All About Psychology Newsletter
Why Does it Feel Good to See Someone Fail? Serial Killer Myths. The Laws of Connection. The Availability Heuristic.
A very warm welcome to the latest edition of the All About Psychology newsletter—the official newsletter of All-About-Psychology.com, a website providing comprehensive information and resources for psychology students and educators since 2008.
Why Does it Feel Good to See Someone Fail?
Dive into the psychology behind schadenfreude—the peculiar joy we feel at others' misfortune. In this excellent article, Dr. ShenSheng Wang explores the evolutionary roots of this complex emotion, its developmental origins in children, and why we sometimes find pleasure in seeing others fail. This thought-provoking piece sheds light on the subtle ways we dehumanize others to experience schadenfreude and raises important questions about how we understand human empathy and rivalry. Curious? Read the article in full here.
Serial Killer Myths
In 2005, the FBI's National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime, Behavioral Analysis Unit, hosted a five-day symposium on serial murder. The aim was to bring together experts to identify commonalities in their understanding of serial murder.
A total of 135 renowned experts attended the event, including law enforcement officials who had successfully investigated and apprehended serial killers, academic experts who had extensively studied serial killers, officers of the court who had prosecuted, judged, or defended them, and members of the media, who had reported on such cases.
One of the major issues discussed during the symposium was how the rarity of serial murder, combined with inaccurate, anecdotal, and fictional portrayals, has led to several common misconceptions. As a result of the discussions, the expert panel identified seven key myths about serial killers. These were:
Myth 1: Serial Killers Are Dysfunctional Loners
The majority of serial killers are not reclusive, social misfits who live alone. They are not monsters and may not appear strange. Many serial killers hide in plain sight within their communities. Serial murderers often have families and homes, are gainfully employed, and appear to be normal members of the community. Because many serial murderers can blend in so effortlessly, they are oftentimes overlooked by law enforcement and the public.
Robert Yates killed seventeen prostitutes in the Spokane, Washington area, during the 1990s. He was married with five children, lived in a middle class neighborhood, and was a decorated U.S. Army National Guard helicopter pilot. During the time period of the murders, Yates routinely patronized prostitutes, and several of his victims knew each other. Yates buried one of his victims in his yard, beneath his bedroom window. Yates was eventually arrested and pled guilty to thirteen of the murders.
The Green River Killer, Gary Ridgeway, confessed to killing 48 women over a twenty-year time period in the Seattle, Washington area. He had been married three times and was still married at the time of his arrest. He was employed as a truck painter for thirty-two years. He attended church regularly, read the Bible at home and at work, and talked about religion with co-workers. Ridgeway also frequently picked up prostitutes and had sex with them throughout the time period in which he was killing.
The BTK killer, Dennis Rader, killed ten victims in and around Wichita, Kansas. He sent sixteen written communications to the news media over a thirty-year period, taunting the police and the public. He was married with two children, was a Boy Scout leader, served honorably in the U.S. Air Force, was employed as a local government official, and was president of his church.
Myth 2: Serial Killers Are All White Males
Contrary to popular belief, serial killers span all racial groups. There are white, African-American, Hispanic, and Asian serial killers. The racial diversification of serial killers generally mirrors that of the overall U.S. population.
Charles Ng, a native of Hong Kong, China, killed numerous victims in Northern California, in concert with Robert Lake.
Derrick Todd Lee, an African-American, killed at least six women in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
Coral Eugene Watts, an African-American, killed five victims in Michigan, fled the state to avoid detection, and murdered another 12 victims in Texas, before being apprehended.
Rafael Resendez-Ramirez, a native of Mexico, murdered nine people in Kentucky, Texas, and Illinois, before turning himself in.
Rory Conde, a Colombian native, was responsible for six prostitute homicides in the Miami, Florida area.
Myth 3: Serial Killers Are Only Motivated By Sex
All serial murders are not sexually-based. There are many other motivations for serial murders including anger, thrill, financial gain, and attention seeking.
In the Washington, D.C. area serial sniper case, John Allen Muhammad, a former U.S. Army Staff Sergeant, and Lee Boyd Malvo killed primarily for anger and thrill motivations. They were able to terrorize the greater Washington, D.C. metro area for three weeks, shooting 13 victims, killing 10 of them. They communicated with the police by leaving notes, and they attempted to extort money to stop the shootings. They are suspected in a number of other shootings in seven other states.
Dr. Michael Swango, a former U.S. Marine, ambulance worker, and physician, was a health care employee. He was convicted of only four murders in New York and Ohio, although he is suspected of having poisoned and killed 35 to 50 people throughout the United States and on the continent of Africa. Swango’s motivation for the killings was intrinsic and never fully identified. Interestingly, Swango kept a scrap book filled with newspaper and magazine clippings about natural disasters, in which many people were killed.
Paul Reid killed at least seven people during fast food restaurant robberies in Tennessee. After gaining control of the victims, he either stabbed or shot them. The motivation for the murders was primarily witness elimination. Reid’s purpose in committing the robberies was financial gain, and some of the ill-gotten gains were used to purchase a car.
Myth 4: Serial Killers Operate Interstate
Most serial killers have very defined geographic areas of operation. They conduct their killings within comfort zones that are often defined by an anchor point (e.g. place of residence, employment, or residence of a relative). Serial murderers will, at times, spiral their activities outside of their comfort zone, when their confidence has grown through experience or to avoid detection. Very few serial murderers travel interstate to kill.
