Personality Development of the Serial Murderer

ISBN-13: 9783836434430 / Angielski / Miękka / 2007 / 168 str.

Jackie De Wet

Opis

The phenomenon of serial murder is a crime characterised by a paucity of scientificinformation and an excess of popularised fictional material, contributing to theexistence of inaccurate perceptions of serial murder. Available literature shows thatresearch undertaken to determine the origin and the motivation behind serialhomicide generally focuses on singular aspects of serial murder. In most cases theresearch is directed by theories of the psychoanalytic school, most notably that ofSigmund Freud. Another research approach is to develop models and methods forclassifying serial killers. Despite the value of these models and the research that hasbeen done the information they can provide is limited. In most cases the research andthe models focus on singular aspects associated with the development of serialmurderers, for example, the internal conflicts experienced by the child. The goal ofthis study is to determine which internal and external factors influence the personalitydevelopment of the serial murderer. The research therefore focuses on how thesefactors were internalised and expressed behaviourally by the individual. To achievethis, the psychosocial perspective, which consisted of three psychological theories,was used to determine the role of both internal and external influences in thepersonality development of the individual. The psychosocial perspective was used toanalyse two case studies and to compile a detailed explanation for the personalitydevelopment and the personality structure of each of the serial murderers. Thepsychosocial perspective was structured in such a way that it could show theinfluence of internal and external factors on the personality development. Thisincluded the influence of the family atmosphere as well as behaviour and personalitytypes that developed. The book was written to assit both researchers, students andinvestigating officers in gaining a better understanding of a complex phenomenon aswell as facilitating further research into serial murder.