30 Times Courtrooms Became The Stage For The Strangest Human Behavior

Perhaps it’s a good thing that real law is much more predictable than fiction—these incidents are rare for a reason. Living in a world where they were commonplace would be far more unsettling.

Still, it’s hard not to be intrigued by these cases, especially the violent ones. They make us question what leads someone down this path and what’s running through their mind when it happens.

Seeking answers, Bored Panda spoke with Ryo Sawada, a Master’s student in forensic psychology at the University of Greenwich, UK.

According to Sawada, violent behavior doesn’t have a single explanation. It can be influenced by various biological, cultural, and environmental factors. “These can range from brain injuries or abnormalities in impulse control (biological), to toxic masculinity (cultural), or the normalization of violence when someone is exposed to it frequently in childhood (environmental),” he said.

At the same time, some people who resort to violence experience cognitive distortions. These are irrational or exaggerated thoughts that distort their perception of reality.

“Minimization, for instance, makes offenders downplay the harm they’ve caused (‘It wasn’t that bad’),” said Sawada. “Similarly, entitlement convinces them they had the right to act that way (‘I’m better, so I can do this’). These distortions are commonly seen in violent offenders, including those involved in sexual offenses.”

However, cognitive distortions aren’t exclusive to violent behavior. They can appear in various contexts, such as anxiety, depression, or even everyday situations. One example is ‘all-or-nothing thinking,’ where someone views themselves as either a complete success or an absolute failure.

Research suggests that people who commit crimes tend to share certain personality traits like low agreeableness and conscientiousness, paired with high neuroticism and extroversion.

Adding to this, Sawada noted that forensic psychologists look at the Dark Tetrad, a group of four dark personality traits regularly identified in offenders:

1. Narcissism (“The world is mine; I deserve more!”)
2. Machiavellianism (Manipulating others like chess pieces for personal gain)
3. Psychopathy (A lack of empathy and fear, often paired with charm)
4. Sadism (Deriving pleasure from inflicting pain)

“These traits are not mental disorders like Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD),” Sawada clarified, “but they can become triggers when combined with factors like substance use or high levels of stress.”

For the most part, psychologists agree that violence is a learned behavior, which means it can also be unlearned.

One way to address this is by developing conflict resolution skills to prevent disagreements from escalating into aggression. “Start with simple steps, like avoiding blame or ‘pointing fingers,’” Sawada encouraged. “The key is: stay calm, listen and understand, express your feelings, brainstorm solutions, and finally, agree and move forward.”

Another approach is empathy training, which helps people connect with and understand the emotions of others. Studies have shown that this technique can significantly reduce aggression, particularly among young offenders.

For those who need additional support, therapy can be a valuable resource. “Seeking help is not embarrassing, that’s exactly what we psychologists are here for,” said Sawada.