Are Serial Killers Born, Made or Both?

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Running Head: SERIAL KILLERS Are Serial Killers Born, Made or Both? Kortney Schaum Florida Gulf Coast University 07/21/19 Author Note This paper is submitted in partial fulfillment of the course requirement for Dr. Caroline Clark Rivera’s Scientific Process (ISC3120C).

SERIAL KILLERS Abstract The purpose of this study is to better understand the factors that contribute to the formation of a serial killer. Specifically, the study seeks to explore whether nature – the biological structure of the brain – or nurture – the upbringing environment – or both are statistically significant components of producing serial killers. The study will rely on inferential statistical analysis as the observations from the sample will be used to draw broader conclusions about the serial killer population. The subjects will be examined with a series of expert interviews to yield qualitative data on the nurture variable. The subjects will then be examined with neuroimaging technology to yield quantitative data on the nature variable. Researchers will then examine both data sets versus controls to identify common patterns and trends within the serial killer sample. Researchers can expect to find that both nature and nurture contribute to developing a serial killer. It is likely that subjects will demonstrate common structural tendencies in the brain correlated with a disposition to violent behavior and reduced self-control. Additionally, subjects will likely all have experienced traumatic events during their childhood upbringing such as abuse and neglect. The results of this study will be a key step in understanding the formation of serial killers and how to prevent it. Keywords: serial killer, nature, nurture

SERIAL KILLERS Are Serial Killers Born, Made or Both? 1) What is the overarching question you want to answer? For many years, the argument of nature versus nurture has become more and more controversial. Many wonder what causes someone to become a serial killer. Are people born to be a serial killer? Does the environment they grow up in cause them to be a serial killer? Many psychologists believe in today's society that nurture overrules nature simply because it is easier to see (Bragaard, 2016). It is easy to observe the effects of nurture through their friends and family; it is not easy to see the biological effects, including the genes and traits that they encounter. The proposed research study is focused on serial killers to prove they are provoked from both aspects of nature and nurture. 2) What are the key concepts, issues, terms, and definitions need to understand your proposal? Serial killers: A person who commits a series of murders over more than a month with an emotion cooling period. (Brogaard, 2016) Nature: The genetic code of a person. (Theravive, 2019) Nurture: The influence of the environment on a person. (Theravive, 2019) Genes: A unit of DNA (Gregorio, 2016) Traits: Distinguishing characteristic/ single feature (Gregorio, 2016) 3) Why are you going to do this research? Why is it important? There are many studies stating that serial killers are born or serial killers are mad, but there is not research proves either that one of them overrules the other. It is important to figure out what creates a serial killer to help further investigate them. Serial killers put a huge impact on society, so it is important to solve them quickly. Also, if there is proper

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SERIAL KILLERS research done on what makes a serial killer tick can help psychologists down the road properly treat them. 4) What are your hypotheses? Hypothesis 1: Serial killer’s development is impacted by the biological factors that develop in their adolescence. Hypothesis 2: Serial killer’s development is impacted by the environmental factors that are around them in their adolescence years. 5) What is your research/experimental approach? Hypothesis 1: The research approach taken is to examine the brains and medical history of serial killers that have already been caught. Hypothesis 2: The research approach taken is to interview family, friends, teachers, etc. about the serial killer’s childhood. Literature Review The literature examined here has a focus on analyzing the development of serial killers. Some researchers tend to emphasize nature or nurture, while the majority emphasize the role of both variables in the formation of a serial killer. Of the material surveyed here the majority of research – four out of seven studies – indicates that physical or biological characteristics in addition to environment circumstances affect serial killers. One study focuses on the genetic roots of serial killers, and finally two studies cite the role of upbringing in the development of a serial killer. These materials provide a wealth of insights into the nature or nurture question. Above all else, the studies suggest that rather than nature or nurture, it is a question of nature and nurture in the formation of a serial killer.

SERIAL KILLERS The studies reviewed here share two methodological frameworks. They tend to rely either on physical examination using neuroimaging technologies to study the physical structure of the brain or on more observational analysis of the circumstances and behaviors of the serial killer. In three instances, researchers combined these methodologies when looking at their subjects. Each framework above plays an important role in developing a thorough understanding of the serial killer makeup. Nature: Emphasis on Physical and Biological Structure Only one of the studies focused solely on the nurture variable. Research from the Academy of Neurology examined 31 individuals convicted of murder (Blake, 1995). In each examination, the subject was given an EEG, MRI, and CT scan. It was found that all subjects suffered from some sort of neurological abnormality. Further, nine individuals shared a common abnormality in the temporal lobe. This study suggests that there are specific areas of the physical brain which may be correlated to murderous tendencies. While it is possible that conditions surrounding the subjects’, upbringings influenced the structural development of the brain, it is certain that the biological component is a significant influence in developing killers. Several other resources also support this claim; however, they propose mutually inclusive view of the nature versus nurture question. Nurture: Emphasis on Upbringing Environment Two of the studies reviewed focus on exclusively on the role of the external environment. Professor Ioana’s study, aptly titled “No One is Born a Killer”, proposes that external influences impact the formation of the serial killer (Ioana, 2015). Specifically, childhood trauma and abuse tend to drive the creation of a serial killer. Her research finds that the main tendency towards violence and reduced self-control comes out of traumatic childhood periods. Professor Sharma

