Understanding Mass Killing in America: A System Dynamics Approach

Abstract

This study explores the replication effect of mass killings across the United States. Often news outlets sensationalize emotional stories, such as mass killings, because they increase readership. Increased readership perpetuates the spread of the ideation to commit a mass killing through imitation, with each new incident having the possibility to spark several more throughout the country through increased exposure. This study places greatest focus on the imitation and does not analyze feedback mechanisms that affect other influences of violence. System dynamics modeling provides the framework for examining imitation incidents as an effect of increased exposure via the media.