What makes someone become a serial killer

This study suggests that while some serial killers may possess abnormal brain processing, which may predispose them to committing crimes, it is not guaranteed that differences in brain structure will result in a murderer.

Abuse has been recognised as a contributing factor by criminologists and psychologists such as Dr Adrian Raine. Peter Vronsky has argued that in such cases where there are no previous traumatic experiences, responsibility falls on the offender — serial killers choose to act on their compulsions. Vronsky has also argued that it might not be that serial killers are made, but the majority of people are unmade by good parents and socialisation.

People who have not been socialised are left with the capacity to kill, and this is often attached to a sexual impulse in the case of serial killers. Despite extensive study into this field there is still a lot that is unknown about serial killers, they are not limited to any of the demographics or categories I have mentioned.

Further ongoing research is needed in order to identify specific circumstances that produce serial killers in order to intervene where possible and unmake them. Skip to content. Herrero, F. Serial killers: Relation between childhood maltreatment and sexual relations with the victims.

European Psychiatry , 41 S1 , SS Keatley, D. Journal of Interpersonal Violence , Marono, A. Psychiatry, Psychology and Law , 27 1 , Childhood trauma and moral responsibility.

Raine, A. The biological crime: implications for society and the criminal justice system. Revista de Psiquiatria do Rio Grande do Sul , 30 1 , Sajous-Turner, A. Aberrant brain gray matter in murderers.

Brain imaging and behavior , 14 5 , Currently, she is based in Ankara, Turkey. Submission Career Contact Donate Menu. Facebook Instagram Linkedin. Are Serial Killers Born or Made? Burcak Unal. Conclusion There will always be evil in the world. References Berit Brogaard, P. About the Author. Subscribe to our news letter to get post updates. An example is firing at human-shaped targets.

The role model in the military is the drill sergeant. It's the drill sergeant's job to demonstrate aggression while maintaining discipline. Assuming the process works the way the military intends it to, soldiers will look to the drill sergeant as the model for behavior.

This combined approach, in theory, will create soldiers capable of killing an enemy in combat. It's possible that killers who were never soldiers -- including most serial killers or mass murderers -- had experiences similar to those of a military recruit.

The major difference is that with these killers, the exposure wasn't in a controlled environment. The backgrounds of many killers show a history of brutalization. In several cases, the killers began to enact violence on weaker creatures as a way of asserting control or demonstrating behaviors learned through being brutalized.

Look into the backgrounds of serial killers, and you'll start to notice some common elements. Many people who eventually become serial killers had traumatic childhoods and were themselves victims of abuse.

It's a gross oversimplification to suggest a traumatic childhood is the chief contributing factor to a serial killer's behavior, but there does appear to be a strong correlation. Many killers have expressed feelings of alienation and have shown evidence of harboring violent fantasies before they commit to killing. In some cases, the killer suffers from a mental disorder or brain damage that either inhibits or prevents the social and psychological restrictions humans have toward killing other people.

Whether we're repressing urges that are more than several millennia old or we're naturally averse to ending the life of another person, it's clear that in most cases we need a catalyst to push us to killing.

Identifying and understanding the elements that can change a person at risk into a killer may help us treat and prevent tragedy in the future. Sign up for our Newsletter! Mobile Newsletter banner close. Mobile Newsletter chat close. Mobile Newsletter chat dots. Mobile Newsletter chat avatar. Mobile Newsletter chat subscribe.

Legal System. What makes a killer? What does it take for one person to end another person's life? See more pictures of guns. Evolutionary Psychology " ". Another common indicator of possible serial killing behavior is killing or intentionally harming animals.

They may provoke, torture, or even kill cats, dogs, and other animals. Even after seeing the results of their actions, the person will show no form of regret or remorse. Serial killers generally seek control over the life of another, and at a younger age a small animal easiest to fully dominate.