SERIAL KILLERS also cites the nurture variable in producing serial killers (Sharma, 2018). The research focuses on three infamous murderers: Gary Ridgeway, Ted Bundy, and Richard Ramirez. The research team sought to find common elements in the stories of each of the killers which may have been responsible for fostering their tendency to murder. It was found that external stressors and loneliness contributed directly to the subject’s urge to murder. Both cases show that environment stressors lead to trauma and violent urges which, over time, form serial killers. Nature and Nurture: Emphasis on Both Factors Of the seven sources reviewed here, four of them point to a holistic, dual-variable approach to understanding serial killers. A team of three scientists found that in a study of sixty serial killers brain abnormalities and childhood abuse tended to drive the formation of the serial killer. This study of psychosocial mediators emphasized the biological as well as the environmental, and it was published as “Neurodevelopmental and Psychosocial Risk Factors in Serial Killers and Mass Murderers” (Allely et al., 2014). Scientists at the American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology also found that both variables are significant determinants of a serial killer (Jentzen et al., 1994). Their study focused on Jeffrey Dahmer, an infamously brutal murderer. The study found that Dahmer had experienced a mixture of external traumas and well as neurological abnormalities. Dr. Silkes of the University of Massachusetts conducted his research on the notorious Ted Bundy (Silkes, 2010). He focused on quantifying the environmental and genetic factors responsible for the serial killer’s behavior. Finally, Professor Stone’s work in the Journal of Personality Disorders (Stone, 2001) proposes that biological and sociological factors alike contribute to the manifestation of a serial killer. His research analyzes a number of murderers to find that serial killers follow stages of development dependent upon internal and external components.

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SERIAL KILLERS The scientific literature surrounding serial killers typically relies on a framework which incorporates examinations of the physical brain in addition to observational, case study analysis. While some researchers may rely exclusively on one or the other, three utilize both to reach a comprehensive view of the subject. Researchers at the Academy of Neurology used neuroimaging technology (MRI and CT scans) to study the physical brain of their subjects (Blake, 1995 2014). Professor Ioana considered the stories of each subject to create an analysis of the nurture-related factors which trigger murderous behavior (Ioana, 2019). Researchers – Jentzen, Palermo, Johnson, Stormo, and Teggatz also relied on a case study approach to better understand the development of notorious serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer (Jentzen et al., 1994). A similar method was followed by Professor Sharma (Sharma, 2018). She compared the histories of three infamous serial killers to draw insights into the circumstances surrounding each subject’s upbringing. Of the research sampled here, three of the studies used a mix of structural imaging and case study methodologies. The research conducted by the team of Allely, Minnis, Thomson, Wilson, and Gillberg relied upon studying both the history of the subject and his or her brain scans (Allely et al., 2014). Their approach was able to capture both the sociological and neurological factors responsible for the behavior. Similarly, the work of Professor Stone and Dr. Silkes leveraged case studies and neuroimaging scans to cultivate a complete picture of their research subjects (Stone, 2001 & Silkes, 2010). There exists a wealth of informational literature surrounding the study of serial killers. Some researchers focus on the role of upbringing and external environment, while others focus on the biological and structural makeup of the serial killer. Overall, the trend seems to be that both factors are crucial determinants in the occurrence of the serial killer. The researchers

