TV and Film portrayals of serial killers compared to real life cases - The possible effects on public perceptions of and reactions to serial killers

Seminar paper from the year 2016 in the subject Psychology - Media Psychology, grade: 2:2, Royal Holloway, University of London, language: English, abstract: Serial killers are a macabre phenomenon in modern society, and the way they are portrayed has drastically changed over the past few decades. In a world where entertainment industries rake in billions of pounds every year, there are no topics that are considered too sensitive to monetise, and that includes serial killers. This paper examines the comparisons between fictional serial killers, media productions based on real killers, and the actual cases of serial killers. As well as looking at the accuracy of film and television portrayals of serial killers, this paper addresses another very important point - What effect does this oversaturation of gory media have on the public's perceptions and opinions of serial killers?