Kirsten Dobson English 2010 Shelton April 5, 2014 Infamous Introduction “We serial killers are your sons, we are your husbands, we are everywhere. And there will be more of your children dead tomorrow.” These were the terrifying words of one of America’s most infamous serial killers, Ted Bundy, after he confessed to coldly slaughtering thirty women. Every year Hollywood writers go after serial killers like Bundy for their gruesome and bewildering stories; in turn, these writers have created a serial killer stereotype. They cover their faces with masks and stalk their prey in the cover of night’s darkness. They are unknown outsiders, and sometimes even invincible. These faceless murderers horrify masses of people around America. But who are the real killers, the individuals walking around freely in the sunlight without a disguise? Born Bad? Are serial killers a result of nature or a casualty of upbringing? Many psychologists and criminal analysts have delved into answering this question; unfortunately, there is not a clear answer on the exact origin. On the other hand, many specialists have various theories that could contribute to the creation of these individuals. These theories include biological, psychological, social, and environmental factors. Though there are many ideas on the cause, on thing is clear: most individuals do not lose their grasp on reality without warning and become a brutal serial killer overnight (Simons 351). These individuals are complex and mysterious to many. Through a combination of various factors, serial killers are created; they are not simply born with a hunger to kill. Mask of Insanity In Alfred Hitchcock’s famous “slasher” movie, Psycho, the audience is introduced to Norman Bates. Like many ot... ... middle of paper ... ...s to seem average. They smoothly blend into society. A majority of these individuals are linked through commonalities of their childhood as well as their personality traits and behaviors. The serial murderer’s personality is an intricate recipe of biological, environmental and social circumstances. Though early abuse can cause feelings of aggression and delinquency, childhood experiences alone cannot be to blame. Many people are abused early on as children, and never become killers. Similarly, biological issues, such as brain abnormalities, as we as certain personality disorders would not individually create a murderer. Rather, a distinctive combination of psychological issues, impairments in the brain, and personality disorders help mold a brutal serial killer. Killers cannot be simply born into this world, but under the right circumstances, they will be created.
Nature versus nurture has been argued in attempt to understand how criminals behave. The theory of what influences psychopath and serial killers’ violent and destructive pathways has not been agreed on till this day. Criminals such as psychopaths and serial killers have been researched for the past two decades. Scientists have found that genetics is a determining factor of who becomes a serial killer. It is important to understand the determinants involved within a serial killer, because if these social and environmental causes are discovered, they can be altered and controlled to reduce crime (Lykken, 1993). With more studies, we would therefore prevent mass murders and could assist in significant reductions of crime within society.
In a Google search of “serial killer memorabilia”, approximately 135,000 results would appear. While the U.S. produces over eighty-five percent of the world’s serial killers (“Why do Americans Idolize Serial Killers?” 11), Americans still tend to treat these murderers as icons and celebrities. As defined by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, a serial killer is expressed as the unlawful killing of two or more victims by the same offender(s), in separate events. While it is no secret that serial killers have a different mindset than that of a normal person, do these murderers have genetically different minds? Although there is no exact answer as to what causes certain people to have the urge to kill, studies from the “Minnesota Study of Twins
Most homicides are committed due to “disputes that range from family affairs, gang violence, financial difficulties, and disputes between lovers and between friends.” A regular murderer has a “vendetta” or a “specific personal thing against his victim,” while serial killers are driven by a passion for killing. The FBI defines a serial killer using several characteristics: a minimum of three to four victims with “cooling off” periods in between kills, the victim is usually a vulnerable stranger and may have symbolic meaning to the killer, murders exhibit a need to sadistically control the victim, and the kill is motivated by a psychological, not material, desire (Serial Killers: Nature vs. Nurture). The term psychopath is often used as a synonym for the term serial killer. However, to clarify, psychopathy is a personality disorder in which a person uses charisma, manipulation, intimidation, and sometimes violence to control others and get what they want. In reality, all psychopaths do not become serial killers. Instead, serial killers often have characteristics consistent with psychopathy (United
A person does not need to have acquired a doctorate in psychology to determine that there is something horrifically different about serial killers. Quotes from killers show this drastic difference, such as Ted Bundy who said, “What’s one less person on the face of the earth anyway?” (Scott 2). Or Charles Manson who, with seven simple words, disgusted and oppositely inspired millions by saying, “Death is the greatest form of love” (“Charles Manson”). It is inside these people where it is easy to be determined just how unstable the very fabrics of their genetic and brain codes are; many things can be genetically transmitted from parent to offspring through heredity; therefore, so can the biological urge to become a killer.
In psychology, everyone is different. While some things can be similar in people, there will always be differences. These psychological differences can differ in many aspects including social psychology: how an individual acts in social situations, personality psychology: where an individual’s personality determines how they act and perceive things, and developmental psychology: where and how a person develops psychologically. These differences are what makes us unique and special in our own ways, but it also can have a dark effect on us and in our society. These individuals who suffer from darker psychological differences can affect our society in horrific ways. Serial killers are a group of people among this type of dark psychology that makes
Serial killers are the byproduct of many different things: trauma, death of loved ones, abuse, neglect, adoption, and even witnessing abuse (Are Serial). Serial killers have had to endure a massive amount of something such as trauma or abuse to an unimaginable extent to become what they are; the extent of the abuse, the trauma, the psychological damage they endure is incomprehensible to many. The destruction of one’s innocence can occur at any given time in his or her life, but he or she is more impressionable in his or her youth by the negativism of someone else’s actions (Scott, Shirley L. What Makes Serial Killers Tick ~ Childhood Event). People are susceptible to what they endure in their adolescence, and cruel upbringings, such as that of a serial killer’s, are possibly the determinant of their future.
