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Running Head: SERIAL KILLER BRAIN ABNORMALITIES

Serial Killers and Brain Abnormalities

David Herring
University of Texas at El Paso

Abstract
The stigma behind the label of: Serial Killer, is that all are evil and sadistic. While that
may be true for many serial killers, the meaning and reasoning behind why many resort to such
evil actions are no smaller reasons than most have gone through in our daily lives. A psychopath
can be a functioning member of society providing that he put his mental handicap to good use
and manages to stay out of trouble. If you mix being a psychopath, with other mental illnesses
such as anti-social personality disorder, you will be in for a troublemaker that is not too far from
the edge. Sadly, being a psychopathic killer is not seen as having an illness, and is seen in most
psychology circles as a lost cause in terms of finding a cure. Still, one can hope that if those
unlucky enough to be termed a serial killer will find hope in curing their disturbed minds.

Serial Killers and Brain Abnormalities

The brain of a serial killer is a complex collection of grey matter that has quirks that are
not too simple to comprehend. There are studies that have been conducted that link the ways of a
serial killer to brain abnormalities (Moon, 2013). Other studies categorize serial killers into two
types: Organized and Unorganized killers (OConner, 2012). There are many possible reasons for
a serial killer to act the way they do, all the reasons lying deep within the crevices of their mind.
The differences between the mind of a serial killer and everyday person can be as simple as a
psychological issue caused by a traumatic event in ones life or as complex as a hormonal or
chemical imbalance in the human body caused by hereditary traits.
The views the everyday person on the thought of serial killers is stagnant across the
board. Many people believe serial killers to be heartless and sadistic, but do not realize that their
brained are created or reprogrammed to behave differently. Whether it be genetic, a brain
abnormality, or a psychological issue; the mind of a serial killer is definitely wired different from
the normal human brain. Whether that can be used as an excuse to the crimes committed is
debatable by the case. The brain is wired to process information and emotions a certain way, and
both nature and nurture can play a huge part as to whether you or a loved one can bear to commit
the heinous crimes committed by such famous serial killers such as Ted Bundy or Jack, the
Ripper. This essay will be used to answer the following questions:
1. Should a serial killer be punished for their crimes/actions, if they had no control over
themselves?
2. Murderer or Psychopath? Is there a lack of remorse in the average serial killer?

3. What procedures are needed to prevent a serial killer from acting on their impulses?
Will these procedures hinder the person from performing everyday tasks?

Should a serial killer be punished for their crimes/actions if they had no control over
themselves?
"One must feel sorry for those who have strange tastes, but never insult them. Their
wrong is Nature's too; they are no more responsible for having come into the world with
tendencies unlike ours than are we for being born bandy-legged or well-proportioned" (Marquis
de Sade, 1795).
The brain is a powerful tool that controls our every move and processes every thought
and action that we can possibly come up with in the span of a lifetime. Any abnormality to such a
crucial instrument in our body can cause catastrophic consequences. A study done by Adrian
Raine, a professor of criminology, psychiatry, and psychology at the University of Pennsylvania,
has found that there is diminished activity in areas of the brain linked with self-awareness the
processing of emotions, and sensitivity to violence (Moon, 2013). This evidence suggests that
the actions that the normal brain would process as immoral and wrong pass through without the
proper filtration, in the mind of a serial killer. The lack of structure and completeness in the brain
of a serial killer provides evidence in favor of incompetence. A question to ask ones self is, Is it
the fault of the one who could not control themselves or is it merely something to turn the blind
eye being that it is something they are born into?

David Herring, a student at the University of Texas at El Paso, interviewed Gabriel Caire,
a Forensics teacher at Thomas Jefferson High School. Herring questioned Caire on the topic of
Serial Killers and whether blame and action is required. When you think about the criteria that a
person has to meet to be labeled a serial killer: three or more kills over a period of 30
consecutive days and a search for psychological gratification, you begin to cross into a
dangerous pathway that divides the extreme to the everyday person says Caire. Should a
soldier be labeled a killer because he is doing his job to protect his country? No. Still you have to
question where to draw the line. Not all serial killers are psychopaths.

Murderer or Psychopath? Is there a lack of remorse in the average serial killer?

Figure 1. characteristics of a psychopath in relation to their actions.

Source: Skeem, J. L.; Polaschek, D. L. L.; Patrick, C. J.; Lilienfeld, S. O. (2011). "Psychopathic
Personality: Bridging the Gap Between Scientific Evidence and Public Policy". Psychological Science in the Public
Interest 12 (3): 95162. Retrieved from:
http://www.psychologicalscience.org/index.php/publications/journals/pspi/psychopathy.html

The actions of a psychopathic serial killer are those made by someone whose emotional
issues overpower their conscience (if one is present). Some issues are connected to
psychopaths/sociopaths are purposeless and irrational antisocial behavior. These hinder one from
functioning correctly in society. This behavior can become as addicting as any artificial drug
(marijuana, tobacco, alcohol, etc.). One man shows that it can be possible to be born with the
said killer/warrior gene and live a completely normal lifestyle. Dr. James Fallon, a scientist in
California had been studying the brains of serial killers for almost two decades looking for
biological clues of what makes a murderer. As he went deeper into his study and found out his

family had a history of serial killers, he decided to scan his own brain. Fallon discovered that the
region of his brain that most believe, plays a factor in ethical behavior, moral decision-making
and impulse control, the orbital cortex, had very little activity. All this evidence indicated that
he was a born killer. Still his wife, Diane, says, Ive known him since he was twelve, she
said. Ive lived to be ripe old age so far (Gibson, 2010).
The mind of the psychopathic serial killer gets a high from these murders and
sometimes, can
his urges,

no longer control

Source: Len Sperry (2013). Antisocial Personality Disorder Case Study

Retrieved from: http://www.chinmayresort.com/antisocial-personality-disorderwhich
can
case-study/

eventually get

him caught.

Conduct Disorder

(CD), sometimes

known

as childhood psy

chopathy, is given

as a diagnosis to

children

and teenagers w

ho exhibit extreme

antisocial traits, such as animal torture and cruelty (Dahmer and Keyes have both been
implicated in this). If the antisocial traits still there after the age of eighteen they would likely
receive a diagnosis of antisocial personality disorder or APD (Lynam, 1997).

Figure 2. the areas of the brain that are

unaffected when suffering from APD.

What procedures are needed to prevent a serial killer from acting on their impulses?
When studying serial killers, you run into the question of proper treatment. Is
rehabilitation possible, or will autonomy and pride interfere? The current form of treatment in
the United States, Norway, and Denmark, according to Dr. Liverod, is life imprisonment or the
death penalty. Although, the mind of a serial killer has been formed through years of mental and
physical abuse brought on by feelings of rejection, hormonal and chemical imbalances in ones
body, and a lack of attachment or sense of belonging in the world; it is questioned whether
psychology and therapy can be affective in rehabilitation (Liverod, 2014). As a mental illness, it
is important that the psychopathic mind (especially in terms of a serial killer) be treated. Selfpsychology is a form of therapy that has become a refreshing possibility in the treatment of a
serial killers mindset. Self-psychology allows one to study the feeling of empathy and learn
ways to promote a healthy form of narcissism (Wolf, 2006).

Currently, the criminal system does not recognize a serial killer as a mentally ill
individual. Any treatment that might be available has not been properly funded or tested due to
the lack of evidence in favor of curing psychopathy. According to Dr. Nigel Blackwood, Adult
psychopaths can be treated or managed but not cured. He goes on to explain that most
psychopaths do not fear the pain of punishment and are not bothered by social stigmatization.
(Bonn, 2014). This might be true for most cases, but that should not excuse us from helping to
treat those looking for a way to release themselves from the shackles of emptiness they feel in
the world. An approach that might not help some, might beneficiate those whose actions were

brought on by a chemical or hormonal imbalance instead of a traumatizing experience that left

them wanting to rid the world of everything it sees as threatening.

Conclusion
Many associate the term serial killer with evil people set out into the world to wreak
havoc in the world, and selflessly slaughter many innocent lives. Serial killing is also used in
connection and comparison to psychopaths. It seems that it is easier to disassociate a serial killer
and categorize them as criminals and sadistic, heartless demons. Like most mental illnesses,
being a psychopathic serial killer is not chosen amongst those who find themselves unfortunate
enough to be inflicted by their thoughts. Whether problems were developed by years of
emotional and physical trauma or just being born with the potential chromosomes that would
eventually form into parts of your brain that most call the killer/warrior gene, help should be
offered to those who cannot help themselves.

Reference Page
Bonn, S. A. (2015). Psychopathic Criminals Cannot Be Cured. Psychology Today. Retrieved
from: https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/wickeddeeds/201408/psychopathiccriminals-cannot-be-cured
(G. Caire, personnal communication, March 31, 2015)
Gibson, M. (2010, June 30). Scientist Serial Killer Expert Learns He Has the Brain of A Killer.
TIME.com. Retrieved March 19, 2015, from

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he-has-the-

http://newsfeed.time.com/2010/06/30/scientist-serial-killer-expert-learnsbrain-of-a-killer/

Liverod, J.R. (2014). Mad or Bad: An in-depth analysis of the psychopath and the serial killer.
Norway: Madorbad.
Lynam, D. (1997). Pursuing the psychopath: Capturing the fledling psychopath in a
nomological net. (3rd ed., Vol. 106, pp. 425-438). Journal of Abnormal Psychology.

O'Connor, T. (2012). Profiling Serial Killers, MegaLinks in Criminal Justice. Retrieved from
http://www.drtomoconnor.com/4050/4050lect04.htm.
Pemment, J. (2013, January 12). The Making and the Breaking of the Serial Killer. Retrieved
March 19, 2015, from https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/blame-the
amygdala/201301/the-making-and-the-breaking-the-serial-killer
Skeem, J. L.; Polaschek, D. L. L.; Patrick, C. J.; Lilienfeld, S. O. (2011). "Psychopathic
Personality: Bridging the Gap Between Scientific Evidence and Public
Policy". Psychological Science in the Public Interest. (12th ed., Vol. 3, pp. 95162).
Sperry, L. (2013). Antisocial Personality Disorder Case Study Retrieved from:
http://www.chinmayresort.com/antisocial-personality-disorder-case-study/
Wolf, D. (2006). Self Psychology Page. Massachusetts:3b Retrieved from:
http://www.selfpsychology.com/