Myth 5: Serial Killers Cannot Stop Killing
It has been widely believed that once serial killers start killing, they cannot stop. There are, however, some serial killers who stop murdering altogether before being caught. In these instances, there are events or circumstances in offenders’ lives that inhibit them from pursuing more victims. These can include increased participation in family activities, sexual substitution, and other diversions.
BTK killer, Dennis Rader, murdered ten victims from 1974 to 1991. He did not kill any other victims prior to being captured in 2005. During interviews conducted by law enforcement, Rader admitted to engaging in auto-erotic activities as a substitute for his killings.
Jeffrey Gorton killed his first victim in 1986 and his next victim in 1991. He did not kill another victim and was captured in 2002. Gorton engaged in cross-dressing and masturbatory activities, as well as consensual sex with his wife in the interim.
Myth 6: Serial Killers Are Insane Or Evil Geniuses
Another myth that exists is that serial killers have either a debilitating mental condition, or they are extremely clever and intelligent. As a group, serial killers suffer from a variety of personality disorders, including psychopathy, anti-social personality, and others. Most, however, are not adjudicated as insane under the law.
The media has created a number of fictional serial killer "geniuses", who outsmart law enforcement at every turn. Like other populations, however, serial killers range in intelligence from borderline to above average levels.
Myth 7: Serial Killers Want To Get Caught
Offenders committing a crime for the first time are inexperienced. They gain experience and confidence with each new offense, eventually succeeding with few mistakes or problems. While most serial killers plan their offenses more thoroughly than other criminals, the learning curve is still very steep. They must select, target, approach, control, and dispose of their victims. The logistics involved in committing a murder and disposing of the body can become very complex, especially when there are multiple sites involved.
As serial killers continue to offend without being captured, they can become empowered, feeling they will never be identified. As the series continues, the killers may begin to take shortcuts when committing their crimes. This often causes the killers to take more chances, leading to identification by law enforcement. It is not that serial killers want to get caught; they feel that they can’t get caught.
The Laws of Connection
All About Psychology Recommended Read:
In The Laws of Connection: 13 Social Strategies That Will Transform Your Life, David Robson delves into the powerful effects of social connection on our health, happiness, and overall well-being. Drawing from fascinating scientific research, Robson explains how forming meaningful relationships not only boosts our mental and emotional resilience but also enhances creativity, financial stability, and work productivity. The book introduces key ideas like the “liking gap” and “gratitude gap,” explores the subtle dynamics of relationships—including recognizing “frenemies”—and offers actionable strategies like the “fast-friends procedure” to foster instant rapport. Ultimately, Robson demonstrates that even just one deep connection can be life-transforming, helping us navigate the challenges of being social in a sometimes isolating world.
The Laws of Connection is available to buy from your local bookseller and online internationally from Amazon.
Psychology Q&A
Question submitted to the All About Psychology Q&A page, followed by a great submitted answer.
I would be really grateful if someone could give me a simple example of the availability heuristic. Thank you.
Shark Attack Example:
The availability heuristic is a cognitive bias that leads people to rely on the ease with which examples come to mind when making judgments about the probability of events. Essentially, if something is easily brought to mind, it's often perceived as being more likely to occur. This mental shortcut can sometimes lead to errors in judgment, as the ease of recall may not accurately reflect the true likelihood of an event.
Here's a simple example of the availability heuristic:
Imagine you're planning a beach vacation, and you've heard news reports about shark attacks in the past few months. Even though shark attacks are relatively rare events, the vividness and media coverage of these incidents make them stand out in your mind. As a result, you might become overly concerned about the possibility of a shark attack during your vacation.
In this scenario, the availability heuristic is at play. The ease with which you can recall news stories about shark attacks makes them seem more prevalent and likely than they actually are. As a result, you might make decisions based on this exaggerated perception of risk, such as avoiding swimming in the ocean altogether or feeling anxious throughout your vacation.
The availability heuristic can influence various areas of decision making, such as evaluating risks, estimating probabilities, and forming opinions. It's important to recognize that the availability heuristic can lead to biases when making judgments, as events that are more memorable or easily recalled may not accurately represent the overall likelihood of those events occurring.
To mitigate the effects of the availability heuristic, individuals can:
1. Seek out more comprehensive and accurate information rather than relying solely on easily recalled examples.
2. Consider a broader range of experiences and data before making judgments.
3.Recognize that vivid or recent examples may not necessarily reflect the true frequency or probability of events.
By being mindful of the availability heuristic and its potential impact on decision making, individuals can make more informed and rational choices based on a more balanced understanding of the actual probabilities involved.
Psychology Q & A is open to everyone and is designed as a space for those with an interest in psychology to both give and receive help. So, if you have a psychology-related question, feel free to ask! And if you believe you can answer any of the questions posted, I encourage you to share your insights. Please note that any content generated by psychology Q & A is provided for informational purposes only. It does not signify that I endorse the material provided or the views expressed. None of the information within psychology Q & A should be considered a substitute for professional psychological, psychiatric or medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
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Words to Reflect On
Until next time, I’ll leave you with a quote from former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Benjamin Disraeli (1804–1881), which reflects on how we can often be our own worst enemies when it comes to emotional distress.
Nothing in life is more remarkable than the unnecessary anxiety which we endure and generally occasion ourselves.
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Fascinating column on three diverse and important subjects. The section on serial kililers was especially relevant to our work.