Underlying Causes That Can Create a Serial Killer

Sayrey-Sothea El

University of Houston

Dr. Bravo

Abstract

Serial killing is, by definition, a type of crime that is perpetrated over a period of time and with multiple victims. This study wants to explore the many causes that may cause someone to kill others in such an extreme manner. The study will explore many of the theories proposed by those who have studied serial killers, looking for links between the factors that lead people towards this type of behavior. These causes will be looked at through the lens of Brenner’s theory of contingent learning as proposed by his work on sociopathy. This theory focuses on how some people are drawn to certain behaviors, such as serial killing, due to the reinforcement they get from doing these behaviors. The idea that some people kill simply because they enjoy it or because it is ingrained in them is unacceptable and must be addressed if we are ever to stop this cruel and unusual crime. Abuse can result in depression and a child’s self-esteem may be damaged, making him more likely to consider suicide. Abuse may also cause children to feel anger and rage later in life.

Underlying Causes That Can Create a Serial Killer

The history serial killing is a long and ever-evolving story, as many argue that there are as many different forms of serial killers as there are types of serial killers. Many argue that serial killers have the same underlying causes yet different methods, although this is not always true. Serial killing is the conscious act of killing three or more victims, within a relatively short period of time. In recent history, serial killings have become increasingly common and challenging to police. That is because there is no one defining motive for serial killers nor are they always convicted for their crimes.

This article looks at some of the underlying causes that lead to becoming a serial killer. These include both psychological and environmental factors in order to better understand how these individuals might develop into one of society’s most notorious criminals. In the past, serial killers were often derided as sociopaths. The main research design in this research study will be a qualitative research design. Serial killers are made, not born. They are created out of the interaction between their heredity and environment.

The significance of looking into the Underlying Causes That Can Create a Serial Killer is that by doing so, we are able to not only better understand how these killers are able to come to be but also, we can prevent such tragedies from happening in the future. One of the primary causes that is often cited as a factor in the development of a serial killer is mental illness, which therefore one may assume would lead to some type of strategy for prevention. It’s important to see what can help prevent them from reoccurring and how they might be able to be prevented. This article will discuss four possible underlying causes for Serial Killers: Sexual Abuse, Biological Causes, Mental Illness & Financial Abuse.

Literature Review

Serial killing or serial murder involves the murder of more than one person, usually with a “cooling off” period between the murders. These crimes usually have no apparent motive and involve strangers who are murdered over extended periods of time. The U.S. has a higher percentage of serial killers than any other country in the world, with nearly 25% of all serial killings worldwide taking place in America (Pace, 2019).

Based on FBI investigations, many serial killers suffer from a combination of personality disorders which are often inconspicuous. The three major categories of personality disorders include Paranoid, Schizoid, and Psychopathic. Many psychologists believe that serial killers fall into the last category. Psychopathy is a mental disorder in which a person has an antisocial, sadistic or psychopathic disposition with poor impulse control. A person who suffers from a form of psychopathy may display superficial charm and intelligence while hiding deep-rooted problems with their behavior and emotions. According to the FBI Behavioural Science Unit, serial killers have an innate ability to manipulate others, give them someone to talk to, and trust them with sensitive information.

Serial killing is one of the most complex and challenging forms of crime to investigate as there is rarely any forensic evidence left behind in cases that do not involve sexual assault or armed robbery; police rely heavily on knowledge about typical patterns to link cases together and identify likely suspects for questioning.

The standard theory is that serial killers share a long term obsession with violence, however few cases of serial homicide have been directly named as such, some of which include: John Reginald Halliday Christie (killed at least 12 people); Charlie Lyke (39 victims); Henry Lee Lucas and Ottis Toole (17 victims); Aileen Wuornos (7 victims) (Deepak & Ramdoss, 2021). Theories about the “Mackenzie painting” are based on the observation that all five of the known cases of serial homicide involve small town American males that were around 20-30 years old.

In the United States, there has been a slight increase in the number of serial killers since the mid-1990s. The increased publicity and media coverage of these cases may be responsible for this increase. Additionally, in areas that have experienced serial killings, such as the so-called ‘killing fields’ along Route 40 near Green River, Utah and Nevada, it has also become more likely that there will be a killer or killers available to police before any bodies are found.

The first notable US serial killer is usually considered to be H.H. Holmes, who killed 11 people over 18 months between 1896 and 1897 in Chicago. Holmes is also believed to have had a hand in the highly publicized murder of his own wife, who disappeared from the home the couple shared. Holmes was never tried for his crimes due to a hung jury, and later escaped from jail. He was eventually captured, confessed to his crimes and was hanged in Philadelphia on May 7, 1896.

