Serial Killers: Biology vs. Environment

Recipe for a Serial Killer

Criminal Behavioral Analysis

Abstract

Serial Killers are affected by both biology and environment. Some experts say genetics play a role and others argue that it is the environment that an individual grows up in that makes one become a serial killer. This paper contends that it is both biology and environment that play a role along with other factors. Only a small percentage of individuals become serial killers, therefore this paper considers different theories and various evidence that would make one a serial murderer. The first part of this paper defines what constitutes a serial murder and how a serial killer is defined in terms of what would make an individual a serial killer. Then, it will list both biological and environmental factors that play a part in serial murder. Next, this paper discusses different theories on what causes an individual to become a serial murderer and possible solutions to help them overcome these problems. Finally, this paper concludes with a reiteration of the thesis and agrees that biology and environment but mostly the individual play important factors in serial murder.

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When it comes to serial killers, does biology play a role or is it their environment that creates this type of person? Is it nature vs. nurture? Is it both? Is there a specific mixture into building a serial killer? This paper will cover the foundation of what makes an individual a serial killer; theories, facts, and concepts will be evaluated. Then, it will answer whether biology or the environment or both contributes to serial murder. First, serial killing must be defined. “There is fairly good consensus that serial killing is one of three main types of multiple homicide, which may be simply defined as the killing of three of more people, by either an individual or group acting in concert” (Petherick, 2014, p. 342).  Second, the commonality of serial killers must be distinguished. In Serial Killers– Philosophy for Everyone: Being and Killing, the authors state that, “Experts agree, however, that whatever the percentage (one expert puts the number at 1 percent), serial murder accounts for a very small number of the total number of murders each year in the United States” (Allhoff, Waller, & Doris, 2010, p. 2). A very small percentage of murderers, or fair to say, individuals are serial killers. So, what would prompt one to want to kill again and again?

In an article entitled, Using Behavior Sequence Analysis to Map Serial Killers’ Life Histories, by David Keatley, et. al., the authors list numerous factors that play a role in many serial killers’ histories. Factors such as: “parental brutality” (environment), “frequently moving during childhood” (environment), leaving home early, “head injury” (environment and biology), “Autism Spectrum Disorder” (biology), some sort of abuse from the mother (rejection, smothering, controlling, etc.), and prior convictions (Keatley, Golightly, Shephard, Yaksic, & Reid , 2018, pp. 2-3). The article also reports factors that occur before birth. These factors include estranged father (environment), “low socioeconomic status” (environment), and “poor abusive living conditions” (Keatley, Golightly, Shephard, Yaksic, & Reid , 2018, pp. 12-13). An inference can be made with this information that environment most definitely plays a role in making a serial killer. But what about biology, specifically genetics?

Berit Brogaard, D.M. Sci. published an article called, Do Serial Killers Have a Genetic Disposition?. In this article, she responds that, “the majority of the most prolific and dangerous serial killers were genetically disposed to behave anti-socially and furthermore grew up in an environment that cultivated a disregard for the lives of others” (Berit Brogaard D.M.Sci., 2018). The DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition) does not have a diagnosis for psychopathy; instead it is falls under anti-social personality disorder. Criteria for anti-social personality disorder in the DSM-5 are listed as: “impairments in identity and/or self-direction”, “impairments in empathy and/or intimacy”; this includes pathological personal traits such as: “manipulativeness”, “deceitfulness”, “callousness”, “hostility”, “disinhibition”, “impulsivity”, and “risk-taking” (Antipersonality Disorder). Not only does Brogaard postulate that genetics and biology play a role but also an individual’s environment. Brogaard points out that individuals are capable of becoming desensitized; meaning their environment has caused them to lack any sort of compassion, life has hardened them so to speak. “This [desensitization] is a phenomenon cognitive-behavioral therapist make use of in exposure theory—a technique commonly used to rid people of their phobias” (Berit Brogaard D.M.Sci., 2018). With this technique, an individual is slowly subjected to their phobia and gradually the person because less fearful of the situation. The same can be applied for serial murderers.  Going a little further with the subject, in a book titled, Born Killers: Childhood Secrets of the World’s Deadliest Serial Killers, Christopher Berry-Dee and Steven Morris suggest that an individual is born to be a serial murder. “Although it may sound like a strange word to choose, ‘career’ is correct” (Berry-Dee & Morris, 2010, p. 1). In other words, an individual is born to be a serial killer. The authors give an example of the serial killer Fred West. “We claim that not only was he born to kill, he was bred and learned to kill, as well. He was a very particular type of serial killer, as evil as they come” (Berry-Dee & Morris, 2010, p. 2). The authors also point our that the individual’s environment plays a role, too; stating that if a child does not bond or have some type of nurturing attachment it can alter how the child handles situations out in the world (Berry-Dee & Morris, 2010, p. 4). Berry-Dee and Morris explain how genetics and the environment conform to make a serial murderer; the more an individual is exposed to some type of violence or abuse the easier it is for the individual to have self-control problems (Berry-Dee & Morris, 2010, p. 5). They also add that while serial murderers have had similar behaviors in their childhood; not all of it can be attributed to environment but also to genes (Berry-Dee & Morris, 2010, p. 18).

