Judging by the sheer amount of documentaries and podcasts on the market, it’s safe to
say that true crime has become an obsession for many.
Serial killers, especially, have attracted the attention of the morbidly curious.
Here’s a quick look at the traits most serial killers have in common.
Most serial killers suffer from some kind of personality disorder, usually psychopathy
or antisocial personality.
The difference between these two disorders is simply nature vs. nurture.
For example, a psychopath’s brain has underdeveloped impulse control and emotional centers from
birth.
By contrast, antisocial personalities are learned, and usually develop during an abusive
or neglected childhood.
However, neither of these disorders equals insanity, which is why the "not-guilty by
reason of insanity" defense rarely works for a serial killer.
Killers deemed criminally insane are not mentally able to discern right from wrong.
Serial killers, however, know very well how evil their actions are, they just don’t
care.
In his book Real-Life Monsters, criminal investigator Stephen J. Giannangelo calls the "calm, purposeful
behavior" of a serial killer "predatory aggression," comparing it to the aggressive behavior of
carnivores.
Predatory animals kill simply to satisfy a need, there isn't any rage behind the action.
In other words, while other killers may kill because they are provoked, a serial killer
kills because he truly believes he needs to.
A person who has a "predatory aggressive personality" believes other people are inferior, which
makes it easy for him to justify hurting or preying on others.
Serial killers don't have normal human empathy, but they're very good at pretending like they
do.
Therefore, it’s up to the rest of us to learn how to recognize fake empathy when we
see it.
Simply put, if your instincts tell you someone is just going through the motions when it
comes to exhibiting empathy, love, or concern, your instincts are probably correct.
Listen to your gut.
It’s better to be safe than sorry.
Most of us live our lives believing that the person sitting next to us couldn’t possibly
be a serial killer.
That kind of stuff only happens in movies, or to other people.
We think we’d know if one of our loved ones was actually an undercover monster.
However, the terrifying truth is that serial killers are incredibly skilled at twisting
perception and controlling those around them like marionettes.
They prey on the insecurities of those closest to them and masterfully manipulate loved ones
to never suspect them of any wrongdoing.
That’s why the families and friends of serial killers are always shocked to discover the
person they thought they knew is evil incarnate.
"Just can’t be.
I just keep shaking my head saying 'How can this be?'
Because he had lots of friends.
Very good student in school.
Very normal, active boy."
According to Psychology Today, Jeffrey Dahmer's father simply accepted his son's lies at face
value because it was easier for him to believe the lies than to admit to himself that his
son was a monster.
But even those of us who aren't already emotionally invested in a relationship with a dangerous
person can be manipulated.
Generally speaking, if someone appears to try and bribe you or distract you from flaws
in a story using flattery, flowers, or gifts, you should definitely keep your guard up.
Abuse during childhood is not a direct path to serial killerdom, but many serial killers
were abused as children.
A Radford University study looked at the childhood experiences of 50 serial killers and discovered
that 68 percent of them had experienced "some type of maltreatment," either physical, sexual,
psychological, or neglect.
An earlier study even reported that 100 percent of serial killers studied had suffered some
kind of abuse in childhood.
David Hosier of Childhood Trauma Recovery says psychological abuse in particular has
a strong correlation with future behavior.
Children who are shamed, humiliated, or punished disproportionately can develop a propensity
for cruelty as a direct result of that abuse.
Neglect is also a huge factor, as when children don't experience empathy from a parent or
caregiver, they sometimes don't develop the ability to empathize with others.
People who feel their own lives are out of control will sometimes look for smaller, more
manageable situations to attain complete control over.
If the person lacks empathy, that need for complete control may involve other human beings.
Childhood abuse isn't the only factor in a person's past that can lead him to develop
that oversized need for control.
Kids who come from unstable homes, move frequently, or bounce around between foster homes, may
feel like they have no control over their lives, and therefore no time to develop real
relationships with their peers.
Not only do these children develop control issues, they also grow up with deficiencies
in empathy.
Combine this lack of empathy with a pathological need to control others, and you’ve got yourself
a deadly combination.
Serial killers almost always lack remorse.
That's not really surprising, since the ability to repeat a brutal crime sort of depends on
not feeling too bad about the first brutal crime you committed.
However, a lack of remorse isn't necessarily specific to psychopaths and sociopaths.
People who have fairly ordinary psychological makeups can also kill without remorse, provided
they can successfully "compartmentalize and dehumanize" the people they kill.
"It rubs the lotion on its skin or else it gets the hose again."
But most of the time, lack of remorse is directly related to a killer's lack of empathy.
If you're unable to empathize with someone who is afraid or in pain, you probably aren't
going to feel much remorse about ending a person's life.
According to Psychology Today, the most common type of serial killer is the "power/control"
process-focused killer.
John Wayne Gacy, Ted Bundy, and the BTK Killer, Dennis Rader, all fall into this category.
Power killers can be said to have a sort of god complex.
They kill slowly because the ability to decide how and when their victims will die makes
them feel empowered.
Most killers who sexually assault their victims aren't motivated by lust, they're motivated
by the feeling of power they get from the act.
One of the FBI's favorite techniques for interviewing serial killers is flattery.
Psychopathic killers in particular tend to have a grandiose sense of their own self-worth,
so investigators can use praise to get them talking.
According to behavioral analysts, psychopathic serial killers don’t respond to altruistic
interview themes, meaning that trying to make them experience guilt or sympathy for their
victims is a waste of time.
Instead, interviewers might praise them for their intelligence or for their skill at outwitting
investigators.
Forensic psychologist Stephen A. Diamond calls this quality "psychopathic narcissism," and
likens it to an "immature, selfish, self-centered, resentful, and raging child inside a powerful
adult body."
Children are inherently narcissistic and must be taught the rules of social behavior, but
when children grow up physically but remain in a state of immaturity, they can become
extremely dangerous people.
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