A Comparative Analysis of Male and Female Serial Killers: Psychology

This report provides a comparative analysis of male and female serial killers, examining the differences in their motivations, victim selection, and methods of killing. The study highlights that female serial killers often prioritize sexual satisfaction, while males may be driven by financial gains. The report discusses how victim selection is influenced by vulnerability and the use of different methods of killing. It also identifies common traits such as sensation-seeking, a need for control, and psychopathic personality disorder. The report suggests that adopting a 'bottom-up' approach, improved police training, and community policing can effectively reduce serial murder. The provided references support these findings with research from various sources.

Running Head: CRIMINAL PSYCHOLOGY 0
Criminal Psychology
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CRIMINAL PSYCHOLOGY 1
The difference between male and female serial murders is based on the motive of
financial and sexual where females go to hunt for sexual satisfaction more than financial
gains. There are social and psychological forces along with biological differences when it
comes to examining human behaviour among male and female (Kozlowska, 2019). Further,
victim selection is based on making minimal effort along with cognitive processes where
victims can specify vulnerability. This vulnerability can be signalled by gestures, exaggerated
movement and posture potentially (Harriso, Hughes, & Gott, 2019). Also, the method of
killing is different of both male and female serial murders where half of women use
poisoning to murder their victims while men prefer to shoot or asphyxiate. The biggest
difference is the way of choosing victims where female look for familiarity and male for
strangers (Haridy, 2019).
Though, it is not easy to identify serial murderers but the common traits are sensation
seeking, the need for control, lack of guilt or remorse, and predatory behaviour which shows
psychopathic personality disorder constantly. The degree and frequency while understanding
the psychopathy among serial murderers also helped in identifying serial murderers. Also, it
depends on the relative manner in which such crimes are committed (Schurman-Kauflin,
2013). Thus, the approach that can be used effectively to reduce serial murder is adopting
‘bottom-up’ approach and providing better police training and data by enforcing law along
with gathering intelligence to prevent crime actually depending on community policing
model (Arntfield, 2018).

CRIMINAL PSYCHOLOGY 2
References
Arntfield, M. (2018, April 5). Stopping serial killers begins with better police training - and
data. Retrieved from The Globe and Mail:
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/stopping-serial-killers-and-helping-first-
nations-victims-begins-with-better-police-training---and-data/article27459871/
Haridy, R. (2019, March 21). The peculiar evolutionary differences between male and female
serial killers. Retrieved from New Atlas: https://newatlas.com/male-female-serial-
killers-evolution-differences/58967/
Harriso, M., Hughes, S., & Gott, A. (2019). Sex Differences in Serial Killers. Evolutionary
Behavioral Sciences, 13(4), 295-310.
Kozlowska, H. (2019, February 25). If male serial killers “hunt” their victims, what do
female serial killers do? Retrieved from Quartz: https://qz.com/1556745/the-
differences-between-male-and-female-serial-killers/
Schurman-Kauflin, D. (2013, November 2). How Serial Killers Get Away With Their
Murders. Retrieved from Psychology Today:
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/disturbed/201311/how-serial-killers-get-
away-their-murders