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Kyleigh Cassidy

Mr. Wood

English IV

3 February 2020

To Kill or Not to Kill

His earliest memory is being beaten with a broom and getting hit across the head and

being knocked unconscious. Son of an abusive and alcoholic father, beaten for simply existing.

Having to watch his sisters and mother be beaten with a razor strap by their drunken father. His

father thought of him as a failed child and called him “sissy” or “mama’s boy” growing up.

Sexually assaulted constantly by his father and raped by a family friend, which started his

struggle with his own sexuality. Unable to join his peers in sports or games due to suffering

from a heart condition. Overweight and uncouth, he was mocked by neighborhood bullies. Ill

health prevented him from performing well at school, resulting in him dropping out of high

school. This is the childhood of John Wayne Gacy, or Pogo the Clown. He would later go on

and assault and murder thirty-three men and teenage boys.

The oldest of four brothers, son of happily married parents and avid church goers.

Baptized in a Lutheran church. His father was in the Marine Corps, encouraging him to join the

Boy Scouts of America, aspiring to learn skills like his father. He participated in church youth

group activities and attended religious summer camps. Everything he did he was strongly

supported by his parents and he was an idol to his three younger brothers. Lived in a modest but

pleasant white house in the center of Wichita, Kansas. Described as polite, studious and quiet,

performed well in school and graduated high school, later went to college and the Air Force.
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This is the childhood of Dennis Rader, or BTK. He would later go on and burtually murder ten

people, including two children.

Raised undeniably different but would later commit similar heinous acts. So what made

them do it? Dennis Rader suffered no trauma from his childhood, he, by all accounts, had a

picture-perfect family, yet would go on to harm many people. We can assume that Dennis Rader

is an example of nature being a determinant of serial killers. Nature is the biological or genetic

predispositions' impact on traits. Also, genes and hereditary factors are the main influence on

who we are and who we become (Cherry). Simply put, if someone in your family, your parents

or before them, had or have the personality trait of being aggressive, chances you may inherit

that trait would be more likely. John Wayne Gacey had an unfortunate and tragic childhood. He

endured unimaginable challenges and his father could ultimately be to blame for what Gacey

would later do. Given what Gacey went through, one could conclude his actions relate to the

product of nurture. Nurture is attributed to all the environmental variables that impact who we

are and may become. Which means our early childhood experiences, how we were raised, our

social relationships, and our surrounding culture (Cherry). A prime example of this is language,

if your parents use foul language, the child is most likely going to mimic what they heard.

Nature vs. nurture debate is an essential phenomenon in psychology.

For my senior project, I plan to research this question: “Are serial killers a product of

nature or nurture?” As many say, “Killers are Made, Not Born,” meaning serial killers are a

product of nurture. In my paper I will explore this idea, and challenge it. I’ll examine serial

killers’ lives, so it will be seen more clearly. I will explore parental attitudes, upbringing style,

social relations, social-economic conditions, which are believed to be the most important signals
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of creating a serial killer. Of course, I will also explore genetic and physiological tendencies.

There is a lot of research and experiments about genetic tendencies and hormones and chemical

properties related to crime and violence. In short, both nature and nurture may take part in the

development of a serial killer. However, I want to develop a more clear cut understanding of the

phenomenon.

Nature vs. nurture is a complex argument that has caused controversy. The debate

involves the extent to which certain aspects of one's behavior is acquired through influence or

something inherited. It is known that physical characteristics are biologically determined

through genetic inheritance. For example, pigmentation of the skin, height, colors of eyes and

specific disease are all a function of genes that are inherited. Due to physical characteristics

being biological, it has led to the speculation of whether personality and behavioral traits and

tendencies are “wired in” before we are even born. Nativists are nature extremists, they adopt

the belief that behavioral attributes are a result of inheritance. Nativist basic assumption is that

characteristics as a whole are a production of evolution and that individual differences are due to

a unique genetic code (McLeod). On the other end of the debate are the empiricists or

environmentalists. The environmentalists take an extreme nurture position. Their overall belief

is that, at birth a child is born as a “blank slate” and the child is gradually “filled” as a result of

their surroundings and experiences. Environmentalists believe that psychological characteristics

and behavioral differences that begin to show during infancy and childhood are primarily due to

results of learning (McLoed). Ultimately how one is raised is what governs the psychological

significant aspects of childhood development.

