Essay Example: Unraveling the Patterns and Motivations of Serial Killers

A person is defined as a serial killer if they kill three or more people in a period spanning over a month. The person kills in such a way that the murders are spread across a significant amount of time. Serial killers are said to do the murders for abnormal psychological gratification. History shows that one of the deadliest and most lethal serial killers was Harold Shipman of Britain, who killed 218 patients (Lubaszka and Shon 68). The married family man was nicknamed “Dr. Death” due to the many deaths that occurred in his hands (Lubaszka and Shon 68). Psychologists and legal experts have attributed the serial killing to different factors, all in an attempt to understand a phenomenon of a person’s brain that gets happiness from killing. Patterns, motivations, traits, and thrills of serial killers rhyme as much as they differ, and scholars have gone into depth to elucidate the differences and similarities.

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Childhood struggles are a typical pattern among serial killers. Serial killers are more likely to have experienced a rough time growing up than they are likely to have been raised in an environment with a good bond and love. Johnson and Becker (338) posited that serial killers would fantasize about their escapades even before strangling their first victim, especially when they are teenagers. Marono et al. (130) opined that a reveling sequence among serial killers is that they endured a rough childhood. As such, they are hardened to the core, and their engagement in murder is not a big deal. In similar sentiments, Mitchell and Michael (2005) traced most serial killers’ behavior to their childhood. Abuse and neglect when growing up recurred among different serial killers. Chiriboga also relates childhood traumas of abuse and torture to the character of serial killers.

Another revealing pattern among serial killers is mental disorders of different kinds. It has been clearly stated in the past, with no uncertain terms, that serial killers have some sort of psychological disorders. Simons (345) insinuated that these people have an antisocial personality disorder (ASPD). People with ASPD tend to break laws, lie, disregard safety, and act impulsively. These non-conformity behaviors trigger the thrill in them, and as such, can easily kill others without feeling guilty about it. The sentiments are supported by Simon (33) in a description of the traits and thrills of serial killers. One such trait is disregard of legal restrictions, and a sense of gratification after committing the crime. According to Simon (33), the trigger for such acts is mental illnesses like multiple personality disorders (MPD). A person suffering from MPD is quite challenging to detect as a serial killer. At one point, they are humble, and on the frontline of saving lives, and in another case, the person is brutal and unforgiving.

The gender of a serial killer has a hand in the way they act and behave, but not entirely. They have their differences, which could be based on gender or their way of executing the murder. Harrison et al. (307) argued that gender plays a role in the execution of any murder. While males are violent and could kill using the crudest of weapons, females prefer softer methods like poisoning to eliminate their targets. Gender patterns are essential in the tracing and prosecution of offenders since it is essential to know their ways. Johnson and Becker (342) evaluates the characteristics of serial killers, and posit that natural-born serial killers are sadistic. Whether female or male, these people are likely to premeditate their actions and execute them with high precision. They grow with a ‘certain configuration’ that is tailored to crime, dominated by anger and a reserved nature – whenever they put that character into practice, it is fatal. It shows the ugly side of their personality in the crudest way possible. Lubaszka and Shon (72) also support the view of differences in offender behavior. Their position is that offender behavior is a derivative of different factors, most importantly, their gender and mental state.

The motivations and patterns of triggers are similar in some cases but differ significantly in others. Leary, Larry, and Michael (796) observed the habits and motivations of serial killers. Some of the revealing patterns of motivation include sensation seeking, a lack of remorse or guilt, impulsivity, the need for control, and predatory behavior. They are not much different from what Simon (33) observed to be the killers’ traits and thrills. Sadism, torture pleasure, and victim degradation do not differ significantly from what Leary, Larry, and Michael (793) observed in their research. On that account, there is a core of traits that define serial killers, even if some are spurred by vengeance or mental problems. Even before they kill people, they show signs of their predatory behavior by senselessly setting things on fire, cruelty towards animals and pets, and acts of arson (Simon 33). Therefore, they give hints about their behavior.

Conclusion

In conclusion, serial killers bear profound similarities and glaring differences among them. There is a wide array of motivations and triggers of their behavior, and it is difficult to point out to a specific thrill that is common among them all. However, these people are not remorseful at all. When most of them are aligned in a court of law, they are emotionless and just cut a desolate figure. They do not show signs of guilt or regret. Salvatore described their outlook and behavior as largely inert, meaning they do not react to anything of natural conformity. The most unifying factor of all serial killers is that they are all criminal offenders with a destabilized state of mind.

Works Cited

Chiriboga Aldáz, Mikaella. Relationship between childhood traumas and serial killers. BS thesis. Quito, 2019.http://repositorio.usfq.edu.ec/bitstream/23000/8182/1/142076.pdf

Harrison, Marissa A., et al. “Sex Differences in Serial Killers.” Evolutionary Behavioral Sciences, vol. 13, no. 4, Oct. 2019, pp. 295–310. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1037/ebs0000157.

Johnson, B. R., and J. V. Becker. “Natural Born Killers?: The Development of the Sexually Sadistic Serial Killer.” The Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law, vol. 25, no. 3, 1997, pp. 335–348. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=cmedm&AN=9323659&site=eds-live&scope=site.

Leary, Terence, Larry Southard, and Michael Aamodt. “Serial Killers and Intelligence Levels: Variability, Patterns, and Motivations to Kill.” North American Journal of Psychology vol. 21, no. 4, 2019, pp. 787-800

Lubaszka, Christine K., and Phillip C. Shon. “Reconceptualizing The Notion Of Victim Selection, Risk, And Offender Behavior In Healthcare Serial Murders.” Journal Of Criminal Psychology, vol. 3, no. 1, 2013, pp. 65-78. Emerald, doi:10.1108/20093821311307776.

Marono, Abbie Jean, et al. “A Behaviour Sequence Analysis of Serial Killers’ Lives: From Childhood Abuse to Methods of Murder.” Psychiatry, Psychology & Law, vol. 27, no. 1, Feb. 2020, pp. 126–137. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1080/13218719.2019.1695517.

Mitchell, Heather, and Michael G. Aamodt. “The incidence of child abuse in serial killers.” Journal of Police and Criminal Psychology vol. 20, no. 1, 2005, pp. 40-47. http://maamodt.asp.radford.edu/Research%20-%20Forensic/2005%2020-1-Mitchell-40-47.pdf

Salvatore, Tayler. “The Creation of a Serial Killer: Nature vs. Nurture.” http://ugtimes.com/2015/04/science/the-creation-of-a-serial-killer-nature-vs-nurture/

Simon, Ürmósné Gabriella. “The Traits and the Thrill of Serial Killers.” Internal Security, vol. 7, no. 2, July 2015, p. 33. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=edb&AN=120125858&site=eds-live&scope=site.

Simons, Cassandra L. “Antisocial Personality Disorder in Serial Killers: The Thrill of the Kill.” Justice Professional, vol. 14, no. 4, Nov. 2001, p. 345. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1080/1478601X.2001.9959630.