I chose to analyze the case of Ted Bundy because when I was in high school I saw the movie Ted Bundy. At the time that I watched this movie I was already interested in going to college and majoring in psychology. I wanted to know why people do the things they do. Going into this subject I find everything about Ted Bundy’s case intriguing. Throughout the course of this class I have learned so many theories and risk factors that explain why criminals do the things they do. I feel like writing about Ted Bundy and doing research on his case could benefit my future career in psychology by gaining knowledge in the field of criminology and all types of risk factors. This could make it easier for me to spot out what kind of risk factors are found in the younger generation. I want help avoid any risk factors that may cause adolescents to turn to criminal behavior. My goal in the future is to obtain a degree in psychology because I have always had a passion to help people that cannot help themselves. I want people to realize that everything starts with our thought processing and what we think, and what we observe repeatedly, we eventually become; watching family, friends, TV, listening to music we all learn from these things, if we watch for so long it is possible that these things could become a part of our character. Our minds are so powerful that if we can start by learning how to control our thought process, we can control the way we behave. Within the scope of this essay I have chosen two theories that I believe could provide us with insight in the mind of Ted Bundy. CASE DETAILS Theodore Robert Cowell (Ted Bundy) was born Novernber 24, 1946 to Louise Cowell. Ted’s biological father was absent throughout his entire life. His mother ... ... middle of paper ... ...hat it will have some sort of influence on the way we choose to live our lives. As I described each theory and other forms of criminal risk factors, we can say that there are levels and stages that a person goes through before becoming a serial killer, because I strongly believe that no human on earth just wakes up and automatically goes on a killing spree. There are many factors that should be stated before we assume one kills just because. No one wants to kill, that is not in our nature to want to do that or to need to do it, it’s nothing like food and affection, but whatever stimulation a serial killer experiences maybe to them it is something like food. Being a criminal can occur through forms of psychological issues, social issues, and cultural issues, biological and observational. What these criminals gain out of these horrifying acts is beyond my knowledge.
Bundy could never hold down a job long term and often switched from various job to various job. For example, at one point he was a truck driver for a medical supply company and was able to work as a crisis counselor with the Seattle Crisis Clinic. Bundy also became involved with a friend who got him into theft and burglary which he would use to furnish his apartment (McClellan, J. 2006, p.23). Although he wasn’t able to keep long term jobs, Ted Bundy still managed to get a psychology degree from University of Washington and was very highly regarded by his psychology professors. Surprisingly, Bundy was also politically active as he volunteered in campaigning for the Republican party candidate at the time, Governor Daniel Evans for re-election.
The question of whether or not man is predetermined at birth to lead a life of crime is a question that has been debated for decades. Are serial killers born with the lust for murder, or are their desires developed through years of abuse and torment? Many believe it is impossible for an innocent child to be born with the capability to commit a horrible act such as murder. But at the same time, how could we have corrupted society so much as to turn an innocent child into a homicidal maniac? Forensic psychologists have picked apart the minds of serial killers to find an answer as to what forces them to commit such perverse acts. Their ultimate goal is to learn how to catch a serial killer before he commits his first crime.
He was rewarded scholarships and began college to further his knowledge. Around this time he went from job to job. At one point he ended up working the nightshift at the Seattle Suicide Hotline. (Ted Bundy | Victims |). In college, Bundy became involved with a woman named Stephanie Brooks. After about a year, Brooks ended the relationship which angered Bundy. Later on when the crimes began to occur, police noticed a repetitive trait in his victims, long dark hair with a part down the middle just like Bundy’s ex-girlfriend (Ted Bundy). As he continued college, Bundy became well-liked by his professors and an even more intelligent student. After graduating from the University of Washington, he began working for the State Republican Party, gaining a close relationship with Governor Daniel J. Evans. Bundy enrolled in law school in 1973 at the University of Utah but quickly dropped out due to failing grades and lack of focus. Around this time, Stephanie Brooks came back into his life. Brooks wasn’t aware that Bundy had another girlfriend while she was engaged to be married to him. Two weeks after the proposal Bundy refused to return Brooks’ calls and soon after, began his murdering spree in Washington State. (Theodore Robert Bundy
Theodore Bundy was born on November 24th 1946. He was born to an unwed mother who was told that she was his sister. He was raised by his grandparents who portrayed themselves as his parents throughout his early childhood years. According to the article I read Ted’s grandfather was abusive towards Ted and his other siblings (Montaldo). Ted was shy and said to be sociably awkward, but during high school he developed into good looking guy and was liked by many.