Many psychological experiments have been done regarding nature and nurture. Sigmund
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Freud was a Austrian neurologist and the founder of psychoanalysis. Frued performed many

experiments and developed many theories through mentally ill patients. He discovered many

factors that contribute to both nature and nurture. Sigmound Freud developed a theory of

aggression as being an innate drive. Freud’s psychodynamic theory created the assumption that

behavior is propelled by thoughts that lie in the subconscious mind. His theory concluded that

aggressive behavior is a result of mostly genetic factors. Evidence to agree with Freud,

“Scientists have discovered an inherited defect that results in aggressive and sometimes violent

behaviour… It is the first time researchers have found a specific genetic mutation that can cause

aggression” (Connor). Human nature consists of some deep characteristics which try to satisfy

specific needs such as aggression. Nature is a valuable aspect to why certain traits are more

intense than others.

Frued also found that childhood development has a huge impact on behavior. He

discovered that events in our childhood greatly influence adult lifestyle and have a lot to do with

shaping personality. Freud discovered that parenting is the primary contribution to the

development of childhood. In Freuds’ book, ​An Outline of Psychoanalysis​ ​(1940),​ Freud

analyzed the importance of a parent’s performance in their child’s life. Frued developed that in a

perfect world, during childhood a child should endure various forms of situational consequences

in their lifetime. This would help the child establish their psyche as they begin to understand

right from wrong. Learning is a skill that is based on the acquisition of new knowledge or in

other words, knowledge that is not inherited (Thompson III). However, he also believed that the

influence parents had on their kids slowly dissolves away over the course of time, leaving it up to

the child to find new ways of conditioning. Meaning after a while it is up to the child to create
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their own way of learning and understanding social circumstances.

It is well known that extremely traumatic experiences, especially ones during childhood,

have a huge impact on daily life as an adult. These experiences can shape an individual's life

choices, behavior and personality. With knowing this, research into the connection between

childhood abuse and criminal behavior started. Particularly, childhood abuse in correlation with

serial killers. “Not all abused children become serial killers, and not all serial killers are victims

of childhood abuse,” (Davies). However the connection between the abused children and serial

killers cannot be viewed as just a coincidence.

Serial killers coming from a traumatic background is typically how most people would

assume why they do such horrific things. There are many television series, movies,

documentaries and books that portray serial killers with horrible backgrounds. The majority of

serial killers have a history of experiencing abuse during childhood. A study done in 2005 in the

Journal of Police and Criminal Psychology​ showed that over 50% of serial killers experienced

psychological abuse, 36% experienced physical abuse and 26% have experienced sexual abuse

all during childhood (Dorwart). In an interview with Haley Dudziak, studying to become a

certified criminal analyst, states that, “Serial killers often have feelings of inadequacy and

worthlessness, which we can mostly attribute to abuse from childhood or the pressures from

poverty and low socioeconomic status.” Serial killers' crimes may compensate for their feeling

of belittlement and their killings may give them a sense of validation and social revenge. Serial

killers’ crimes give them power and control they longed for as a child. There is a correlation

between childhood abuse and their crimes.