SERIAL KILLERS covered here have drawn these insights by leveraging the use of two standard methodological frameworks. The researchers may use one or both of the x neuroimaging components and a case study component. The question of whether serial killers are born or raised is a fascinating discussion which will continue in research circles for the foreseeable future. Materials & Methods The purpose of this study is to better understand whether serial killers are born or made. That is to say, on the one hand, serial killers may be born with genetic predispositions to violent behavior (Allely, Minnis, Thompson, Wilson, & Gillberg, 2014). On the other hand, serial killers may demonstrate such behavior due to the environment of their upbringing (Allely, Minnis, Thompson, Wilson, & Gillberg, 2014). This study will focus on murderers who have been convicted of multiple accounts of homicide. Research subjects will be initially examined on a case-by-case basis to determine whether or not the murders align with that of a serial killer. For instance, someone convicted of murdering two other people during a shootout would not qualify; while someone who individually sought out multiple victims may be considered. The subjects will undergo neuroscientific examinations to understand the physical and biological components of their behavior better, and they will be interviewed to garner insight into the conditions surrounding their upbringing, which may have influenced their behavior (Blake, Pinches, & Buckner, 1995). This study will take place in prisons and in the laboratory. The component of the research, which focuses on gathering information about the murderer’s upbringing, will be conducted in controlled meeting rooms within the prison. This will ensure maximum safety for both the subject and the researcher. The study will look to examine a minimum of ten individuals who qualify as serial killers based on the guidelines discussed above. Participants should be

SERIAL KILLERS convicted of murdering or attempting to murder multiple victims in a style which suggests multiple, premeditated instances of homicide (Blake, Pinches, & Buckner, 1995). The structural studies of the subjects’ brain will need to be done in a laboratory with adequate neuroimaging technology (Blake, Pinches, & Buckner, 1995). One major step in planning the research sessions will be working with authorities to ensure an exceptionally safe and secure process for bringing subjects into the lab (Silkes, 2010). To research the genetic and biological component of the study, subjects will be examined using brain scans and other neuroimaging technologies in the laboratory (Blake, Pinches, & Buckner, 1995). The control group of the study will be a simple, random sample of individuals who do not exhibit violent behavior. The controls will undergo the same process as the other experimental group. Each subject will go through each test, and the data will be collected in a file for each individual. In addition to each file, the brain-image and brain-scan data from all subjects will be analyzed collectively to see if there are any trends or patterns present in the data (Blake, Pinches, & Buckner, 1995). This analysis will be executed with a visual review by the research time and with software which can help to identify patterns in the digital information (Blake, Pinches, & Buckner, 1995). To understand the nurture component of the study, subjects will be interviewed by researchers. The focus of these interviews will focus on the development of the subject’s mental health over time and the conditions surrounding the subject’s upbringing (Blake, Pinches, & Buckner, 1995). Researchers will seek to identify a shift over time towards violent behavior and reduced self-control in the subject’s mental health. This trend will be understood in the context of a summary of the conditions surrounding the subject’s upbringing. If violent or unfavorable conditions where present in the subject’s environment and there was a marked shift in mental health over time, then it may be that upbringing influenced their violent

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SERIAL KILLERS nature. Finally, a comprehensive review of every individual’s side-by-side results should provide a clear picture of the dynamics responsible for the participant’s violent behavior (Blake, Pinches, & Buckner, 1995). The review will also include the results of the control group, as this will provide a meaningful baseline for comparison. It may be that nature, nurture, or likely some interrelation of the two is responsible for producing serial killers. Results This study will rely on an analysis of both expert interviews with and neuroimaging scans of convicted serial killers. At a high level, the primary distinction between different analyses is the use of descriptive versus inferential statistics (Blake, Pinches, & Buckner, 1995). Descriptive statistics are concerned with understanding the data of the sample group only; whereas inferential statistics take patterns from a sample and extrapolate them to apply to larger populations (Blake, Pinches, & Buckner, 1995). This study will focus on inferential statistics as the analysis of the sample will be used to drive hypotheses about the serial killer population as a whole. The expert interview analysis will be inferential and qualitative. It is qualitative because it will consist of descriptive questions and answers as opposed to numerical data (Blake, Pinches, & Buckner, 1995). The neuroimaging analysis will be quantitative as key measurements and numerical data will be used to support analysis. It is anticipated that researchers will find that there are statistically significant trends present in both the qualitative study of expert interviews and the quantitative study of neuroimaging materials. It is likely that most serial killers sampled have experienced some combination of negative factors in their developmental environment which contributed to their violent behavior (Blake, Pinches, & Buckner, 1995). Common trends will likely include abuse, neglect, and exposure to violence. Further, it is probable that the physical structure of the brain

