Aktiv ansehen oder mögen Videos, die Straftäter romantisieren, ist mit einem höheren Maß an Hybristophilie verbunden, einem Begriff für die sexuelle Anziehungskraft von Frauen für Kriminelle. Die Ergebnisse zeigen auch, dass Persönlichkeitsmerkmale wie Machiavellismus und Psychopathie starke Prädiktoren für diese Tendenzen sind.

I’ve linked to the news release in the post above. In this comment, for those interested, here’s the link to the peer reviewed journal article:

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/01639625.2025.2520587

From the linked article:

Hybristophilia: Study links TikTok to women’s sexual attraction to criminals

A new study has found a connection between young women’s engagement with certain TikTok content and their sexual attraction to criminals. The research, published in the journal Deviant Behavior, suggests that **actively watching or liking videos that romanticize offenders is associated with higher levels of hybristophilia, a term for this specific attraction. The findings also indicate that personality traits like Machiavellianism and psychopathy are strong predictors of these tendencies**.

This analysis identified seven major themes in how young women discussed and portrayed offenders. One prominent theme was the halo effect, where an offender’s physical attractiveness appeared to bias users’ perceptions. Comments frequently minimized the severity of crimes committed by individuals who were considered conventionally attractive, sometimes suggesting they were “misunderstood” or even innocent based on their appearance.

A related pattern was identified as actor-offender transference. The study noted that attraction toward actors who portrayed infamous criminals, such as Zac Efron playing Ted Bundy or Evan Peters playing Jeffrey Dahmer, was often transferred to the real-life offenders. This sometimes led to genuine confusion among users, who would express attraction to an actor while believing they were referencing the actual criminal.

Another set of themes related to the emotional and psychological appeal of offenders. The study documented expressions of sympathy and a romanticization of traits associated with antisocial personality disorder. Fictional characters like Joe Goldberg from the show “You” were often described as ideal partners, despite their violent and manipulative behavior. Content also glorified themes of protection and loyalty, where possessive or violent actions were framed as expressions of deep devotion.

The analysis also highlighted a belief that love could reform a lawbreaker, a theme the researchers called “I Can Fix Him.” Users would express confidence that they could change an offender’s behavior, sometimes as a way to downplay the dangers of such a relationship. A different theme, termed Gen Z irony, involved using dark humor and sarcasm to discuss serious crimes. Comments like “Daddy” or “Smash” were used in reference to notorious killers, alongside jokes about their own attraction. Finally, a small number of users expressed what the study called a victim fantasy, revealing fantasies about being victimized by an attractive criminal.

The analysis of personality traits uncovered another strong connection. Higher scores in Machiavellianism, a trait linked to manipulation and a strategic mindset, predicted higher hybristophilia scores. Psychopathy, which involves characteristics like a lack of remorse, thrill-seeking, and impulsivity, also significantly predicted hybristophilia. In fact, psychopathy emerged as an even stronger predictor than Machiavellianism. In contrast, neither empathy nor narcissism showed a significant link to hybristophilic tendencies in the sample.