The United States has produced many notable serial killers, including Richard Trenton Chase (“The Vampire of Sacramento”), David Berkowitz (“Son of Sam”), Patrick Kearney Mitchell (“The Milwaukee Monster”), Ted Bundy and Aileen Wuornos. Some killers have become infamous because of the gruesome circumstances of their crimes, the total number of victims, or the length of time during which they eluded capture. Others, such as those who have committed mass killings or those whose crimes have earned them a place in popular culture, are noted for their fame. Some serial killers have even been researched and written about to such an extent that they have become synonymous with murder itself. Theodore Robert Bundy is one example. He was a serial killer who was active in several states throughout the 1970s and confessed to killing thirty women. He once said that he could “go out and kill anybody between one day and six months from now.

One of the best-known cases involving a string of serial murders was that of Ed Gein. Gein was convicted and executed in 1957 for the murder of a total of two women and a teenage girl. He was known to have been obsessed with the concept of body parts, particularly skulls and femurs, which he would retain from his victims. Another local man, Driver Ed Kearney (a pharmacist) confessed to Gein that he had killed two women and an illegitimate son for insurance money, but later recanted the confession. Another man also confessed to killing several people in a similar way but later recanted as well.

Also of note is Ottis Toole who murdered five females in Florida between 1974-1976. Toole was a drifter who worked for victims and stole their money, jewelry, and personal effects. He kept the skull, skins, bones and hands of all five women. He was arrested in 1977 after police traced a stolen money order from one of his victims to his mother’s home in Fort Myers (Toates & Coschug-Toates, 2022)

Many serial killers move from area to area to find new victims. Some are quite organized in their efforts to find new victims or avoid being caught by the law. Some killers perform violent acts to attract their victims, while others choose a method of killing that is less personal. Most serial killers are male but women are also known to be serial killers and some have been sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole. We know what causes a person to become a serial killer but how many of these individuals will commit serious violence and murder? It’s estimated that there are around 400-500 active serial killers in the United States alone and they kill approximately 3000 people every year (Call, 2019). This number is based on the FBI definition which is any person who has killed three or more people within a year or killed one victim up to four times during the same time frame.

Method

Participants

The main participants in this research were FBI personnel, police officers, psychologists and psychiatrists, convicted serial killers, and crime scene analysts. The research was largely based on a quantitative analysis of more than 400 serial killers who were active in the United States between 1800-2000. In addition, the FBI interviewed various incarcerated serial murderers in order to better understand what their motivations are and why they kill. The researchers sought to understand how these factors could be applied to unsolved cases that would have an impact on public safety. One such case involved Gary Ridgeway, also known as “The Green River Killer”, who was responsible for 49 killings throughout Washington state over a 20-year period. The primary research was conducted in Memphis, Tennessee as well as surrounding cities. There are numerous different theories on what could have been the motive behind the murders of so many boys at this time. One theory is that they were being killed to fulfill an order from a Satanic cult, similar to how girls were being sacrificed for the cult’s rituals in other cases. Another suggestion is that they were chosen from local hospitals because they don’t elicit any suspicion, unlike children who are often brought in for care or surgery.”

Design

The main research design in this research study was a qualitative research design. A qualitative research is a type of inquiry that seeks to provide in-depth understanding of the “whys” and “hows” behind something. It attempts to answer questions about why people do what they do or how a process works by examining the thoughts and words of subjects, rather than relying on statistical findings, surveys or experiments. Qualitative researchers are interested in figuring out what people’s lives are like, not developing generalizations, theories or predictions about them.

Through a Qualitative Research design, studying the motivations behind serial killing is accomplished through interviewing those engaged in the process of the killing. This type of study differs from other types, like quantitative research design in that it does not include all stages of a serial killing process but instead focuses on only one aspect: motivation. A qualitative study is important for this kind of research because interviewing people who are involved with or at least aware of what happens during a serial killing process can be beneficial in understanding different perspectives and motivations behind this type of crime.

A qualitative design also differs from another form, a mixed methods design, which combines data gathered through quantitative and qualitative research designs to produce information about the topic investigated as well as strengths and weakness that these two forms have to offer. Quantitative research design was also used to investigate the case of serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer (Cassady, 2015). The main purpose of this design was to look at the criminal conduct of Jeffrey Dahmer. This was accomplished using a quantitative design, being an analysis of the information provided by interviews and criminal records that indicated that he killed 17 young men between 1978 and 1991 (Cassady, 2015). Quantitative designs involve collecting data through statistical sampling or surveys that provide useful information to researchers without leaving much room for interpretation. A qualitative design, on the other hand, ensures that all important aspects are properly described in medical terms, with each being regarded as equally important from a medical point of view.