What causes this small percentage of individuals to continually murder when others have the same genetic disposition, mental illnesses, or grow up in the same types of environments? Could it be lack of empathy or impulse control? Allhoff, Waller, and Doris think it is caused from not being able to control impulses (Allhoff, Waller, & Doris, 2010, p. 11). The authors state that not being able to control their impulses makes the murderer have a need for some type of control in their lives. “Throughout history, serial killers have acted on their felt reasons to stalk, attack, and murder, and these reasons override any reasons to act in a way that is kind or merciful to others” (Allhoff, Waller, & Doris, 2010, p. 53). They add, “Let us consider the murderer who kills as his way of life, kills as part of who he is, and kills to maintain his “equilibrium” – as what comes “naturally” to him” (Allhoff, Waller, & Doris, 2010, p. 78). This seems to agree with Christopher Berry-Dee and Steven Morris’s theory in Born Killers. That the serial murder is born to kill, it is what the individual was made to do. Consequently, serial killers cannot control their emotions (rage, frustration, hatred, etc.) and act on them instead of thinking them through (Allhoff, Waller, & Doris, 2010, p. 147). “Human choices seem to be more complicated and more influenced by cultural experience and personal thoughts” (Allhoff, Waller, & Doris, 2010, p. 159). In other words, individuals understand right from wrong, they just have trouble controlling their actions that are influenced by factors from their environment; they understand these concepts differently than most people. What do these individuals lack or possibly have that make them unable to control themselves or view perceptions contrary from the rest of the population?

 In a piece written by Manuel Vargas, titled, Are Psychopathic Serial Killers Evil? Are they Blameworthy for What They Do?, the author talks about the serial killers lack of empathy or lack of any kind or moral conviction. “If psychopaths can’t experience guilt or shame, then the prospect of experiencing these emotions can’t affect what they do” (Vargas, 2009, p. 4). Moral convictions such as guilt and harm aversion help the majority of people distinguish right from wrong (Vargas, 2009, p. 4). If an individual is not born with the capacity to feel empathy or to know what they are doing it wrong; then thrown into an environment that desensitizes them to things such as violence; they cannot be expected to know what they are doing is wrong. Is there a way to help murderers feel empathy or moral convictions even after they have been desensitized? Melissa Hogenboom thinks so. In her article from BBC News, Psychopathic Criminals Have Empathy Switch, she argues that most criminals have an empathy switch that can be activated. “Now scientists have found that only when asked to empathize did the criminals’ empathy reaction, also known as the mirror system, fire up the same way as it did for the controls. Without instruction, they show reduced activity in the regions of the brain associated with pain” (Hogenboom, 2013). Hogenboom cites a study from the University of Groningen in the Netherlands by Christian Keysers arguing that individuals do not lack empathy they just do not know how to utilize it properly yet (Hogenboom, 2013). Keysers study is still uncertain because willful empathy is not the same a spontaneous empathy; however, the study brings some hope that one day could help individuals. Essi Viding from University College London argued on the study that just because the individual can be made to feel empathy does not mean that they will do so intentionally. Nonetheless, it gives hope and could be a step in the right direction to help correct any such behaviors.