An example of a serial killer translating their trauma into serial crime is Edmond

Kemper. Kemper killed 10 people including his mother and his grandparents. He had a

turbulent childhood and reported his mother was abusive, physically and mentally. In an

interview when asked about his mother he described her as, “big, ugly, awkward woman who

was six feet tall and she was always trying to get me to go out with girls who were just like her”

(Goad). Kemper experienced two near death experiences as a child where his older sister tried to

push him in front of a train and he came close to drowning after being pushed into a swimming

pool. Growing up with only girls he ran away to his father, only to find his father remarried with

a new son. One night he got into a heated argument with his grandparents and killed both of

them, his mother turned him in and Kemper spent his time in the criminally insane unit of the

Atascadero State Hospital where he scored an IQ of 145 and consistently manipulated

psychiatrists. When released, he lived a relatively average life, until he started picking up female

hitch-hikers. He then killed 6 female students, including his mother and her friend. Kemper

developed a modus operandi that involved, “shooting, stabbing, smothering or strangling his

victims and then taking the bodies back to his home where he would commit irrumatio on their

severed heads, vaginal intercourse with their bodies and later dissect and dismember them. He

also admitted to consuming the flesh of his victims” (“Edmund Kemper Biography”). Kemper

also admitted to burying a body under his mother's window with the head facing up because his

mother always wanted to be looked up to. Kemper targeted women because he was verbally,

physically and mentally abused by women growing up. The trauma from his mother would later

be the biggest attribute to why he would go one and commit his crime. Kemper along with many

other serial killers’ main objective of killing was to gain or exert power over their victims.
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Biological aspects and genetics may take part in the development of serial killers. It has

been discovered that some serial killers have XYY syndrome or Klinefelter's syndrome. This

syndrome is a genetic condition in which the male has an extra Y chromosome. The symptoms

of XYY syndrome are taller on average, extremely bad acne, and an increased risk of learning

disabilities. It is also known that the Y chromosome stimulates the production of testosterone so

it can cause aggression, violent tendencies and impulsivity. People who have this syndrome tend

to be more sadistic (Brogaard). Bobby Joe Long was a convicted serial killer who had

Klinefelter's syndrome. During puberty Long’s breasts began to grow causing him a lot of

embarrassment and anger when he was younger. Long would later attribute this as built up anger,

which drove him into raping over 50 women and later escalating to killing 10 women over a

10-week period (John). The extra Y chromosome is a logical account for extreme aggressive

behaviour and there is evidence that links the extra Y chromosome to the deviant behavior of

serial killers.

Research has found that serial killers have higher testosterone levels on average. These

genetic aspects cause their behavior to be more impatient and aggressive. However we can not

for sure tell whether or to what extent an individual can be born a killer, we know many serial

killers also have antisocial personality disorder. When someone has antisocial personality

disorder typically has a disregard for morals, social norms, and the rights and feelings of others,

perform harmful acts for their own gain or pleasure, manipulation, lack of empathy and lack of

guilt, lack of fear, along with other things (Brogaard). The heritability of antisocial personality

disorder is estimated to be 38%. Majority of the most prolific and dangerous serial killers were

genetically disposed to behave antisocially.

A good example of nature is Ted Bundy. Both parents were well educated and had high

socioeconomic status. He was raised by a deeply religious family and his grandparents were an

active part of his childhood. Bundy's parents raised him to be polite and kind, and taught him

school was important. However around the age of three Ted Bundy’s aunt reported he would slip

butcher knives under her sheets, while she was sleeping and would “sit there and grin” as he

watched her struggle to get up without cutting herself (John). Bundy’s classmates described him

as shy and awkward. Bundy graduated from the University of Washington with a degree in

psychology. Bundy then confessed to 36 murders in the 1970’s, however experts believe the

actual number is higher. In an interview, Ted Bundy said, “We serial killers are your sons, we

are your husbands, we are everywhere. And there will be more of your children dead tomorrow”

(“Ted Bundy Biography”). Bundy said this infamous quote during an interrogation with

Detective Keppel. Bundy was telling Keppel about the murder of an 18-year-old college student.

Keppel was shocked by Bundy’s ability to make it a casual discussion of his hatred for women

and the way he would speak so calmly about his heinous crimes. When Keppel questioned his

ability to normalize this, Bundy shared what is stated above. Bundy thought he was “wired” to

kill and there were more people out there just like him.

