Psychologists note that human curiosity is naturally drawn to boundaries. In fiction, exploring a taboo allows audiences to experience high-stakes emotional tension from a safe, theoretical distance.

The central element driving the popularity of these storylines is their profound nature. In virtually all human cultures, an incest taboo is a foundational social rule, with parent-child incest being “almost universally taboo”. The overwhelming prohibition against such relationships is what makes them so compelling for a specific audience.