The Psychology of a Serial Killer

There has been a plethora of serial killers in the history of earth but have you ever wondered what a serial killer thinks? Well if so, this is the article for you!

So what are some traits that tend to appear in serial killers? Some traits they may have are sensation seeking, a lack of remorse or guilt, impulsivity, the need for control and predatory behavior, glibness, superficial charm, a grandiose sense of self worth and pathological lying. They also find it hard to accept responsibility. 

Certain brain abnormalities and mental disorders may be psychopathy, while some experience psychotic symptoms, some also have reduction in the size and activity of the prefrontal context. Many also have fantasy lives. Common mental disorders are antisocial personality disorder, schizophrenia and autism spectrum disorder. Personality wise, they tend to be introverted and friendless, have reduced empathy, overconfidence, increased violence, fearlessness and impulsivity.

 Another interesting fact is that many of the victims share common characteristics, such as demographic profile, appearance, gender, or race. Their family ties are also usually strained and unhealthy with one specific family member, which tends to be the mother.

What triggers these violent killers? Specific type of physical victim, victim behavior, lust, unforeseen opportunity, trust from a child or adult, desire to maim, control or take a life away are all possible triggers for serial killers.

Of course we can’t forget about the causes of the development of serial killers! In 1990, Wilson C and Seaman D conducted a study on serial killers named “Serial Killer: The Mechanism from Imagination to the Murder Phases” and found that close to half of the serial killer had experienced some type of abuse, physical or sexual, during their childhood. Other factors may be socio-cultural environments and mental health conditions.

And this concludes my article, thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed and learned something!