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REASEARCH PROPOSAL
Anastasia Kreyling
Independent Research GT
2015-2016
Title: Serial Killers: The Development of a Serial Killer through Environmental and Biological
Factors and their Triggers
Overview of Research: The researcher is investigation the different biological and environmental
factors that influence the development of a serial killer. The researcher is also investigating the
factors that create the different types of serial killers, the differences between female and male
serial killers, and how childhood violence through environmental factors can lead to psychopathy
through the development into a serial killer. The problem that the researcher is investigating is
how to analyze and identify the factors that make a serial killer which will lead to the prevention
of a serial killer. Finding out what the specific biological and environmental factors that create a
killer will help solve the abundance of serial killers because ways of prevention of those factors
will be created. The researcher hopes to inform the general public of the factors that lead towards
the creation of a serial killer, so that those factors can be eliminated.
Background and Rationale: In todays society, there are many violent, radical people. People may
not see them, but they are everywhere. They can be neighbors, co-workers, or even teachers.
These people may have urges to kill in patterns, or they may kill randomly. These people can be
classified as serial killers. Serial killers are people who kill more than three people in different
settings and over the course of a month or more (Research-serial killers, n.d.). Serial killers
begin to develop throughout their childhood into their adolescence. Factors like childhood abuse,
psychological abuse, sexual harassment, stressful events, and emotional abuse in the childhood
evoke certain behaviors to develop in the child. These types of abuses can lead the child into
isolation which means they are being bullied and have no friends. The kids start to act out
fantasies, play with weapons, stalk people, develop strange behaviors, and much more (Gerber,
2013). Violent T.V shows have a huge impact on the amount of violence a child is exposed to
which later can lead to the behaviors listed before. The television can introduce the child to
topics such as killing people, hurting people, or even harassing people. Childrens brains are still
developing, so these actions may seem right to them. A chemical change in the brain occurs if the
child is exposed to enough violence. This change is similar to the one that occurs in people with
post-traumatic stress disorders. The children start to become fearful of social situations, and they
tend to lean towards violence instead of problem solving (Gross, 2013). These situations can all
lead to child psychopathy which will follow them through their adulthood and adolescence.
Childhood psychopathy is a major trait in serial killers which is caused by the violence and abuse
from household situations. Psychopathy is a mental illness that develops through stressful and
traumatic life events. The factor described above can be classified as environmental factors that
lead towards the development of a serial killer.
Biological factors that lead towards the development of a serial killer are largely present.
One of these factors is monoamine oxidase A also known as MAOA. This gene controls the
mutated enzyme related to high levels of aggression. It breaks down neurotransmitters in the

brain like dopamine and serotonin. Researches called this gene the warrior gene because of it
has a strong connection with aggression, violence, and crime (Baum, 2009). Another mutated
gene found amongst serial killers is cadherin 13 also known as CDH13. This gene is associated
with protein coding which connects with neurons. This gene usually is related to lack of control
and impulses. CDH13 is usually found in people with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.
When both of these genes are present in a serial killer there is no stopping them because of the
extreme violent behavior that is created (Scudellari, 2014). Most people are found to have at
least one of these variant genes, but serial killers are found to have both of them which explains
their violent behavior. There are also different types of serial killers. For example the two main
categories are organized and disorganized killers. The organized serial killers are very intelligent,
well planned out, cautious, and they plan out their every move. They are proud of what they do,
and they like to be praised on their work. Disorganized serial killers are not on the intelligent
side, they do not plan their kill, they killer randomly, and they do not cover their tracks. The
disorganized serial killers are found to have more of the anti-social behavior (Types of serial
killers, n.d.). Serial killers can be men and women. About on one in six serial killers is found to
be a women. Women tend to kill for money or purposes of vengeance. Males tend to be more
violent in their crimes while the women stick to poison as their choice of a weapon. The female
serial killers are found to have jobs at places where they are interacting with others daily
(Anthes, 2015). This concludes that most of them are found to be on the intelligent side which
makes them organized killers. Based on the different characteristics of these serial killers, it can
be concluded that their kills will be different as well as their developmental process into
becoming a serial killer.
This topic is very important to society of Americans. Violence is becoming more vivid in
the lives of people. Serial killers are a serious issue, and there should be more effort to stop or
prevent their development. These people blend in with any other person on this planet which is
what makes this situation more complex because of the fact that it could be anyone. Finding out
how the mind of a serial killer works is one way that can help prevent the development of serial
killers. This can be done through the analysis of genes/genetic tests that make sure that they
dont have both of the variant genes of MAOA and CDH13. The next step should be to eliminate
childhood exposure to violence. Eliminating a childs exposure to verbal abuse, emotional abuse,
physical abuse, harsh family situations, violent T.V shows, and more can stop the development of
strange behaviors and psychopathy that lead to the development of a killer. Identifying these
factors, understanding the development of a serial killer, and looking for factors that trigger
violence can help identify the killers. The most important step to stopping serial killers is
understanding how they think.
Research Methodology:
Research Question: What biological or environmental factors trigger/develop a serial killer, and
what are the differences in the development/actions of the different types of serial killers?
Hypothesis: Biological and environmental factors that develop in the childhood and adolescence
are the most influential in the development of a serial killer, and they influence the type of serial
killer that they become.
The researcher is trying to find out the ways that serial killers develop. Since there is a
growing violence within the United States and all over the world, there should be a growing

investigation to find these serial killers who are attracted to violence. The researcher wants
childhood violence to come to an end because it is one of the major causes of the development
off a serial killer. These children develop social anxiety, psychopathy, and other characteristics
that are not native to them (Gross, 2013). As the child grows, so does the violence. More and
more children are exposed to violence today because there are almost no restrictions to what they
can and cannot do. Eliminating childhood violence will eliminate a portion of the environmental
factors that trigger the development of the serial killer. This paper will argue that childhood
violence is one of the ways that a person is influenced by environmental factors into becoming a
serial killer. The less amount of people being abused, the less amount of violence in the world.
Biological factors are also a huge factor in the making of a serial killer. Several studies have
found a correlation between the low-activity form of MAOA and aggression in observational and
survey-based studies (Baum, 2009). This variant gene is found almost in every serial killer as
well as being accompanied my CDH13 which is another variant gene linked to uncontrolled
behavior. Serial killers arent just males because females are just as capable of the kills as males
are. They may not be as violent as males, but females are found to be serial killers as well. The
last point that will be made by the researcher is that the different types of serial killers are created
by different types of character traits. These points all support the claim, and this paper will
analyze the different factors throughout childhood that develop and trigger the development of a
specific type of serial killer.
Research Design Model: The researchers design model is descriptive and evaluation. The
descriptive model goes under Qualitative research. In the research, a descriptive design model
will be used because the researcher will be observing and recording their observations on the
biological and environmental factors that trigger the development of the serial killer.
Observations on the difference in the kills of female and male serial killers will be completed as
well. Also observations will be done for the analysis of violence in a childs life which leads to
the development of psychopathy and other mental factors. The evaluation model goes under
Qualitative research as well. This model will be used in the research because the researcher is
going to be evaluating the effects of different types of biological and environmental factors that
trigger the development of a serial killer. Evaluation will also be completed by the analysis and
evaluation of four scholarly journals through a meta-analysis. There are independent, dependent,
and controlled variables within this research. The independent variables are the environmental
and biological factors that trigger the development of the killer. The dependent variables are the
serial killers development into a specific type of killer, the development of a serial killer through
their childhood, and the difference between male and female killers based on their
characteristics. The controlled variable is a person who is not a serial killer, has no record of
violence, and has none of the variant genes.
Data Collection: The data collection will be conducted through data analysis, also known as a
meta-analysis of scholarly works and through one interview. The researcher will be reading and
recording observations on the information that they find within the four scholarly articles. The
researcher will also watch videos on the genetic composition of serial killers and record
observations on that. Conducting a meta-analysis will help the researcher compare and contrast
the specific factors that lead towards the development of a specific type of serial killer. The
comparison between these articles will provide the researcher with a relationship between the
factors and outcomes.

