# The three traits of serial killers **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 23, 2007, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-three-traits-of-serial-killers/389143 "2007-01-23T20:02:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![DJ\_Motorbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90ced4/32.png) [@DJ\_Motorbike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DJ_Motorbike)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2007, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-three-traits-of-serial-killers/389143/21 "2007-01-24T00:15:17Z")
[QUOTE=carnivorousplant] Refering to it as “nocturnal emissions” is another sign. 🙂 [/QUOTE] Making shit up is another sign. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2007, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-three-traits-of-serial-killers/389143/22 "2007-01-24T00:24:20Z")
[QUOTE=carnivorousplant] Refering to it as “nocturnal emissions” is another sign. 🙂 [/QUOTE] I knew someone who had a nighttime radio show called “Nocturnal Emissions”. He was not a serial killer, at least when I knew him. There are no absolutes in psychological assessment. It’s true though that these three parameters (especially severe cruelty to animals and fondness for arson) are warning signs of sociopathic behavior and are found in many serial killers. Read yer true crime books. ---
**Author:** ![Ragiel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6de8d8/32.png) [@Ragiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ragiel)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2007, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-three-traits-of-serial-killers/389143/23 "2007-01-24T01:29:04Z")
“Unfortunately, few future killers are obliging enough to come into your office, set fire to a kitten, and pee on it.” I don’t remember the name of the guest lecturer who gave a presentation on development of psychopathy to my psychiatric residency class, but I’ve never forgotten this. ---
**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2007, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-three-traits-of-serial-killers/389143/24 "2007-01-24T01:35:42Z")
[QUOTE=Ragiel] “Unfortunately, few future killers are obliging enough to come into your office, set fire to a kitten, and pee on it.” [/QUOTE] I am _so_ going to hell for laughing at this… ---
**Author:** ![ianzin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ed655f/32.png) [@ianzin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ianzin)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2007, 11:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-three-traits-of-serial-killers/389143/25 "2007-01-24T11:18:12Z")
Yeah! It’s nonsense correlation time! This is not far from the classic fallacy of “Post hoc ergo prompter hoc.” Remember, a very high percentage of those on Death Row ate potatoes as a child. And many people suffering cancer have been exposed to [dihydrogen monoxide](http://www.dhmo.org/). Putting it another way: you can find serial killers who displayed none of these ‘signs’. And you can find people who displayed all of these ‘signs’ and who did not become serial killers. The reason is, they aren’t ‘signs’ of anything at all. Any suggestion to the contrary is just a desire to see and find a pattern where none exists. Good. Now that we’ve sorted that out, I’m off to set fire to a cow. Just as soon as I’ve finished hosing down my rubber mattress. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2007, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-three-traits-of-serial-killers/389143/26 "2007-01-24T12:23:41Z")
Well, I met this really hot chick at a funeral, and I, like, really wanted to see her again. So I killed my brother. ---
**Author:** ![casdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@casdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/casdave)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2007, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-three-traits-of-serial-killers/389143/27 "2007-01-24T12:52:24Z")
If this were true, there would be no serial killers, as they would be indentified well in advance of their crimes. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2007, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-three-traits-of-serial-killers/389143/28 "2007-01-24T13:02:52Z")
[QUOTE=UncleRojelio] The article left out the serial killer’s prerequiste. First, he needs the [Classic Middle Name](http://newsoftheweird.com/wayne.html) and then, if they display the above behaviors, you will have serial killer on your hands. [/QUOTE] Provided that he does not act at all suspiciously so that you can be seen on news clips saying, “He was a really quiet guy. The last person you would suspect of something like this.” ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2007, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-three-traits-of-serial-killers/389143/29 "2007-01-24T13:21:22Z")
Does chloroformizing, killing and cutting apart earthworms, frogs, chickens and rabbits count as “torturing animals”? Cos in that case, anybody who went to my high school exhibited trait #1 during 9th grade. We killed them before cutting them apart! And we used anesthesia! ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2007, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-three-traits-of-serial-killers/389143/30 "2007-01-24T13:31:01Z")
