Scholar 

  • Erikson EH (1968) Identity: Youth and crisis (No. 7). London. WW Norton & Company

  • Field A (2013) Discovering statistics using IBM SPSS statistics. London. Sage

  • Gackenbach J (ed) (2011) Psychology and the Internet: Intrapersonal, interpersonal, and transpersonal implications. Cambridge (Massachusetts) Academic Press

  • Giles DC, Maltby J (2004) The role of media figures in adolescent development: relations between autonomy, attachment, and interest in celebrities. Personality Individ Differ 36(4):813–822

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Greene AL, Adams-Price C (1990) Adolescents’ secondary attachment to celebrity figures. Sex Roles 22:335–347

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gurian EA (2013) Explanations of mixed-sex partnered homicide: a review of sociological and psychological theory. Aggress Violent Beh 18(5):520–526

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Herold ES, Milhausen RR (1999) Dating preferences of university women: an analysis of the nice guy stereotype. J Sex Marital Ther 25(4):333–343

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hoffman B, Ware J, Shapiro E (2020) Assessing the threat of incel violence. Stud Confl Terror 43(7):565–587

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Isenberg S (1991) Women Who Love Men Who Kill. New York: Simon and Schuster

  • King R, Butler N (2019) Running amok: spree killers viewed through the lens of evolutionary theory. Mank Q 60(2)

  • Krippendorff K (2004) Content analysis: An introduction to its methodology. The Sage Commtext Series, Sage Publications Ltd., London

  • Larson R (1995) Secrets in the bedroom: adolescents’ private use of media. J Youth Adolesc 24(5):535–550

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Larkin RW (2009) The Columbine legacy rampage shootings as political acts. Am Behav Sci 52(9):1309–1326

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lasch C (1991) The culture of narcissism: American life in an age of diminishing expectations. London. WW Norton & Company

  • Lee S, Scott D, Kim H (2008) Celebrity fan involvement and destination perceptions. Ann Tour Res 35(3):809–832

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Levin J (2014) Mass murder in perspective: Guest editor's introduction. Homicide Stud 18(1):3–6

  • Maltby J, Day L, McCutcheon LE, Houran J, Ashe D (2006) Extreme celebrity worship, fantasy proneness and dissociation: developing the measurement and understanding of celebrity worship within a clinical personality context. Personality Individ Differ 40(2):273–283

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McKenzie SK, Collings S, Jenkin G, River J (2018) Masculinity, social connectedness, and mental health: men’s diverse patterns of practice. Am J Mens Health12(5):1247–1261

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Money J (1986) Lovemaps: Clinical concepts of sexual/erotic health and pathology, paraphilia, and gender transposition of childhood, adolescence and maturity. Irvington, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Oksanen A, Hawdon J, Räsänen P (2014) Glamorizing rampage online: school shooting fan communities on youtube. Technol Soc 39:55–67

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Parker R (2014) Serial Killer Groupies. New York. RJ Parker Publishing INC

  • Pleiss MK, Feldhusen JF (1995) Mentors, role models, and heroes in the lives of gifted children. Educ Psychol 30(3):159–169

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Potter WJ, Levine-Donnerstein D (1999) Rethinking validity and reliability in content analysis. J Appl Commun Res 27:258–284

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Purcell C, Arrigo BA (2006) The psychology of lust murder: paraphilia, sexual killing, and serial homicide. Cambridge (Massachusetts) Academic Press

    Google Scholar 

  • Ramamoorthy P (2013) I have a crush on a criminal. Retrieved, on 01/09/2014, from http://m.thehindu.com/opinion/blogs/blog-by-the-way/article5038297.ece/ 

  • Riesman D (2001) The lonely crowd: A study of the changing American character. New Haven. Yale University Press

  • Rocque M (2012) Exploring school rampage shootings: research, theory, and policy. Soc Sci J 49(3):304–313

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Romano A (March, 2013) Tumblr’s creepy fascination with Ohio school shooter T.J Lane. Retrieved from http://www.dailydot.com/society/tumblr-tj-lane-ohio-school-shooter-fandom/

  • Rosenhan DL (1973) On being sane in insane places. Science 179(4070):250–258

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Salmon C, Symons D (2003) Warrior lovers: erotic fiction, evolution and female sexuality. New Haven. Yale University Press