Procedure

The research procedure in this psychological research, is to develop the understanding of an issue that is related with serial killing. The research will be done by collecting and analysing information on serial killers’ background, behaviour, their own opinion on their actions and the reasons they do it. The procedure for collecting data involved in this research project is qualitative.

The research will be based on interviewing of two serial killers and their criminal background, behaviour and their opinion on the reason they committed these crimes. The data will be collected by using questionnaire, interview, observation and inspection. The interview conducted with the two serial killer involved in this research project is the focus of this paper because it will help to understand their criminal background, behaviour and opinions about why they commit these crimes. This paper used several sources for this paper such as newspaper articles, internet websites.

The participants in this research study were selected from the serial killer profiles on Caucasian living in Northeastern United States. The task was to conduct the study and to provide input about how the process of their crimes are defined, who they targeted, and how they carried these crimes out. In order to complete this project, each participant had to fill out a questionnaire that provided more information about them or their clients or criminals they have investigated as well as their background. Information from this research paper can be found in how serial killers select and target their victims, what type of victims attract serial killers, and how these people kill them using weapons or by strangulation or suffocation with objects such as bags or hands. There is also discussion on the different methods that are used in selecting potential victims.

Measures

Research measures involved survey questions and research questions. Researchers would ask convicted serial killers, FBI personnel, police officers, psychologists and psychiatrists, and crime scene analysts to complete surveys so they could access the thoughts of these murderers. The research involved studying the criminals’ life history, family background and childhood experiences, crime details and criminal behaviour, incarceration experiences and feelings about being a criminal. It also studied their views on victim selection, murder methods used and post-crime behaviours. We will have a close look at what can create a serial killer including their behaviors towards people who are not in their own group or of the same race as them. We will see how this is demonstrated through things like segregation from society due to mental illness or other factors that can contribute to someone’s view on the outside world based off of those that are different from them.

To enhance the validity and reliability of the standardized questionnaires, the interviewers ask the same questions from different killers to see if there are any discrepancies. For example, if a question asked is whether or not the killer feels remorse for what he/she has done and then another killer is asked the same question, it was found that all of them did not really regret their actions. In fact, when killers were asked about specifics in details about their crimes, researchers found that all of them do have a complete memory of their crimes. When serial killers are being interviewed during research and they are asked to describe their feelings as they committed their crime, they will describe feeling better after committing a murder.

The Hawley Stress Test

The Hawley Stress Test involves putting a person under extreme levels of stress to see how they react. That’s pretty much the only time, aside from an actual serial killer, when someone will experience this type of high-stress situation. It is named after Dr. Henry Hawley who developed it originally in the 1960s as an experimental test for patients, but was also used by law enforcement to catch serial killers because it can identify people with antisocial personality disorder or other features associated with psychopathy and narcissism who may not reveal their true nature during more routine psychological interviews.

The test consists of a number of simple questions, but with very unusual answers. For example, when you meet someone for the first time, you shake their hand. In this test, you would refuse to shake it. Any question involving basic human kindness or common courtesies is done in a way that is as unusual and socially inappropriate as possible. You don’t ask them if they’re married, you ask them if they have any friends. It’s meant to confuse, throw them off guard, and reveal what they really think and feel deep down instead of just giving the normal surface answer most people would give outside a laboratory testing environment.

Stress self-report

I experienced some stress through this psychological research on serial killing and found it really interesting. The study focused on stress and its effects on people, including those who commit horrible crimes for example. I studied through a lot of material around the topic to find some correlations with the different circumstances that might make someone a serial killer. For instance, if their dopamine is out of balance they are more likely to go into rage or anger when they are frustrated which then leads them to develop destructive tendencies. This is something that we need to know about as there are many lessons we can learn from this research in order to treat people with these conditions effectively, because it has been shown that psychopaths can be treated if the right treatment is taken at an early age before they have committed any crimes.

In addition, this psychological research study looked at the correlation between stress and serial killing. They found that people who experience higher levels of stress were more likely to commit serial killings. This is a good article because it gives you a lot of information about this specific topic, as well as some other articles on related topics.

Discussion

The main causes of serial killing are biological, social and psychological. Biological factors that cause serial killers include genetics, fetal alcohol syndrome, an injury to the frontal lobe or temporal lobe (which causes a lack of social or emotional empathy), and neurotransmitter imbalances. Social factors that contribute to serial killing are bullying and an over-emphasis on masculinity. Psychological causes of serial killers include narcissism and borderline personality disorder (Malizia, 2017).

