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Psychological theories for criminal behaviour
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In our society, mostly we are influenced by the fantasy based on serial killers, showed in literature, movies, TV Series etc. Not informing the audience with the depth of the serial killer psychological mysteries hidden behind the character’s actions and which led them to where they are. However, In Real-Life Monsters: A Psychological Examination of the Serial Murderer. The author Stephen J. Giannangelo takes an original approach describing the psychological explanation of these criminals instead of repeating the theoretical explanation of these criminals who committed horrific crimes. This book included the author’s personal observation about serial killers and Psychopathology. In the beginning of the book, the author examines the past psychological, …show more content…
She was the only women serial killer in the book; she killed in total of 7 men. According to the book Wuornos was on of the most famous serial killer, she was a subject of at least 2 movies and countless media coverage. She was a working prostitute in Florida, her method was to robbed them and use the money and belongs to support her lesbian lover because they were going through a hard time economically. In the book it states regarding her psychological factors being the result of the environment she had to be a part of “The foundations of her antisocial behavior were implanted by the family surroundings in which she was reared”. Also she was referred as who “unleashed the female serial killer from the cult of feminine domesticity” (p. 138) and that she “thrived in the very territory where other women feared to go and where so many women were themselves killed, “referring of course to the dark highways where Wuornos turned tricks. She being a Hitchhiker she was the one who attacked man a planed ahead to what to be done the second she got in the men’s car. In my opinion, Wuornos confessed to the killings shortly after being arrested as a result of pressure exerted on her to protect her lover and was eventually executed in 2002. The actions done by her at the time were harmful but in her mind she is seemingly try to protect her household with her lesbian lover. However, this does not …show more content…
He also claimed on changing his own definition couple of time upon his research. However, He has come to a conclusion after his most recent research and opinions. He states his definition of a “Serial Murderer” to be “A “Serial Murderer” is an offender who actually makes repeated physical affirmative steps towards killing other human beings to satisfy a psychological need. Victims will share a commonality, based on the offenders’ sexual interests or control requirements. The pattern of murders or attempted murders will be related to the intended use of these victims and are essential to the psychological motivations.” I not having a great amount of knowledge and research did myself regarding this topic, I’m not qualified enough disagree with his definition and feel likewise. I do believe it is true for serial killers to killing human beings to satisfy a psychological need, by associating another’s pain to as pleasure for
As children, our parents tell us that monsters do not exist. The truth is that they do exist and they live among us, masquerading as one of us. Two examples of these monsters are serial killers Ted Bundy and Jeffrey Dahmer. A serial killer is classified as a person who kills three or more people, in separate events, over a time frame of a month, with “cooling off” periods in between. While Ted Bundy and Jeffrey Dahmer both share a sick twisted mind and a penchant for killing, differences in their upbringing, personality, and preferences drastically set them apart.
La Donna Beaty clearly States in her argument, ?What Makes a Serial Killer?? her opinion and different theories on what causes a human being to become a serial killer. Beaty states that there are many serial killers and victims of them, but she is unsure about what causes a person to become a serial killer. Furthermore, she asked many questions, but there was no definite answer. For example, using examples of serial killers including Jeffery Dahmer and Ted Bundy, but only to draw up more questions. However, she wrote many expert opinions too, using them to her advantage in proving her argument, and giving a statement from a respected author and expert on serial killers named Ann Rule (pg315). Rule states that 3,500 to 5,000 people become victims of serial killers. She also states that 350 serial killers are at large in our society (pg315). Additionally, Beaty also presents an early theory that was completely incorrect. This was about how to identify a serial killer by looks. Beaty then gave her expertise by stating that a serial killer could look like or be anything they choose to become. They are most likely to be males and 92 percents are white (pg316). No doubt, that she appeals to logos by providing evidence about general characteristics of serial killers she quotes that in 1911, an Italian criminologist Cesare Lombrosco concluded that ?murderers as a group [are] biologically degenerate [with] bloodshot eyes, aquiline noses, curly black hair, strong jaws, big ears, thin lips, and menacing grins?.
