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Psychological and environmental factors that play large roles in explaining or predicting why serial killers commit their murders
Introduction
Cases of crime murder involving serial killers have been in existence for a long in society and date back to the 17th Century. Serial killing was a mystery common in films; however, it has been a prevalent issue in recent years. A serial killer in documentaries and film occurs in dark, twisted scenarios generated from a fiction world. Serial killers refer to an individual that murders at least three people in a short time and occurs in significant breaks. Besides, society has stereotyped that serial killers are influenced by activities that occur in their environments. Individuals in a community have never determined why serial killers commit a devastating horrific act that leads to loss of lives. Although the study on exploring what prompts serial killers to their murder has gained much popularity, most psychologists contemplate that most crimes correlate from the infancy stage. Most psychologists attribute the actions of a serial killer with similar emotional developments that orchestrate their psychological and environmental factors. While the issue of serial killers continues in the present day, several psychological and environmental factors play significant roles in explaining or predicting why serial killers commit their murders.
Psychological factors are arguably a critical factor that links serial killers with their actions. According to Meher (22), when a serial killer commits one murder case, they activate a cyclical mechanism. In this process, serial killers enter into a circular complex mental process where they are addicted. Similar to drugs addict, serial killer gains addiction on their action which develops gradually. More so, the urge to commit and kill again revolves in their mind, which contributes to a similar offense. Notably, most murder cases committed after the first victim are serious compared to the first. For example, the first serial murder can involve one or two victims while the other preceding murder victims will grow in large numbers. The dynamic process that contributes to these actions revolves around the cyclical mechanism. Jared (15) contemplates that the murder will transpose more mental images that recur in their mind with particular features. As a result, serial killers generate excitement which prompts them to continue with their actions. Nevertheless, imaginations remain a fundamental element that puts the human psyche into changing the concept in reality with anticipation for the future. When such acts recur in the human brain, serial killers find themselves in imagined scenarios that are influenced by powerful forces to continue with their actions.
Furthermore, the imagination aspects of an individual with negative moods such as anger are oriented into a specific goal. When these goals manifest in mind, they settle into a fantasy world that projects hostility and hatred towards others (Sasha, 105). Besides, when serial killers begin to manifest these imaginations without expressing the dominant victim, they develop attitudes into committing acts such as repeatedly murder cases (Jared, 29). As a result, they infuse decision-making into the power of life and death, which leads to murder cases. A psychologist argues that regardless of any serial killer, the social loneliness experienced that retreats into a fantasy world dominate the serial killer’s imagination world that tends to their murder.
Serial killers develop as early as the infancy period. When children in their infancy stages lack proper development, they tend to build an emotion that affects their psychopathic personality. Studies in this area have shown that most mental and physical traumas experienced when children develop tend to have long-lasting effects on individuals. At least 42% of all serial killers that reforms contemplate having suffered from child abuse in the past (Zelda, 1191). While these underlying issues are neglected in the past, child development is critical to reducing trauma cases. Besides, when children suffer from psychological abuse, they grow with fear of specific things. To some children, these issues can form and affect them, prompting revenge in adulthood to get justice. Neurophysiology examines the early childhood alignment, and their correlations into serial killers are linked with impairment of the brain cells (Tiffany, 28).
Another psychological factor that contributes to murder is the psychological phases of serial killers. Arguably, serial killer undergoes intense stages that comprise a distorted thinking phase where the offenders do not assess the comprehensive impact of their deviant act (Tiffany, 31). As a result, they gain emotional gratification, which persuades them to act continues with their deeds. After that, serial killers undergo the motivational phase, where they have different sets of events that lead to the transition stage. These cycles continue to revolve until an individual murder to justify their actions.
Apart from the psychological factors that influence serial killers to their murder, several environmental factors play a huge role. According to Jared (45), most individuals involved in serial killing orchestrates from low-income family ties and a community where violence is prevalent. When individuals grow in such an environment where violence is common, they tend to develop these habits that occur as they grow up. For children, they lack specific development and personality characteristics that are critical in childhood development. By being exposed to traumatic environments, the brains of these individuals develop in strategic ways to conform to these rare experiences. Notably, most of these individuals understand the impact of serial killing actions. However, due to the prevalence of these events at the community level, individuals generate new norms that affect their brain cells (Meher, 36). Also, the powerful ego that individuals gain from these actions prompts them to continue with their acts. For example, when a serial killer has accomplished their mission and is the talk in the community, it shows some form of ego that influences other individuals to gain popularity. Most psychologists argue that permissive families contribute largely to serial killers (Sasha, 122). When children grow in a harsh environment that lacks family values, they tend to gain violent behavior. These behaviors grow gradually, contributing to antisocial development, which prompts individuals to continue with their actions as they grow.
Additionally, individuals that grow in an environment where they are either beaten or sexually abused develop negative, ill feelings towards moral values in society. According to Meher (56), the choice of murder in the environment is influenced by physical abuse, which leads to the serial killer’s actions. Friends and peers contribute to serial killers. Without a doubt, an individual that frequently engages with serial killers develops underlying issues based on their psychological abuse. For example, peers who have committed such acts tend to influence others on their achievement, which impacts others. More so, unstable neighborhoods with delinquent peer groups affect an individual, contributing to increased criminal activities. Notably, most serial killers have self-reported their actions, which influence other individuals to commit their actions to justify specific things in society that affect them (Zelda, 1196).
Lastly, individuals that grow with a lack of empathy in a particular environment tend to develop their actions in adulthood. When serial killers do not achieve their dreams, they are angered and frustrated with the system. Due to these acts, they tend to control other individuals, contributing to justification of their shows (Meher, 78). More so, individuals attribute their issues in the society are not accounted significantly. Their actions do not make serial killers guilty as they aim to justify their actions to change the underlying problems experienced in the community. Also, when these actions are upheld in the public domain, serial killers need to gain attention. For example, the more serial killer cases aggregate in society, the more influential individuals commit their actions since they are influenced to commit more murder.
Conclusion
In sum, serial killers have erupted in recent years, generating debates on the psychological and environmental factors that play a significant role in their murder. Arguably, the issue of serial killers strikes deep in families that have lost their loved ones from these actions. Psychologists argue that the psychological development of the human brain in different phases plays a critical role in a murder case. Besides, individuals who lack attention and have grown from unhappy families develop a psychopathic personality, leading to serial killings. As such, physical abuse during early childhood prompts individuals to commit murder activities.
Furthermore, murders from serial killers are influenced by environmental factors, which orchestrate largely by individuals that grow in unstable neighborhoods. Moreover, serial killer influences each other on these acts leading to devastating serial killings. Although the psychological and environmental factors discussed in this research play a role, the debate on serial killers is complex and depends on the individual’s perspectives.
Works Cited
Jared Matthew, “Factors That Influence Violence and Homicidal Ideation among Serial Offenders” (2020). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies, 1-99.
Meher Sharma, “The Development of Serial Killers: A Grounded Theory Study” (2018). Masters Theses, 3720, 1-106. https://thekeep.eiu.edu/theses/3720
Tiffany Brennan, “Identification of Psychosocial Factors in the Development Of Serial Killers In The United States” (2019). Honors Theses, 1-32 https://digitalcommons.salemstate.edu/honors_theses/216
Sasha Reid, “A Perfect Storm: Mapping the Life Course Trajectories of Serial Killers” (2019), 1-383. https://tspace.library.utoronto.ca/bitstream/1807/97621/1/Reid_Sasha_M_201911_PhD_thesis.pdf
Zelda G. Knigt, Some Thoughts on the Psychological Roots of the Behavior of Serial Killer as Narcissists: an Object Relations Perspective, Social Behavior and Personality. 2006. Volume 34. Issue 10 1189-1206. https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/e4ac/8f483f610c967b1f24b81a835dd53353a5ca.pdf