A new infographic from BestCounselingDegrees.net and NowSourcing, called 'The Brain of a Serial Killer,' is morbidly fascinating in its dissection (no pun intended) of the inner workings of serial killers from all over the United States.
The infographic begins by explaining that a serial killer is a person who commits three or more murders at three different times, and with a "cooling off period" between each kill. The graph points out that most serial killers report having been abused at some point during their childhood, either psychologically or physically.
Serial killers are generally people who were never able to achieve a sense of belonging in the world. In addition to this social stressor, serial killers have chromosomes and hormone problems that lead to a heightened sense of aggression. This genetic contribution has led to a ton of psychologists researching whether or not the children of serial killers could have the same murderous tendencies as their parents.
This rather intense infographic finishes with a graph revealing that the amount of known serial killers is at the lowest it's been since the 1980s. However, this fact could be seen as daunting, rather than reassuring -- who knows what's out there?
What Makes This Trend Stand Out
- Serial Killer Psychology
- Exploring and understanding the psychology of serial killers can lead to innovative crime prevention measures and mental health treatments.
- Childhood Trauma and Aggression
- Addressing childhood trauma and hormone imbalances that contribute to aggression can prevent future sociopathic behavior.
- Decline in Known Serial Killers
- As the number of known serial killers decreases, law enforcement and mental health professionals can focus on studying past cases to develop preventative measures.
Sectors Adopting This
- Criminal Justice
- Studying the psychology of serial killers and the decline in their numbers can help criminal justice professionals develop new methods for crime prevention and rehabilitation.
- Mental Health
- Examining how childhood trauma and genetic factors contribute to sociopathic behavior can lead to innovative treatments and preventative measures in the field of mental health.
- Education and Research
- Conducting further research and education on the psychology of serial killers can advance the field of psychology and lead to new breakthroughs in understanding human behavior.