Serial killers are a type person who commits a series of murders, often with no apparent motive and typically following a characteristic, predictable behavior pattern. Most of the time something triggers them and then they go on their serial rampage. Some things that can be part of a serial killer's profile is they are normally white males, late 20’s early 30’s, kills with in own race, method of murder is hands on, and their victims are selected because they share specific characteristics. The types of serial killers are disorganized asocial and organized nonsocial. The different types of serial killers are: missionary killers, power seeking, lust killing, visionary killer, thrill killing. The profiling of a serial killer's changes upon the
The present paper intent to enquire into a female serial killer. It shall describe and analyze the theories behind the occurrences and sequent offer explanations. The studies of criminology theories it is important to recognize why humans decide on living a life cycle of crime. Wikipedia.org defines serial killer as, “a person who murders three or more people, usually in service of abnormal psychological gratification, with the murders taking place over more than a month and including a significant break (a “cooling off period”) between them.” Precisely of this, humans who tend to be a serial killer are prone to developmental and physical characteristics. Several of these trends could fit into a model standard of a crime. A good example of analyzing the life and crimes of Aileen Wuornos, an American female serial killer who killed
A serial killer is a person who murders three or more people over a period of more than 30 days, with a "cooling off" period between each murder, and whose motivation for killing is largely based on psychological gratification. Most people do not understand what can make a person want to kill multiple people for no reason other than own satisfactional gain. In actuality serial killers have been studied for over hundreds of years, and the information that has been documented continues to grow. The research that I have gathered about serial killers focuses on their childhood development, the differences and similarities between men and female serial kills, and finally general information on how their brains operate and their motives for committing such harmful acts.
Most serial killers are psychopaths. They are really frighteningly irrational people, but people who have no human conscience and no capacity for remorse. They also see other human beings as objects that can be manipulated and exploited and used for their own depraved purposes. It is nearly impossible for them to feel any sort of sympathy. Ed Gein raises the question in my mind, “Are monsters born, or are they created?” In this case study, I am going to explain who’s, what’s, when’s, where’s, why’s, and how’s of Edward Theodore Gein.
A serial killer is a person who has killed three or more people over a month apart. Their motivation for killing is usually based on psychological issue.(Sanmartín,2001) In the U.S, the most reported serial killers are lower middle class white males, usually in their late twenties to early thirties (Skrapec,2001). Serial killers, often, are liars. They have no sense of remorse or guilt. Most of the time they are not in serious relationship or have any emotional obsession to any one person, besides their victims. Most of the well-known serial killers are: Robert Pickton, Charles Manson, Anthony Sowell, Ted Bundy, The Zodiac Killer, The Green River Killer, and The BTK murderer. (Sanmartín,2001). Often, women were never seen as even a suspect
Serial killers commonly attack a single target at a time one on one. There also tends to be no or very little relation between the person being killed and the killer (murder 1). “The nature of this drive has been heavily debated, but there is a consensus on some points (Anderson 1).” Many researchers have noted sexual behavior in the murder.
Typically, when one thinks of serial killers, such images as Son of Sam, John Wayne Gacy, or the Boston Strangler, come to mind. Though these men do indeed fit the description, there are many myths and misconceptions surrounding the definition of serial killer, first and foremost that serial ...
Each of a serial killer’s killings temporary gratifies whatever provokes the killer’s actions, and each subsequent killing terminates a separate sequence of behaviors. They are all motivated to for different reasons; some kill to gain or exert power over the victims, entertainment or mission. Some kill because they believe they have the responsibility to they society to do so (Julietta Leung N.D.) Frequently, homosexuals, prostitutes, and the homeless are viewed by serial killers because they might believe they are devalued in society or they view as being beneath humanity. They believe those kind of p...
Serial killers have many frightening facets. The most frightening thing about them is that experts still do not know what makes a human become a serial killer. Many experts believe serial killers become what they are because they have a genetic disposition or brain abnormality while other experts believe that a serial killer is created by childhood abuse; and some other experts believe that it is a combination of both brain abnormalities and abusive childhood experiences that creates a serial killer. A murderer is considered a serial killer when they “murder three or more persons in at least three separate events with a “cooling off period” between kills” (Mitchell and Aamodt 40). When defining a serial killer, their background, genes, and brain are not mentioned; perhaps one day those aspects of the serial killer can be included.
'Serial murder'; has long been a term used to describe those human beings that repeatedly commit heinous crimes. It is rare that the average person probes the mind of a serial killer without bias. However, what lies behind the eyes of a serial killer deserves more than the cold hard look that society so often gives (Aaronson, Inter...
This paper will analyze the factors that create a serial killer. Beginning with the definition of a serial killer, the reader should expect
Introduction: On the spectrum of criminal activity, serial killers are rather rare. Rarer still is a serial killer like Ted Bundy. Bundy confessed to killing 28 women in the 1970s in ghastly fashion and some believe he may have killed far more. It is hard to imagine what could cause any person to cross the mental boundary into such macabre behavior as Bundy perpetrated. Nevertheless, it is important to try to understand that behavior because only though such an understanding would society be able to identify and deter mass murderers in order to save lives.