I guess I should point out that my full online name is Hypno-Wayne-Toad. I’m not a psycho and I’ll KILL the first person who says otherwise. ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2007, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-three-traits-of-serial-killers/389143/31 "2007-01-24T13:42:21Z")
Let’s not forget the infamous [serial](http://www.bbc.co.uk/crime/caseclosed/images/dahmerlg.jpg) [killer](http://prisonpotpourri.com/SERIAL%20KILLERS/Rader/BTK%20serial%20killer%20Dennis%20Rader%20listens%20to%20testimony%20in%20the%20sentencing%20phase%20of%20his%20trial%20Wednesday%20in%20Sedgwick%20County%20Court%20in%20Wichita,%20Kan.jpg) [glasses](http://www.adeguello.net/F06_ene_chikatilo.gif). Large, squareish, 1970s looking frames, evoking the solitary nerd or the barely-socialized gun nut. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2007, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-three-traits-of-serial-killers/389143/32 "2007-01-24T14:24:51Z")
[QUOTE=ianzin] Putting it another way: you can find serial killers who displayed none of these ‘signs’. And you can find people who displayed all of these ‘signs’ and who did not become serial killers. The reason is, they aren’t ‘signs’ of anything at all. Any suggestion to the contrary is just a desire to see and find a pattern where none exists. [/quote] Denial is often a sign of sociopathy seen in serial killers. 🙂 But if you don’t like the triad of telltale characteristics mentioned in the OP, [here’s another](http://www.uplink.com.au/lawlibrary/Documents/Docs/Doc5.html): _“In a chart of serial killer - childhood development characteristics - created by Ressler, Burgers and Douglas (1990), the three most frequently reported behaviors included day dreaming, compulsive masturbation, and isolation.”_ (looks around fearfully at other Dopers) ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2007, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-three-traits-of-serial-killers/389143/33 "2007-01-24T14:45:18Z")
[QUOTE=Jackmannii] _“In a chart of serial killer - childhood development characteristics - created by Ressler, Burgers and Douglas (1990), the three most frequently reported behaviors included day dreaming, compulsive masturbation, and isolation.”_ [/QUOTE] It seems to me that masturbation is sometimes the result of day dreaming and requires isolation. Or, more realistically, a compulsive masturbator is going to be alone, either by his own choice or the choice of those around him when he starts doing it. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2007, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-three-traits-of-serial-killers/389143/34 "2007-01-24T14:53:33Z")
[QUOTE=Bryan Ekers] Well, I met this really hot chick at a funeral, and I, like, really wanted to see her again. So I killed my brother. [/QUOTE] I _totally_ know what you mean! I had the hots for Jodie Foster once, really bad. You just wouldn’t believe how much she turned me on. But she ignored me, so you know what? I shot President Reagan. ---
**Author:** ![Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac8455/32.png) [@Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bippy_the_Beardless)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2007, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-three-traits-of-serial-killers/389143/35 "2007-01-24T16:21:45Z")
I wonder if playing with fire is not the criteron, but setting fire to things that you should not might be, There is a long distance between playing with matches, and trying to burn down a church. ---
**Author:** ![JustAnotherGeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/58f4c7/32.png) [@JustAnotherGeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JustAnotherGeek)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2007, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-three-traits-of-serial-killers/389143/36 "2007-01-24T18:48:34Z")
Thanks, gang. I knew I could count on the dope. It never ceases to amaze me how “smart people” (ala academia nuts\*) can still fall prey to the same dumb mistakes we all do. ---
**Author:** ![TimeWinder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bcef8e/32.png) [@TimeWinder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TimeWinder)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2007, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-three-traits-of-serial-killers/389143/37 "2007-01-24T19:05:38Z")
[QUOTE=ianzin] Yeah! It’s nonsense correlation time! This is not far from the classic fallacy of “Post hoc ergo prompter hoc.” Remember, a very high percentage of those on Death Row ate potatoes as a child. [/QUOTE] You’re forgetting the current darling of the media: video games. Every time someone takes a gun into a school, they pop up with how this guy (it’s almost always a guy) played…“violent” video games! Without mentioning that something like 90% of American males between 12 and 35 play “violent” video games. (Sorry about the quotes around “violent,” but I find it amusing to use that word for something whose greatest violence level is pressing down a key an eighth of an inch.) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-three-traits-of-serial-killers/389143.md?page=1)