preview

Serial Killer : Serial Killers

Good Essays

A serial killer is defined as someone who has murdered two or more victims and the incidents occurred at separate events at different times (Morton). Serial killers can be motivated by a variety of things like anger and the power and thrill they feel by gaining control. The common misconception is that people become violent because they are mentally unstable, but not all mentally unstable people are serial killers. So the important question is what causes the distinction. One common theory is that they are molded by their childhood experiences and their environment. This theory is accepted by many because the profiles of serial killers are always the same. Another theory is that serial killers are formed by abnormalities to the brain, like trauma and irregular hormone levels. Gene dysfunction is also another recognized theory and is backed up by countless experiments. But the real cause for someone to become a serial killer is a combination of all of these theories. Brain abnormalities and genetics coupled with childhood environment and experiences both play a big role in the molding of a serial killer. Although serial killers are often described as crazy, they are not “psychotic.” Being “psychotic” implies that they have lost touch with reality and experience types of hallucinations like hearing voices. Serial killers do not have this condition. They have a psychopathic personality which is defined as, “amoral and antisocial behavior, lack of ability to love or establish

Get Access