It is important to note that not every individual with a mental illness (psychopaths, sociopaths, anti-personality disorder) or live in poor conditions is a serial killer as stated above; these individuals are only a small percentage. Katherine Ramsland wrote an article called, Persistent Myths About Serial Killers. In this piece she points out that, “As a group, serial killers suffer from a variety of personality disorders, including psychopathy, anti-social personality, and others. Most, however, are not adjudicated as insane under the law.” (Ramsland, Ph.D., 2018). This is to say that any person, from any background, any race, or any class, can become a serial killer under the right settings but not every individual from these factors will be a serial killer. The article mentions Robert K. Ressler a former FBI profiler who points out that just because there are common factors associated with serial murderer there are always counterexamples; not all killers came from a violent upbringing, some can from privileged, caring homes (ex. Ted Bundy) (Ramsland, Ph.D., 2018).  Another interesting perspective by Oliver J. Convoy in his article called, What Makes a Serial Killer, is that individuals are all born serial killers but are reconstructed into moral individuals because of upbringing. “Perhaps it’s not that serial killers are made, but that the majority of us are unmade, by good parenting and socialization.” (Convoy, 2018). Perhaps we are all born to be serial murderers, yet because of our environment, we learn empathy. He reiterates what has already been stated above that, “Many serial killers are survivors of early childhood trauma of some kind – physical or sexual abuse, family dysfunction, emotionally distant or absent parents. Trauma is the single recurring theme in the biographies of most killers” (Convoy, 2018). Convoy argues that the serial killer CHOOSES to act on impulse; thus, knowing right from wrong. However, if the individual (serial killer) is desensitized and prone to violence, they cannot possibly know what they are doing is wrong or maybe the feeling they get is a familiar one in that it is something they have grown up with, so it does not feel wrong.

In conclusion, it is a special mixture of certain genes, environment, and it also greatly depends on the individual on whether they will become a serial killer. It is not just genes or the environment but the right combination of factors that contribute to this conundrum. This paper defined serial killing; “the killing of three or more people by an individual or group” (Petherick, 2014, p. 342). It has established how environmental factors influence the violent behavior from desensitization as in the piece, Using Behavior Sequence Analysis to Map Serial Killers’ Life Histories; and, how genes play a role with the article, Do Serial Killers Have a Genetic Disposition?. Other theories were examined: the possibility that an individual is born to be a serial murderer, or that maybe we are all born to be murderers, but our environment changed us. Future resolutions were investigated and with further studies and research the possibility of help could very well be instore for these individuals. Though there will always be evil in the world maybe these solutions can reduce the incidence of serial killings even more.

Works Cited

• Allhoff, F., Waller, S., & Doris, J. M. (2010). Serial Killers – Philosophy for Everyone : Being and Killing. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons.
• Antipersonality Disorder. (n.d.). DSM-5. American Psychiatric Association.
• Berit Brogaard D.M.Sci., P. (2018). Do All Serial Killers Have a Genetic Disposition? Psychology Today.
• Berry-Dee, C., & Morris, S. (2010). Born Killers : Childhood Secrets of the World’s Deadliest Serial Killers. London: John Blake Publishing, Ltd.
• Convoy, J. O. (2018, August 10). What Makes a Serial Killer. The Guardian.
• Hogenboom, M. (2013). Psychopathic Criminals Have Empathy Switch. BBC News.
• Keatley, D. A., Golightly, H., Shephard, R., Yaksic, E., & Reid , S. (2018). Using Behavior Sequence Analysis to Map Serial Killers’ Life Histories. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 1-23.
• Petherick, W. (2014). Profiling and Serial Crime: Theoretical and Practical Issues. Waltham, MA: Academic Press.
• Ramsland, Ph.D., K. (2018). Persistent Myths about Serial Killers. Psychology Today.
• Vargas, M. (2009, July 17). Are Psychopathic Serial Killers Evil? Are they Blameworthy for What They Do? Serial Killers and Philosophy, pp. 1-8.