Surely there must be something wrong with someone who is extremely violent, or hurts individuals in ways our society will not allow. There are few things more repellent to 'human nature' and morality than the concept of a serial killer. What is different about the brains of these individuals whom our society finds unforgivable and unredeemable predators? Society might find a biological reason for such atrocities more comfortable than the prospects of 'good and evil' or a mistake. This paper will catalogue and attempt to organize the current biological differences between our minds and that of a serial killer.
Nurture. Are serial killers born or created? n.d., para.1). One main psychiatric illness is the inactivity of the orbital cortex in the frontal lobe that holds the capacity to stop the urges to be violent to someone (IBID). The frontal lobe is where the responsibility of the behaviour of the person is located in (Rutigliano, n.d., para. 3). It is responsible for the behaviour of violence, self-control, planning, judgment, social needs, and many other social needs of a human (IBID). The orbital cortex inactivity is common in almost all serial killers (The Brain of a Serial Killer, n.d., para 4&5). This explains why serial killers tend to make bad decisions when it comes to violence
Majority of serial killers grew up in an abusive household. Growing up in an abusive home life can majorly affect a person’s developing personality, and morals. When a child is brought into a world where they are abused, or mistreated, that will influence their decisions later in life. If they are only treated poorly by the ones who are supposed to nurture and care for them, how are they supposed to know that it is not okay to do those things to others? Serial killers are known for growing out of disturbed or abusive childhoods. They either seek repeat or avenge all the wrongs done to them, and usually target those who harmed them. (Kureshi 2). The author of this article discusses how serial killers grow out of unhealthy childhoods. When they have mistreated their entire life, they want to get their revenge on whoever hurt them. Children depend solely on their parents. They are the ones who brought them into this world, everything they do will affect their child. The relationship between the two is very fragile and is easy to manipulate. Each parent must be ready to realize both the physical, and psychological repercussions of their behavior onto their children, or anyone dependent on them. (Kureshi 3). Parents almost complete control over a child’s development. Their decisions, their actions, their words will all have some sort
Prevalent social conditions has caused a lot of psychological defects within the serial killers while they were young. Most came from broken homes although there was a small percentage of those who grew up in a “normal” environment, “normal” such as having a father
Serial killers are an interesting group, not that I want to become a serial killer. I chose this topic because it reveals a side of life that not many people my age choose to think about. By explaining the lives of these killers in detail, I hope to diminish the power of stereotypes and reveal how the most dangerous killers are clever, organized, and careful in their execution.
Many serial killers claim that their insanity, or urge to kill is because of their past as children. They start after their first killing, it soon can turns into satisfaction. If psychopathy is genetically determined one should expect some abnormalities in the brain (Lassieur 67). The majority of cases of psychopathic criminals is not abruptly acquired then, there is a good reason to think that it is embedded in their minds (Martingale 45). Murderers have been known to have a very disturbing past, perhaps that is why they seek revenge in their victims. Serial killers kill because their mentality and upbringing in childhood.
Media coverage of Ted Bundy’s escape from prison and first arrest allowed for him to be caught (Murderpedia)]. However, the media should know its boundaries when it comes to where they can report and where they can not. More often times than not, the media interferes with actual police investigations and make it more difficult to either catch the perpetrator or to go through the process of arresting them. In regards to serial killers and serial killer cases, it is common for the media to directly distract law enforcement so that they are unable to do their work properly. Media coverage of serial killers may instead, be motivation for them to commit their crimes in the first place- as they wish to be recognized. In addition, the fact that so many people will be exposed to this information allows for individuals to try and do drastic things such as emulating the crime, or being influenced to commit their own. The media may be motivation for serial killers to commit their crimes, and can act to be a disturbance during serial killer cases. Reporting of such cases can also influence audience members so that they may also be “inspire” to either commit copycat crimes or create work that embodies the act. This creation of a serial killer culture stems from the media reporting of serial killers in a way that may create sympathy or pity. By giving them exposure to the rest of
A serial killer is defined as someone who has murdered three or more people over the period of three months; however, does not include mass murder or killing spree (Holmes 2010, pg. 39). 90% of all serial killers are male as are 80% of their victims (Christakis 2012, TIME), which leaves the question of why do men take part in such heinous acts of violence over women. There are many theories that some serial killers are predetermined at birth to be violent offenders, while others may suffer traumatic injury resulting in brain damage, which takes away many inhibitions. Often offenders claim an abusive and neglectful childhood made them the way they are, which brings up the argument of nature vs. nurture; however, one fact remains the same, the
“We serial killers are your sons, we are your husbands, we are everywhere. And there will be more of your children dead tomorrow.” These were the terrifying words of one of America’s most infamous serial killers, Ted Bundy, after he confessed to coldly slaughtering thirty women. Every year Hollywood writers go after serial killers like Bundy for their gruesome stories; in turn, these writers have created a stereotype. They cover their faces with masks and stalk their prey in the cover of night’s darkness; they are unknown outsiders, and sometimes even invincible. These faceless murderers horrify masses of people around America. But who are the real killers, the individuals walking around freely in the sunlight without a disguise?