In,​ The Anatomy of Violence,​ Dr Raine explains that “Genetics and environment work

together to encourage violent behavior.” For example, individuals with a specific variety of the

enzyme monoamine-oxidase-A gene are more likely to show violent tendencies if that individual

has had a traumatizing childhood. A young individual vulnerable to hereditarily determined

conduct directly doesn't really turn into a criminal. In any case, hereditary qualities, coupled with

natural factors, for example, violent experiences, cooperate to shape an individual. Early in
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development, environmental factors may modify the gene expression directly, in effect altering

brain functioning and resulting in antisocial behaviour. Early environmental factors will alter

gene expression, which then contributes to the brain-behavior cascade. The relationship between

nature and nurture and criminal behavior appears to be very valid. In an interview with Jim

Clemente, a part of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), done by journalist Nicola Davies,

Clemente said, “Genetics loads the gun, their personality and psychology aim it, and their

experiences pull the trigger.” Dr. Helen Morrison is a forensic psychologist who focuses on and

examines the minds of serial killers, and has interviewed numerous amounts of serial killers.

Morrison aims to identify what causes a serial killer to become a serial killer and how they

develop. She also argues that all serial killers are the same and they are motivated by the

psychological gratification of the act. Morrison attributes both nature and nurture to the

development of serial killers (Courtauld). Both nature and nurture seem to suffice so whether

serial killers experience different abnormalities, whether it be during childhood or there is a part

of the brain, or even, a mixture of the two.

To answer my question, “Are serial killers a product of nature or nurture” I think it is safe

to conclude that they work together. Maybe it’s not that serial killers are made, but that the

majority of individuals are unmade, by socialization and good upbringings. Nature and nurture is

an endless debate. After examining different cases of serial killers, regarding nature and nurture,

it becomes clear that in certain cases one will over one, one will always prevail over the other.

For Dennis Rader and Ted Bundy, nature was stronger than nurture. For John Wayne Gacy and

Edmund Kemper, nurture was stronger than nature. In an interview with Max Ahmadi, a former

FBI agent, says, “Growing up in an environment that was conducive to good mental health and
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an overall happiness is not enough to override natural propensity for violence.” Nurture was a

standard quality and the nature of inner self is what must be examined. In conclusion, nature and

nurture play a significant role in who we become, though the pull for one may be stronger than

the other. Who we become due to genetics and environment can only be decided on a case by

case basis. The discussion on whether serial killers are a product of nature and nurture is very

important to society. It would help psychologists and the Federal Bureau of Investigation

understand what creates serial killers, and then future advancements can be made to help identify

future serial killers.

Work Cited

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Accessed 14 Mar 2020.

"Who Is Edmund Kemper? Everything You Need To Know". ​Thefamouspeople.Com​, 2020,

https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/edmund-kemper-30702.php. Accessed 10

Mar 2020.

Ahmadi, Max. Former FBI agent. Personal Interview. 20 March 2020.

Brogaard, Berit. "Do All Serial Killers Have A Genetic Predisposition To Kill?".

Psychology Today​, 2020,

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killers-have-genetic-predisposition-kill. Accessed 14 Mar 2020.

Cherry, Kendra. "What To Know About Nature Vs. Nurture". ​Verywell Mind​, 2020,

https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-nature-versus-nurture-2795392. Accessed 10

Mar 2020.

Connor, Steve. "Scientists Link Defective Gene To Aggression: Inherited Disorder Could".

The Independent​, 2020,

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herited-disorder-could-explain-behaviour-1493946.html. Accessed 10 Mar 2020.

Courtauld, Alice. "Serial Killers, Born Or Made? | Shout Out UK". ​Shout Out UK,​ 2020,

https://www.shoutoutuk.org/2014/09/01/serial-killers-born-made/. Accessed 23 Mar

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