The Psychology of Serial Killers

Name: The Psychology of Serial Killers
Rating: 4.2 (261 reviews)

Learn about the psychological factors involved in serial murders.

Created byCenter for Forensic Mental Health (CFMH)

Last updated 8/2020

English

English [Auto],

What you'll learn

Students will learn about the various psychological factors related to serial killer pathology
Students will learn about the FBI's serial killer typology as well as motives based typology
Students will learn psychological, biological, and social factors related to serial killer populations.

Course content

7 sections • 32 lectures • 1h 48m total length

Introduction to Course2:10
This lecture will review the course syllabus and provide information related to content and structure.
Serial Murder vs Murder2:21
Explore how serial murder differs from other homicides through intentional premeditation, repetition, and behavioral patterns, and examine psychological factors driving a compulsive drive to kill.
Definition of Serial Murder4:08
This lecture will define "serial murders" and explain the criteria required to meet the operational definition.
Prevalence of Serial Murders + ACTIVITY3:55
Explore the rarity of serial killings, with FBI stats showing less than one percent of violent crimes; learn how the Murder Accountability Project uses patterns to identify serial murder clusters.
Debunking Common Myths1:32
This lecture will introduce section content related to common myths about serial killers and their characteristics.
Myth 1: All Serial Killers Are Men1:35
Challenge the myth that all serial killers are men by noting that 17 percent are female and that Aileen Wuornos was the first labeled female serial killer in 1989.
Myth #2: All Serial Killers Are Caucasian2:52
Debunks the myth that all serial killers are Caucasian, showing diverse race and ethnicity among killers with FBI statistics and real examples. Highlights media bias and implications for African-American communities.
Myth #3: All Serial Killers Are Isolated and Dysfunctional Loners2:38
Debunk the myth that serial killers are isolated, dysfunctional loners. Many blend into society, living normal lives with families and work, as in D'Angelo, Gates, and Rader.
Myth #4: All Serial Murderers Travel Widely and Kill Interstate4:50
Debunk the myth that serial killers travel widely; most operate within a defined geographic area anchored to residence or employment, with exceptions like Bundy who killed across several states.
BONUS ACTIVITY: JACK THE RIPPER DOCUMENTARY0:20
Myth #5:All Serial Killers Are Either Mentally Ill Or Evil Geniuses+ DOCUMENTARY5:19
BONUS ACTIVITY: SON OF SAM DOCUMENTARY YOUTUBE0:01

Introduction to Typology1:16
This lecture will review typology and its use in serial killer research.
Organized versus Disorganized Dichotomy5:06
Explain the FBI's organized versus disorganized dichotomy, detailing organized killers' planning, evidence removal, and social normalcy, contrasted with disorganized killers' opportunistic, chaotic murders.
Limitations of Organized/Disorganized Typology2:34
Critique the FBI's organized versus disorganized typology, noting its dichotomous limits, limited utility for ongoing serial murder cases, and sample biases.
Holmes & Holmes Reclassification: 4 major typologies1:24
The lecture introduces the Holmes and Berger motive-based typology of serial killers, outlining four motive types—visionary, mission, hedonistic, and power and control, and previews detailed exploration of each.
Visionary/Mission Orientated5:03
Explore visionary and mission oriented serial killers: the visionary type, driven by voices or gods and insanity defense; mission killers target prostitutes, minorities, and homosexuals.
Hedonistic (Lust, Thrill, Comfort)6:16
Explore hedonic serial killers, divided into lust, thrill, and comfort subtypes, who kill for pleasure, plan meticulously, and may evade capture, with examples including Dahmer, Hansen, and Puente.
Power & Control Orientated2:24
Examine power and control oriented serial killers, where narcissistic need for control drives methodical killings, exemplified by Charles Cullen, the angel of death killer who wields life and death.
Limitations of Holmes Typology3:45
Explore the limitations of the motive-based Holmes typology, including male and Caucasian bias, lack of empirical testing, unrevealed classification methods, and replication challenges across cases.

Pedro López (Colombia)2:09
Uncover the crimes of Pedro Lopez, the Monster of the Andes, who raped and killed hundreds of young girls across Peru, Ecuador, and Colombia.
Mikhail Popkov (Russia)2:48
Examine the case of Mikhail Popkov in Russia, a police officer convicted of murdering twenty-two women after offering rides, with DNA evidence linking him to the crimes.
Willy Pickton (Canada)2:30
Harold Shipman (United Kingdom)3:01
Examine Harold Shipman, a United Kingdom general practitioner in Hyde, who murdered hundreds of patients with lethal injections from 1975 to 1998, and was convicted of 15 murders.
Gary Ridgway (United States)2:18
Highlight Gary Ridgway, the green river killer in Washington, who killed over forty women in the 1980s and 1990s, pled guilty to forty-eight murders, and claimed upwards of eighty victims.

Requirements

No requirements.

Description

‘‘I was a normal person. I had good friends. I led a normal life, except for this one, small but very potent and destructive segment that I kept very secret and close to myself’’.

-Ted Bundy.

This course will take you through the various aspects that lead to serial killings. We will look at the psychological research related to the development of sexual deviance, the influence of trauma, and the social factors which can contribute to serial killer formation.

The course syllabus will cover the following questions:

What defines a serial killer?
Are all serial killers caucasian and male?
Do all serial killers have schizophrenia?
What is behavioral profiling and does it work?
What leads an individual to commit serial murders?

These questions and more will be answered throughout this course!

****Please note that this course will cover many difficult topics including murder, sexual assault, and abuse. Some students may find these topics difficult to learn about. Please be mindful of your reactions. Practice self-care.

We hope you find this course educational! Do forget to leave a review. We appreciate any feedback.

Who this course is for:

All levels interested in forensic psychology

The Psychology of Serial Killers

What you'll learn

Explore related topics

Course content

Introduction12 lectures • 32min

CLASSIFICATION OF SERIAL KILLERS/TYPOLOGY8 lectures • 28min

BEHAVIORAL PROFILING2 lectures • 13min

Contemporary Trait Theories2 lectures • 13min

Interview with a Serial Killer1 lecture • 9min

Five Serial Killers You Have Probably Never Heard About5 lectures • 13min

Conclusion/Summary2 lectures • 1min

Requirements

Description

Who this course is for: