Serial Killers: The Psychology Behind Serial Killing.
What is a serial killer? A serial killer is defined to be someone who murders more than three victims one at a time in a relatively short interval with each one taking place at a different location. Also a serial killer will kill continuously and not stop unless he or she is stopped. Unless an event occurs which stops the serial killer such as being institutionalized or incarcerated. Then that will serve as a cool off period, but the killing will continue eventually. One of the biggest misconceptions is that a serial killer and mass murderer are the same. For example, a mass murderer shoots everyone in the post office and then maybe himself. A serial killer will fantasize about the murder until the fantasy is no longer enough to bring about pleasure, then he must commit the crime. In addition, a spree killer is neither a mass murderer nor a serial killer. A spree killer kills everyone in sight no matter who it is. Another misconception is that there is only one type of serial killer. Actually, there are four distinctive types: The visionary motive type is the group of killers considered insane and psychotic. They often hear voices in their head telling them to commit the crime. The missionary-oriented motive type displays no psychosis to the outside world, but on the inside, this killer has a need to rid the world of what he considers immoral or unworthy. This killer will select groups of individuals to kill off such as prostitutes. The thrill oriented motive type is in it just for the fun of it. They get a high from killing. Of all the four types this is the one who enjoys killing very sadistically. He is into killing for the excitement of killing. Finally, the lust killer the sexual one. This is the one who kills for the pure turn on. For the killer, the amount of their pleasure is in direct correlation with how much they can torture their victim; the more heinous their actions, the more exciting it becomes.