Serial killers are made, not born. They are created out of the interaction between their heredity and environment. Genetic factors create an opening for serial killers to emerge. To illustrate, in lab cases, certain strains of rats were bred to be extremely violent. When placed in a cage with other rats, these violent strains would attack viciously and even eat the other rats.

On the other hand, some strains of rats were bred to be non-aggressive and did not hurt even when placed in a cage with extremely violent strains of rat. The process here is that if a genetic predisposition is there, then external influences such as family and peers can activate it. In humans, studies show that adopted children who were abused as children are far more likely to be submissive and passive. On the other hand, adopted children who were raised in healthy families are less likely to become abusers as adults. This shows that even if a person has an inclination toward violence (genetic predisposition), he or she can still be shaped by society into being a non-violent individual (incapable of becoming a serial killer). The influence of genetics is undeniable. In a multiple murder case in California, the murderer was convicted because of DNA testing and stated that he had been thinking about his crimes for decades but never acted on them until he turned fifty (Malizia, 2017).

In the past, serial killers were often derided as sociopaths. However, research has shown that the majority (approximately 70 percent) of those who have murdered multiple times had a normal childhood and only slowly descended into a life of bloodshed (Malizia, 2017). The number of psychopaths who have murdered only one person is unknown.

While not all serial killers are mentally ill, some psychiatric diagnoses have been given to at least some serial killer offenders. A diagnosis of antisocial personality disorder has been asserted by several psychiatrists to apply to at least one serial killer (Ted Bundy). Borderline personality disorder has been asserted by some psychiatrists to apply to at least one serial killer (Andrei Chikatilo). Narcissism has been alleged to apply to at least one serial killer (John Wayne Gacy). Two murderers who were diagnosed as paranoid schizophrenics were hospitalized. However, this may have been due to their characteristic erratic behavior and delusional mental state rather than a symptom of their illness.

Although there is no consensus as to whether or not childhood trauma increases the likelihood of murder, it is widely believed that that childhood abuse can increase aggression, violence and aggression in general. Child abuse can cause a child’s self-esteem to plummet, making him more vulnerable to being mistreated (Booth, 2021). Abuse can result in depression and a child’s self-esteem may be damaged, making him more likely to consider suicide. Abuse may also cause children to feel anger and rage later in life. A child who is abused may learn that violence is an effective way to solve problems. Physical abuse by parents or other caregivers is considered the most common type of childhood abuse, but sexual and emotional abuse are also common perpetrators of childhood abuse (Booth, 2021).

Childhood trauma usually begins before the age of three and can include physical abuse, sexual or emotional neglect, or witnessing domestic violence and domestic partner homicide. The trauma is most often caused by high levels of family chaos with frequent changes in caregiver roles or being born into a single parent family. Childhood sexual and physical abuse is estimated to be roughly equal in prevalence at a rate of about 10% of children (Smith, 2018).

In the United States, one in six girls and one in nine boys are sexually abused before the age of 18. The frequency of childhood sexual abuse varies significantly across different ethnic groups according to race/ethnicity. The highest rates are among Native American (42%), Hispanic (28%) and African American (15%) children compared to European American (9%), Asian American (5%) and Pacific Islander (1%) children (Smith, 2018).

References

Call, C. (2019). Serial entertainment: A content analysis of 35 years of serial murder in film. Homicide studies, 23(4), 362-380.

Toates, F., & Coschug-Toates, O. (2022). Understanding Sexual Serial Killing. Cambridge University Press.

Deepak, S. A., & Ramdoss, S. (2021). The life-course theory of serial killing: A motivation model. International journal of offender therapy and comparative criminology, 65(13-14), 1446-1472.

Pace, A. N. (2019). Serial killers in popular media: A content analysis of sensationalism and support for capital punishment.

Malizia, N. (2017). Serial killer: The mechanism from imagination to the murder phases. Sociology Mind, 7(02), 44.

Cassady, M. S. (2015). What Makes a Woman Become a Serial Killer? (Doctoral dissertation, College of Arts and Sciences May 2017 Morgan S. Cassady BA, Valdosta State University).

Smith, J. (2018). Application of Investigative Psychology to Psychodynamic and Human Development Theories: Examining Traits and Typologies of Serial Killers (Doctoral dissertation, California Baptist University).

Booth, H. E. (2021). A Criminological Analysis of Notorious Serial Killers in the United States.