SERIAL KILLERS will be measurably different for serial killers sampled (Iona, 2013). Areas of the brain correlated with violent behavior and reduced self-control will likely be larger and more active within the sample group (Iona, 2013). Researchers should expect to find that nature and nurture are statistically significant factors in producing serial killers. Discussion This study is important to better understanding why individuals commit homicide, particularly repeated homicides. In order to prevent something, society must first understand why it is happening. Most studies tend to focus on either the variable of nature, such as brain structure or genetic makeup, or on nurture, such as parent behavior or upbringing environment (Stone, 2001). This leaves gap into understanding how the two come together to form serial killers. The study will likely show that focusing solely on either biological components or upbringing conditions will not be sufficient. Instead, society must focus on a holistic approach to preventing the development of violent individuals. There exist two primary limitations in this study. First, it will be difficult to find a very large sample size (n) given that the research is focused on serial killers. The percentage of inmates incarcerated for serial murders is very small (Stone, 2001. Further, many of these convicts may be too dangerous or uncooperative to research. Thus, in our study will likely rely on a small sample size. Second, there is the possibility for some confounding between the two variables of nature and nurture. For example, it is possible that environmental conditions (nurture) could lead to structural changes within the brain (nature). In such a case results would appear to be that nature and nurture are important; when in fact it was actually nurture which directly caused the nature element to appear. The research team must be sure to limit the effects of the small sample and confounding variables.

SERIAL KILLERS This study could be applied to all criminals in the future. It need not be limited to just serial killers. It would also be important to know why drug deals, thieves, rapists, etc. behave in a manner detrimental to society. In the future, the study could also explore factors which lead to serial killing in greater depth. For instance, instead of just exploring nature versus nurture, one could explore the role of things like drugs and alcohol, ethnicity, gender, genetic makeup, and more. There are many future implications presented by the present research. For decades, the question of nature versus nurture in the development of serial killers has been a point of contention. The question has been – are people born or raised to be serial killers? The proposed study will focus on a quantitative and qualitative inferential statistical analysis to determine that both biology and upbringing environment contribute to the development of serial killers. This study will be an important step in understanding why serial killers do as they do and subsequently, how society can prevent the development and proliferation of murders. Conclusion This study will begin with a sampling of convicted murders who have committed multiple instances of homicide. They will be interviewed to yield qualitative data on the conditions surrounding their upbringing (Blake, Pinches, & Buckner, 1995). In addition, subjects will be examined with neuroimaging technology to produce quantitative data on biological structure. An inferential statistical analysis will be conducted to determine whether nature, nurture, or likely both contribute to the development of serial killers. This study will be crucial to understanding the motivation and causation behind murders and how to prevent this problem from manifesting in society.

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SERIAL KILLERS References Brogaard, B. (2017). What Defines a Serial Killer? Retrieved June 6, 2019, from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-superhuman-mind/201705/what-defines- serial-killer Allely, C., Minnis, H., Thompson, L., Wilson, P., & Gillberg, C. (2014). Neurodevelopmental and psychosocial risk factors in serial killers and mass murderers. ScienceDirect . doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.avb.2014.04.004 Blake, P., Pinches, J., & Buckner, C. (1995). Neurologic abnormalities in murderers. American Academy of Neurology . doi: https://doi.org/10.1212/WNL.45.9.1641 Gregorio, F. (2016). Introduction to Genetics. Retrieved June 6, 2019, from https://basicbiology.net/biology-101/introduction-to-genetics Ioana, L. (2013). No One is Born a Killer. Science Direct . Retrieved June 13, 2019, from https://reader.elsevier.com/reader/sd/pii/S1877042813015036?token=44AF3A4D537E2E 9D6B33543A8B26B3F9847D607E9F14F30E6A4DE9A078238F7A89C15CDF2A10F4 DC8A6B37359D24F23F. Jentzen, J., Palermo, G., Johnson, L., Stormo, K., & Teggatz, J. (1994). Destructive Hostility: The Jeffrey Dahmer Case: A Psychiatric and Forensic Study of a Serial Killer. The American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology . doi: 10.1097/00000433- 199412000-00002 Sharma, M. (2018). E Development of Serial Killers: A Grounded eory Study. Retrieved June

SERIAL KILLERS 13, 2019, from https://thekeep.eiu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=https://www.google.com/ &httpsredir =1&article=4722&context=theses Silkes, M. (2010). Exploring the Phenomenon of Serial Killing from a Psychological Standpoint A Review of the Literature. Retrieved June 13, 2019, from https://people.umass.edu/curtis/academics/researchtoolbox/pdfs/Silkes_review.pdf Stone, M. H. (2001). Serial Sexual Homicide: Biological, Psychological, and Sociological Aspects. Journal of Personality Disorders,15 (1), 1-18. Retrieved June 13, 2019, from https://guilfordjournals.com/doi/abs/10.1521/pedi.15.1.1.18646. Theravive. (2019). Examination of the Psychology of Serial Killers. Retrieved June 6, 2019, from https://www.theravive.com/research/examination-of-the-psychology-of-serial- killers

Are Serial Killers Born, Made or Both?

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