Psychology Of A Serial Killer Essay

Though serial killer may have a fairly specific definition, there is no single precise profile for the serial killer. Each has a unique identity, set of motives and methods, and a unique psychopathology that would attempt to explain the mens rea, that is, the purpose or intent of the murder. “Psychological profiling is an investigative tool used strictly to answer the how of the crime, not the why” (Severence et al, 1992; Lanier and Henry, 1998). By examining the psychological make-up of the serial killer, it is often possible to explain the behavior, which might make it a useful tool in solving crimes.

In the article The Serial Killer Phenomenon Richard Whittington-Egan aims to explain what exactly a serial killer is and how they differ from a mass murderer. Whittington-Egan breaks down and showcases the defining characteristics of a serial kill with the help of numerous cases of evidence to confirm the accuracy of each statement. The article concludes with examining the future of this phenomenon, what has been done, and most importantly how difficult it will be to solve such an unpredictable behavior.

Imagine a world where there were no serial killers and the countless lives that could be saved. We should know why these serial killers commit such heinous acts of violence. This knowledge would help to better understand serial killers and bring the mortality rate down. It has been established through research and experiments that one’s social environment and upbringing affects their criminal behavior. Coyne states, “environmental variables work together to cause problem behavior.” (34) Interpreting that these killers usually have something happen in their life, usually when they are younger, and experiencing negative effects of nurture. Some of these

We all have the deep desire to kill, however, some people can hide or suppress this feeling more than others. This is what seeker science tries to unravel. While it’s not a single person to write this, its a team of experienced writers, teachers, and analysts. In the begging of the article, it is stated that “ Serial murderers are distorted reflections of society's own values, according to new research.” (Serial Killers Shaped by Society, Study Claims 2009).

How do the minds of serial killers function? What drives them to commit such violent and horrific crimes? For some serial killers their motive is based on either emotional or physical trauma they experienced throughout their lives. Although for one of America’s most infamous killers of the twentieth century, Jeffrey Dahmer both the physical and emotional traumas he experienced are what drove him to commit some of the most gruesome crimes America has ever seen.

Throughout “Serial Killers: The Method and Madness of Monsters”, Peter Vronsky explores and identifies the many factors that go into the making of a serial killer. With his audience, he brings them through psychological, historical, and cultural research findings concerning serial killers along with investigating the minds of the serial killers leading him to understand why they commit gruesome crimes. Together, the research and observations led him to believe that serial killers are not born serial killers but become them due to them adapting to their social, psychological, and environmental traumas. Starting from the beginning, Vronsky continuously compares and contrasts patterns that are found within serial killers from birth to death. For example, the comparison of Ted Bundy and Jerry Brudos, who both were children with a confusing family dynamic and

Thesis: Psychopathy creates serial killers which can be caused by both biological and environmental factors that are out of the killer’s control. TS: Many people argue that psychopathy causes people to become serial killers and that it is brought on by a multitude of factors such as physical and psychological abuse from early childhood. SP: Peter Vronsky, author of Female Serial Killers: How and Why Women Become Monsters, provides statistics supporting that many serial killers have been abused or witnessed abuse in their lifetimes, stating, EV1: “Many male serial killers had truly traumatic childhoods: 42 percent reported physical abuse, 74 percent psychological abuse, while 35 percent reported witnessing sexual violence as children, and 43 percent reported being sexually abused themselves” (Vronsky 45).

Unfortunately, it’s not unusual in this day and time to turn on the news and hear a warning about a new serial killer roaming our streets. It’s horrifying and hard to understand what could possibly make a person commit such heinous crimes. What is wrong with this person that drives him or her to commit such an act? The truth is that people have searched for the answer to that question for eons. Unfortunately, there doesn’t seem to be many definitive answers to those questions.

The question of whether or not man is predetermined at birth to lead a life of crime is a question that has been debated for decades. Are serial killers born with the lust for murder, or are their desires developed through years of abuse and torment? Many believe it is impossible for an innocent child to be born with the capability to commit a horrible act such as murder. But at the same time, how could we have corrupted society so much as to turn an innocent child into a homicidal maniac? Forensic psychologists have picked apart the minds of serial killers to find an answer as to what forces them to commit such perverse acts. Their ultimate goal is to learn how to catch a serial killer before

There are many theories as to why people become serial killers. Almost all of these concepts are associated with the Nature vs. Nurture theory. Are serial killers born with the need to kill, or is it something that they learn to long for as they grew up? Many believe that the nurture theory is the likely concept to believe; that serial killers are created from bad childhood experiences including being abused by their parents, or molested at an early age. Psychologist and sociologist have interviewed serial killers and picked apart their minds, to find out what it is that makes them feel the need to perform these heinous crimes. It is the nature theory that they are looking for when

Michael H. Stone in The Anatomy of Evil states that there are several factors that influence a serial killer’s behavior. The factors that may influence behavior are presented in a nature versus nurture model with occasional factors falling into a category of mixed and/or unknown origins (201). The factors that Stone considers to pertain to an individual’s natural environment include mental illness that is coupled with psychosis, schizophrenia, manic-depression, autism, and Aspergers Syndrome. Also included in the list of natural factors are mental illnesses without psychosis such as ADD and ADHD, alcoholism, epilepsy, and an inordinate sexual drive (201). Personality disorders are considered to be inherent to an individual and are therefore considered to be a part of an individual’s natural environment; personality disorders include being antisocial, psychopathic, schizoid, sadistic, paranoid, and/or impulsive-aggressive (201). Stone identifies nurture factors as parental physical/sexual/verbal abuse, parental abandonment and/or neglect, the loss of a parent, absence of a father, separation and/or divorce of the parental unit before the child is 16, and brain disease or damage (201). The factors that Stone considers to be attributed to mixed or unknown origins include paraphilia, juvenile delinquency, substance abuse, alcoholism, conduct disorders that are committed in childhood, animal torture and arson,

What are underling factors that contribute to the psychological profile of men and women serial killers? This paper examines scientific and meta-analysis studies of men and women serial killers in an attempt to identify some of these factors. By investigating psychological theories involving men and women serial killer's mental stability and violence motives, the findings from this paper suggest that more research needs to be done in order to address these societal issues and possibly prevent future violence

Serial murder is one of the most baffling crimes that occur in the U.S. and all over the world. Knight (2006) defines serial murder as the killing of three or more people over a period of more than 30 days, with a significant cooling-off period. The cooling off period may be weeks, months or even years long. Researchers have proposed various psychological, biological and sociological theories that offer a partial understanding of the nature of serial murder. Some propose that the basis for criminal behavior is a predisposition to violence as well as a mix between environment, personality traits and biological factors. Serial killers are predominantly male. Only 3 percent of serial murders are committed by women (U.S. News and World Report,

The question of what made a normal person into a serial killer is a debatable topic for decades in psychology. The author analyses many case studies of a serial killer and came up with the diathesis-stress model. He said the combination of biological and environmental is the essential part of what made of the serial killer. Most serial killers are average people, doesn’t stand out, that is why they were able to get away with their kill for so long. They often involve themselves in cannibalism, pedophilia, and necrophilia.

“Serial killers are human black holes; they scare us because they mirror us,” spoke Shirley Lynn Scott, known author and psychologist. This stands true throughout history, as most serial killers blend in with society. Serial killing is formally defined by the FBI as “a series of three or more killings, having common characteristics such as to suggest the reasonable possibility that the crimes were committed by the same actor or actors.” But what exactly drives someone to kill another human being? What plays as a more drastic motivator for their actions, nature or nurture?