Graduate Program

Communication Studies

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Semester of Degree Completion

Spring 2025

Thesis Director

S.M. Nancy Walus

Thesis Committee Member

Marita Gronnvoll

Thesis Committee Member

Josh Grube

Abstract

Those who side with the unjustified killer in slasher films are doing so to fulfill sociopsychological needs that are not being met in social reality. There were three main findings found in this study. First, participants sided with the unjustified killer in slasher films to gratify needs that were not being fulfilled in their careers such as the need to perform without having to consult mentors, not unlike how the unjustified killer murders victims without discussing with others. Second, participants sided with the unjustified killer in slasher films to gratify needs in their romantic relationships such as the need to feel love and affection through random acts of kindness, similar to how the unjustified killer picks their victims at random. Third, participants sided with the unjustified killer in slasher films to gratify sexual needs such as the need to express their sexuality in a safe space, similarly to the unjustified killer who has the freedom to experiment with kills and act on victims without consequences. This study supports the tenets of uses and gratifications theory which has pointed to audiences’ active choice to engage with media as a way to satisfy sociopsychological needs (Katz et al., 1974). 15 one-on-one semi-structured interviews were conducted via Zoom calls with women between the ages of 18-45 who resided in the United States and identified as fans of slasher films and sided with the unjustified killer. This thesis was conducted to help fans articulate their interests in a maligned genre and add to our understanding of horror fandom and why it exists.

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