The Psychology of Serial Killers: Understanding Criminal Motivations

Criminal psychology seeks to understand the motivations, behaviors, and psychological patterns of serial killers. Research suggests that early childhood trauma, combined with factors like thrill-seeking, anger, control, and a lack of remorse, can drive individuals to commit serial murders. This study explores how emotions such as pleasure and aggression influence criminal behavior. It will also seek to investigate psychological, social, and environmental influences to see what serial killers like Theodore Bundy, Jeffery Dahmer, and John Wayne Gacy, motivations were between those factors to commit heinous crimes. We look at their criminal psychology through a biblical framework centered around a Christian worldview of the concept of sin and morality to Investigate if motivation can be justified by the concepts of mortality especially giving us a deeper look into exploring those concepts through sin. This study aims to show how important investigating criminal psychology is to see why they have a need or motivation to kill.