TV psychologist on serial killer traits and why some people obsess over them

16 August 2023 , 15:07

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Leading psychologist Emma Kenny believes it's 70 percent genetics and 30 percent nurture that shapes a serial killer (Image: Emma Kenny)

True crime podcasts, dramas and docuseries have exploded in popularity in recent years, from Tiger King to Making A Murderer and The Jinx, the world's obsession with high-profile serial killers and murderers is now bigger than ever before.

But where does the fascination with dark killers come from and what types of people are more inclined to immerse themselves in the genre? We take a look into the phenomenon with the help of true crime expert and psychologist, Emma Kenny.

From what makes and breaks a serial killer to the long-standing debate on whether humans are born with an innate moral compass, Emma addresses commonly-asked questions so you'll understand a whole lot more about true crime and why you're invested in it.

Those that tend to be most fascinated by serial killers are curious, empathetic and want bad people to get caught, according to Emma (stock photo) (Getty Images)

Why are people so obsessed with true crime?

Those with a curious and empathetic nature are more inclined to develop an obsession with dangerous people, Emma said. She told the Mirror: "There are lots of reasons why people are fascinated with true crime. One of the main things that comes across in research is that women in particular are massively invested in the genre. They tend to want to 'rehearse' - to see a criminal situation unfold that they'd never ideally have to find themselves in, and go through all of the emotions the person may be experiencing, to see how they'd feel and act in those circumstances."

In extreme cases, a superfan may have hybristophilia - a paraphilia involving attraction to those who commit crimes - which is also known as 'Bonnie and Clyde syndrome'. Many high-profile criminals, such as Ted Bundy and Jeffrey Dahmer, have received 'fan mail', money and gifts in prison, despite being serial killers. Remorseless rapist and multiple-murderer Richard Ramirez had legions of groupies writing him love letters throughout his trial and imprisonment.

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Sheila Isenberg, author of Women Who Love Men Who Kill, found that many brides of Death Row inmates had traumatic and abusive pasts, while Psychologist Leon F. Seltzer said cases of alpha males tended to attract women, even if they are consciously aware that its dangerous to date a serial killer.

Though, Emma explained that society typically "loves a legacy of justice" and, "we really want bad people to get caught, and often this genre will give you that privilege of seeing somebody end up being incarcerated for their actions". "Another reason is that people who are really invested in the true crime genre tend to have higher empathy and agreeability levels, so their natural state is to want to feel how another person feels," she said. "I don't think anything is more evocative and provocative than the true crime genre."

Emma added: "Interestingly, the people who are most massively invested in crime tends to be higher earners." According to new research by Google Pixel, 82 percent of people consume crime and this rises to a staggering 88 percent among those on a higher-than-average wage.

What makes and breaks a serial killer?

Emma claims that according to scientific research and previous patterns, all serial killers are born psychopaths, but a mix of early traumas is what makes them become barbaric murderers. "Usually, you can see the fractures in the foundations. Experiencing trauma, drug abuse, inconsistent parenting, criminal behaviour, these are all big red flags," she explained. "Of course, there are people who will always be outside of that."

"If you're born to the right parents in the right postcode with the right privilege, you probably won't end up a serial killer, but that doesn't mean you won't end up a corporate psychopath, for example," she continued. "The mindset is there, but what happens on that journey denotes whether you're going to end up being a very rare anomaly, which is what a serial killer is, versus being a damaging individual who wreaks havoc on society to some degree, but without actually going ahead and doing the horrible killings."

Emma explained that there are two types of murderers - organised and disorganised - and the latter is easier to catch. "When it comes down to disorganised killers, it tends to be more easy, because they typically aren't consequential thinkers," she said. "They aren't crazily sophisticated or thinking about getting away with it. It tends to be more random and therefore, it's quite easy to figure out forensically, with our amazing technology, who those individuals are."

Emma explained that a mix of early traumas is what causes a serial killer to act, and they are usually caught when they are disorganised (stock photo) (Getty Images)

Do you think people can be born evil?

While childhood trauma plays a large role in shaping a person to have the desire to kill, Emma believes the most sadistic serial killers are born evil. "I genuinely feel that DNA genetic predisposition exists," she claimed. "I'm not saying that it's always activated, because we see that 20 percent of people in senior corporate positions are psychopaths - so they have the potential to do some really horrible things, but they don't do the extreme horrible things. I think it's within their psyche, but then you need a series of activators and those activators can be trauma, abuse, being born into an inhospitable climate as a child, not being nurtured or cared for. These are all things that can push you further down the line to desire dominance."

Emma stressed that "having a mental illness does not make a serial killer in any circumstances, but there will be certain people predisposed who also have a mental illness". In summary, she explained: "I think it's 70 percent genetics and 30 percent nurture when it comes down to serial killers."

Emma has teamed up with best-selling crime author, Ajay Chowdhury, to create an interactive murder mystery eBook, The Invitation. "The eBook is amazing. If people are on the commute and they want to try out the crime genre, or they already love it, it's a 20 minute immersive gamified opportunity," she explained. Commuters can download their free copy of Google Fold's The Invitation online, with no extended WiFi access needed.

Nia Dalton