The primary research will be done by conducting and transcribing an interview of a

Professor of Psychology. Another form of the primary research will be done through reading and
evaluating the four scholarly works. The observations will then be put into a chart which then
will lead the researcher into a comparison and contrast of the information provided. The
researcher will reflect this information into their research which will help them answer their
research question as well as support their hypothesis. The researcher is able to gather information
through observation, and by doing this the researcher is able to inform the audience with their
gathered information. The research will in turn support the data collection because the methods
selected will be used to evaluate and find a solution to the research question as well as the
hypothesis.
Product Objectives: The product of this research will be a lesson plan on the development of a
serial killer, female serial killers, and the different types of serial killers. This product will be
tangible for the audience because it will be interesting and informative. This product will also be
tangible because the society violence is becoming a more prevalent topic in everyday life. This
product was chosen because it best showcases the research collected, and it is the best way to
communicate effectively with an audience. The specific targeted audience is a Psychology AP of
regular Psychology class at Mount Hebron High School. This is the researchers target audience
because there are no other classes that relate or ever touch the topic of psychology. A serial killer
and their development are topics that are clearly related to a psychology class because of the
research done on the psychological make-up of a serial killer. This will benefit the class because
more knowledge will be gained on serial killers as well as the factors that develop them. Anyone
else who is interested in preventing the development of serial killers is a target audience because
this valuable information can help stop serial violence. The product will be communicated to the
audience through a lesson plan in the Psychology AP class at Hebron. The class will do various
activities regarding the classification of the different types of serial killers, analysis of the
differences between female and male serial killers, and the evaluation of the different factors that
make a serial killer.
Logistical Considerations: The resources required for this research are human, print, and media.
The special consideration for the project is equipment. The equipment needed would be a voice
recorder for the interview, a computer for the ability to receive sources/write up evaluations of
data, and a phone to call the person who is going to be interviewed. The researcher will need
permission from the principal as well as the teacher of the Psychology class to distribute the
product to that class. The researcher will also need permission from the professor to conduct the
interview with them.
Timeline: In third quarter, a timeline will be added that outlines the data collection, product
development, and audience distribution.
Approval:
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Student Signature

G/T Resource Teacher Signature

Mentor/Advisor Signature

References:

Anthes, E. (2015, May 9). Lady killers. Retrieved September 15, 2015, from The New Yorker
website: http://www.newyorker.com/tech/elements/female-serial-killers
Baum, D. (2009, January 19). Warrior gene predicts aggressive behavior after provocation.
Retrieved October 5, 2015, from Brown University website:
https://news.brown.edu/articles/2009/01/hotsauce
Gerber, H. B. (2013, January 2). 10 most common traits of potential serial killers. Retrieved
October 21, 2015, from Listverse website: http://listverse.com/2013/01/02/10-mostcommon-traits-of-potential-serial-killers/
Gross, G. (2013, October 15). Violence on tv and how it can affect your children. Retrieved
October 13, 2015, from The Huffington Post website: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/drgail-gross/violence-on-tv-children_b_3734764.html
Research-serial killers. (n.d.). Retrieved September 2, 2015, from Victims of Violence website:
http://www.victimsofviolence.on.ca/rev2/index.php?
option=com_content&task=view&id=362&Itemid=52
Scudellari, M. (2014, October 28). Extreme violent crimes tied to gene in study of criminals.
Retrieved October 13, 2015, from Bloomburg website:
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2014-10-28/extreme-violent-crimes-tied-togene-in-study-of-criminals
Types of serial killers. (n.d.). Retrieved September 1, 2015, from Crime Museum website:
http://www.crimemuseum.org/crime-library/types-of-serial-killers