Abstract
Homicidal behavior is sex-linked. But research comparing male and female homicidal fantasies is sparse even though there is a potential link between fantasies and behavior. The aim of this study was to examine the frequency and contents of homicidal fantasies (targets, triggers, instruments, and emotional reactions) and their relation to substance abuse among 617 Finnish university students (mean age 24.2 years) contingent on gender. Sixty seven percent (n = 413) of respondents reported that they had experienced generally non-substance abuse-dependent homicidal fantasies during their lifetime. Males reported homicidal fantasies more frequently than females. Male fantasies involved the use of a weapon or tool and their fantasies frequently targeted a stranger, an acquaintance, or a public figure whereas female fantasies targeted intimate relationships such as family members or partners. Females reacted with negative emotions to their own homicidal fantasies but males lacked emotional response. Results suggest that homicidal fantasies are sexlinked.
Highlights
Human sex differences of homicidal behavior is a fairly well established field of research (Jurik & Winn, 1990; Kellerman & Mercy, 1992; Pratt & Deosaransingh, 1997; Wilbanks, 1983), but information on a potential sex-How to cite this paper: Auvinen-Lintunen, L., Häkkänen-Nyholm, H., Ilonen, T., & Tikkanen, R. (2015)
Previous research on homicidal fantasies have focused on the contents of the fantasies, situations in which they arise, triggers, the method of killing, or the real violent act associated with the homicidal fantasy (Crabb, 2000; Duntley, 2005; Grisso et al, 2000; Kenrick & Sheets, 1993), especially in psychiatric patients (Grisso et al, 2000), but not between sexes, emotional reactions and in normal populations
Males reported homicidal fantasies more frequently than females and male fantasies were targeted more often towards strangers, whereas female fantasies connected to closer relationships
Summary
Human sex differences of homicidal behavior is a fairly well established field of research (Jurik & Winn, 1990; Kellerman & Mercy, 1992; Pratt & Deosaransingh, 1997; Wilbanks, 1983), but information on a potential sex-How to cite this paper: Auvinen-Lintunen, L., Häkkänen-Nyholm, H., Ilonen, T., & Tikkanen, R. (2015). Previous research on homicidal fantasies have focused on the contents of the fantasies, situations in which they arise, triggers, the method of killing, or the real violent act associated with the homicidal fantasy (Crabb, 2000; Duntley, 2005; Grisso et al, 2000; Kenrick & Sheets, 1993), especially in psychiatric patients (Grisso et al, 2000), but not between sexes, emotional reactions and in normal populations. Homicidal fantasies are considered a relatively normal phenomenon rooted in the evolutionary history of humans (Crabb, 2000). According to the evolutionary perspective, homicidal fantasies represent one end of a continuum, the other end of which is actual homicides (Buss & Shackelford, 1997; Daly & Wilson, 1988)
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