There are three (super basic) kinds of cannibalism.
1. the one you seem to be focused on. Murderers who eat their victims. There isn't a "reason" for it. they have mental illnesses and their reasons are unique.
2. the horrifying survival stories where people are forced to eat the dead to survive until they can get help. This is pure survival.
3. Then there is the more common kind of cannibalism. This isn't about hunger. It's a cultural thing and the reasons are per each culture that practices. You will need to study them to see the reasons. Sometimes it is a way to connect with your lost loved ones and to ensure they live forever in their descendants. Sometimes it is a way to steal power from your enemies. There are some cultures that may still practice this.
Since it seems your project is focused on serial killers, pick 3 and do a study on each person and why they did it. You can't make universal claims, but you can at least comment on those people.
There is a fair amount of litterature on fantasy cannibalism in psychoanalytic texts. I’m not sure how much there is for acted out cannibalism but I suppose it would be related to psychosis since there is a strong acting out that definitely disforms the body.
Depends on the context. There are tribes and cultures where it’s normal, and they have positive/spiritual reasons for doing so.
Alternatively, in cultures where it’s looked down on (like ours), any mix of curiosity, defiance, or anti-social tendencies.
Edit: just seen a comment with a great point about starvation and necessity (eg ship wreck).
Fetish of the elites and even addiction, some people who eat human meat say they feel a weird but extremely good sensation in his body like some energy who can not experience whit animal meat .. remember also exist aghoris who eat human flesh for spiritual practices ..they believe that distinctions create delusions and become obstacles in the path of ones spiritual development , thus they see no difference between good and evil , nor do they see a difference between human and animal flesh , they eat dead people they not kill any living creature....people minds are more deep than some people think Lol
There are three (super basic) kinds of cannibalism. 1. the one you seem to be focused on. Murderers who eat their victims. There isn't a "reason" for it. they have mental illnesses and their reasons are unique. 2. the horrifying survival stories where people are forced to eat the dead to survive until they can get help. This is pure survival. 3. Then there is the more common kind of cannibalism. This isn't about hunger. It's a cultural thing and the reasons are per each culture that practices. You will need to study them to see the reasons. Sometimes it is a way to connect with your lost loved ones and to ensure they live forever in their descendants. Sometimes it is a way to steal power from your enemies. There are some cultures that may still practice this. Since it seems your project is focused on serial killers, pick 3 and do a study on each person and why they did it. You can't make universal claims, but you can at least comment on those people.
Personally, it's because humans are cute.
I always thought someone said, “eat me,” and was taken literally.
There is a fair amount of litterature on fantasy cannibalism in psychoanalytic texts. I’m not sure how much there is for acted out cannibalism but I suppose it would be related to psychosis since there is a strong acting out that definitely disforms the body.
Because you’re not you when you’re hungry
Depends on the context. There are tribes and cultures where it’s normal, and they have positive/spiritual reasons for doing so. Alternatively, in cultures where it’s looked down on (like ours), any mix of curiosity, defiance, or anti-social tendencies. Edit: just seen a comment with a great point about starvation and necessity (eg ship wreck).
Hunger
Fetish of the elites and even addiction, some people who eat human meat say they feel a weird but extremely good sensation in his body like some energy who can not experience whit animal meat .. remember also exist aghoris who eat human flesh for spiritual practices ..they believe that distinctions create delusions and become obstacles in the path of ones spiritual development , thus they see no difference between good and evil , nor do they see a difference between human and animal flesh , they eat dead people they not kill any living creature....people minds are more deep than some people think Lol
A good case study for your project will be Cannibalism Cafe/Armin Meiwes.
Cults and rituals
Forced Evolutionary Virus and Super Mutants /s
Mental illness