Nature and Nurture: How they play a role in Serial Killers and their Victims (1970-1999)
Location
Room 232, Schewel Hall
Access Type
Campus Access Only
Entry Number
83
Start Date
4-5-2023 10:30 AM
End Date
4-5-2023 10:45 AM
College
College of Health Sciences
Department
Biomedical Science
Keywords
serial killer, abuse, brain damage, MAOA gene
Abstract
Investigating the relationship between a serial killer’s nature (their biological makeup) and nurture (their learned behavior) is important due to the fact that any trauma they experienced as a child makes them more likely to offend as an adult. This study will look at how nature (e.g., biological brain damage and the MAOA gene) and nurture (e.g., their physical upbringing) affected serial killers, specifically the number of their victims, during the “serial killer era”, 1970 to 1999. All serial killers meeting our criteria, will be studied to determine to what extent they were abused as a child, the number of head injuries they had, and the number of their victims. Previous studies will provide additional context to the potential roles of brain damage and variants of the MAOA gene in serial killings. Data will either be quantified and subjected to statistical analyses (i.e., t-tests, univariate analysis, and multivariate analysis) to determine if there is any correlation between childhood abuse, brain damage, and the number of the serial killer’s victims. Because brain scans and MAOA gene sequencing are only available for select serial killers, this data will be qualitatively described. This study will provide greater awareness to the effects of childhood abuse, traumatic brain injuries, and genetics in producing serial killers, which will ultimately lead to potential interventions in childhood that prevent serial killers from making the conscious decision to hurt others as adults.
Faculty Mentor(s)
Dr. Christine Terry
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Nature and Nurture: How they play a role in Serial Killers and their Victims (1970-1999)
Room 232, Schewel Hall
Investigating the relationship between a serial killer’s nature (their biological makeup) and nurture (their learned behavior) is important due to the fact that any trauma they experienced as a child makes them more likely to offend as an adult. This study will look at how nature (e.g., biological brain damage and the MAOA gene) and nurture (e.g., their physical upbringing) affected serial killers, specifically the number of their victims, during the “serial killer era”, 1970 to 1999. All serial killers meeting our criteria, will be studied to determine to what extent they were abused as a child, the number of head injuries they had, and the number of their victims. Previous studies will provide additional context to the potential roles of brain damage and variants of the MAOA gene in serial killings. Data will either be quantified and subjected to statistical analyses (i.e., t-tests, univariate analysis, and multivariate analysis) to determine if there is any correlation between childhood abuse, brain damage, and the number of the serial killer’s victims. Because brain scans and MAOA gene sequencing are only available for select serial killers, this data will be qualitatively described. This study will provide greater awareness to the effects of childhood abuse, traumatic brain injuries, and genetics in producing serial killers, which will ultimately lead to potential interventions in childhood that prevent serial killers from making the conscious decision to hurt others as adults.