Mental Medicine
( inside the mind of a serial killer)
The study of psychology itself is an interesting field, looking inside the minds and understanding the life of all different types of people. However, the psychology behind a murderer is probably the most important attribute a psychologist can have. Not only can this aspect allow people to understand why people kill but it can aid to the destruction of the rise in a population of serial killers.
In his article “Serial Killer Psychology, Investigation Discovery”, Psychologist William Harris investigates the minds behind some of the most infamous serial killers, Ted Bundy, Dennis Rader aka. BTK, and Jeffrey Dahmer to name a few. Harris explains that most serial killers have Antisocial Personality Disorder or ASPD. This disease diagnosed through the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders board (DSM) describes subjects to have a disregard for the law and/or authority and social norms. Many times the subject has been arrested several times and has issues becoming a part of normal society. Through logos, a factual documentation, he informs his audience that quote "serial killers are made not born". In his opinion" they have an illness and need to be treated like any other sick person."
Psycopathy is a more severe form of ASPD. Dennis Rader aka. BTK exceeded the normal ASPD disorder because he was an all american man with no arrest record, a good career, a wife and kids, and served in the United States Air Force. However Harris explains that psychopaths have social disorders but have other aliases combined. Most have lying and knifing characteristics, are suspicious, paranoid, and have extremely low self esteem as well. They are great at gaining your trust and pride themselves on constantly portraying a normal self and life. Through the ethos argument William Harris explains that serial killers are psychopaths that gain your trust and seem as normal as anyone else. He claims you cannot rule out anyone from your life as a killer because anyone can portray normalcy.
Through the FBI Harris understands that serial killers can be classified in three groups- organized, disorganized, and mixed. Ted Bundy is charaterogized as an organized killer. He had a method so great he could have killed at least one hundred women. He kidnapped then transported his victims to the crime scene. Using logos data, he tells his readers how cold blooded and merciless psychopath serial killers can be.
William Harris also explains that many, not all, serial killers grow up dealing with severe abuse! By using pathos sincerity in his article, he attempts to get his readers to understand the background of most murderers and serial killers. "He says they are the work of bad parenting and unfortunate circumstances." "They were raised with little to no love and/or affection, subjected to beatings or neglect, verbal abuse, and they feel unwanted by the ones they love most." While it doesn’t raise an excuse for someone to become a cold blooded killer, it does breathe life in the ones we think are monsters.
Throughout this article William Harris has become the mind behind the murders. As a respected psychologist through pathos and logos arguments, he gives his expert opinions on why and what makes a human being become a serial killer. As for the theories each psychologist adapts about the motives behind murderers, one fact never changes, serial killers have mental illnesses. It is a fact, serial killers minds develop differently than the average person over time. One will never fully understand the motivation behind a serial killer but if you combine severe childhood abuse and certain mental alignments, it becomes clearer on how an individual might grow to be a vicious heartless murderer!
Link to this article: http://investigation.discovery.com/criminals/serial-killers/serial-killers-psychology.html