    Google Scholar 

  • Sharma BR (2003) Disorders of sexual preference and medicolegal issues thereof. Am J Forensic Med Pathol 24(3):277–282

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Simpson JA, Gangestad SW (1992) Sociosexuality and romantic partner choice. J Pers 60:31–51

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Slavikova M, Panza NR (2014) Characteristics and personality styles of women who seek incarcerated men as romantic partners: survey results and directions for future research. Deviant Behav 35(11):885–902

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Slotter EB, Gardner WL (2012) The dangers of dating the “bad boy”(or girl): when does romantic desire encourage us to take on the negative qualities of potential partners? J Exp Soc Psychol 48(5):1173–1178

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stearns SC (1976) Life-history tactics: a review of the ideas. Q Rev Biol 51(1):3–47

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Stearns SC, Rodrigues AM (2020) On the use of “life history theory” in evolutionary psychology. Evol Hum Behav 41(6):474–485

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Steinberg L, Silverberg SB (1986) The vicissitudes of autonomy in early adolescence. Child Development 841–851

  • Stepchenkova S, Zhan F (2013) Visual destination images of Peru: comparative content analysis of DMO and user-generated photography. Tour Manag 36:590–601

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tein JY, Coxe S, Cham H (2013) Statistical power to detect the correct number of classes in latent profile analysis. Struct Equ Modeling 20(4):640–657

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Tinbergen N (1963) On aims and methods of ethology. Zeitschrift für tierpsychologie 20(4):410–433

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tinbergen N, Perdeck AC (1950) On the stimulus situation releasing the begging response in the newly hatched herring gull chick (Larus argentatus argentatus Pont.). Behaviour 1–39

  • Tombs S, Silverman I (2004) Pupillometry: a sexual selection approach. Evol Hum Behav 25(4):221–228

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tooby J, Cosmides L (1992) The psychological foundations of culture. The Adapted Mind: Evolutionary Psychology and the Generation of Culture 19

  • Trivers RL (1972) Parental investment and sexual selection. In: Campbell B (ed) Sexual Selection and the Descent of Man, 1871–1971. Aldine-Atheron, Chicago, pp 136–179

    Google Scholar 

  • Tuchakinsky R (2010) Para-romantic love and para-friendships: development and assessment of a multiple parasocial relationship scale. Am J Media Psychol 3(1/2):73–94

  • Van Leeuwen T, Jewitt C (eds) (2001) The handbook of visual analysis. London. Sage

  • Vermunt JK, Magidson J (2000). Latent GOLD’s user’s guide. Statistical Innovations Inc, Boston

    Google Scholar 

  • Vitello C (2006) Hybristophilia: the love of criminals. Sex Crimes and Paraphilia. 197–206

  • Warren L (2012) ‘Holmies for life’: shocking pictures reveal sick online fans of Dark Knight massacre gunman James Holmes who wear his favourite clothes Retrieved from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2181721/James-Holmes-fans-The-sick-online-fans-wear-plaid-drink-slurpees-support.html#ixzz3PwEJQbOH. July 2019

  • Woodworth M, Freimuth T, Hutton EL, Carpenter T, Agar AD, Logan M (2013) High-risk sexual offenders: an examination of sexual fantasy, sexual paraphilia, psychopathy, and offence characteristics. Int J Law Psychiatry 36(2):144–156. Secret Service, National Threat Assessment Center

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Zahavi A (1975) Mate selection—a selection for a handicap. J Theor Biol 53(1):205–214

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Zhou L, Whitla P (2013) How negative celebrity publicity influences consumer attitudes: the mediating role of moral reputation. J Bus Res 66(8):1013–1020

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zinkhan GM, Shermohamad A (1986) Is other-directedness on the increase? An empirical test of Riesman’s theory of social character. J Consum Res 127–130

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Applied Psychology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland

    Amber Shreesta, Maria Dempsey, Senan Tuohy-Hamil & Robert King

Authors
  1. Amber Shreesta
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Maria Dempsey
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Senan Tuohy-Hamil
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Robert King
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Robert King.

Ethics declarations

Ethics Approval

Approved by University College Cork 09/2017. Secondary data only.

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare no competing interests.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Shreesta, A., Dempsey, M., Tuohy-Hamil, S. et al. What Does She See in Him? Hybristophiles and Spree Killers. J Police Crim Psych 38, 800–812 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11896-022-09550-6

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11896-022-09550-6

Keywords

Search

Navigation