The case of whether serial killers are born with the lust to kill or if they are truly victims of their environment has been a hot debated question by both psychologists and the FBI today. A serial killer is traditionally defined as one that kills 3 or more people at different times with “cooling off” periods in between kills. Both psychological abuse as a child and psychological disorders are to blame for the making of a killer. The nature vs. nurture debate is best applied to the mysterious behaviors and cases of serial killers and their upbringing and environment. Nature is the genetic and biological connections a person has, personality traits, and how genetic make-up all relates to a killer. Nurture is examining the upbringing and environment that a person is around that affects what a person becomes. In some cases however, the effects of only upbringing or only biological problems were the reasons certain serial killers committed crimes. Although there is no definitive answer to what plays the bigger role: nature or nurture, they both are contributing factors that make a serial killer. These deviants of society are afflicted with problems in either their upbringing or have psychological disorders, and are able to blend into our everyday lives with no apparent differences, yet they wreck havoc through their unremorseful killings.
Most serial murderers have been deprived of any control over their home, their body, and their entire life. “Psychokillers take their fantasies and make them a reality living their dreams” (Serial Killers: Nature vs. Nurture 2). Both physical and especially emotional abuse is the consistent, reoccurring factor among a majority of serial killers. Traumatic abuse in childhood has long been viewed as a primary cause of violent behavior in adulthood (Dolan 24). Abusive parents do not generally vent their anger equally on all their children. Such parents tend to unleash the anger and negative emotions on their more difficult children; this potential aggression and physical and emotional abuse of the child shapes the future criminal. “Most serial murders are not classified as psychotics, but rather as psychopaths- their perception of reality is clear except that they feel no social or moral obligations” () Killers are taking control of their own lives through their fantasies in the only way they know fit, through
Theodore Robert Bundy was born November 24th, 1946 in Burlinton, Vermont to a 21 year old mother. Ted's mom never told him much about his father except that he was in the armed forces and they had only dated a few times. Ted was left in foster care for two months while his mom and parents decided what to do with him. In 1946 an illegitimate child was extremely looked down upon by society. Once they decided to keep Ted, his grandparents told everyone he was their adopted son.
Another criminology theory that may apply to help explain the criminal behavior of Ted Bundy is the Psychodynamic theory. This theory is largely based on the findings of Sigmund Freud. The underpinnings of this of the approach are that the unconscious mind affects behavior and emotion. The theory advances the argument that no behavior is without cause and that childhood experiences affect emotions and behavior as adults. Serial killers like Ted Bundy therefore are particularly affected by their unconscious mind. Bundy did not receive proper care as a young boy and the negative impact of his sense of rejection and isolation negatively impacted his adulthood with aggressive tendencies. In short, Bundy’s adult actions under this theory can be viewed as manifesting his anger over his childhood oppression in the form of brutal rapes and
Among the list of most notorious serial killers in the history of the United States, Ted Bundy ranks up there with the worst. Ted Bundy was white Caucasian male that was charged with the murder of at least 30 young women. His first apprehension and arrest occurred on August 16, 1975 when Bundy failed to obey simple traffic rules of a stop sign. Many described Bundy as an ordinary individual, but he was also a very attractive and intelligent criminal (Ramsland, 2012). Dr. Al Carlisle, first psychologist to evaluate Bundy after his arrest, suggests Bundy started his profession of killing while in his teenage years. Dr. Carlisle classified Bundy as a “High Factor 1 Psychopath”, which means he possessed a high intelligence level and did not display
Does the name Ted Bundy ring a bell? A Handsome smart and conniving young man that’s responsible for about forty murders between 1964 through 1978. Ted (Theodore) Bundy was born November 24, 1946 in Burling, Vermont. Mother Eleanor Cowell was at the stage in her life where she was a single mother that could take care of her child. So she let her parents step in and raise young Theodore. With this happening Theodore grew up believing his birth mother was his sister and his grandparents where his parents.
Ted Bundy was an American born rapist, a necrophile, a serial killer and a kidnapper who assaulted and murdered several young women during the 1970’s. The criminal kept on denying the charges for more than ten years and later confessed to having committed the thirty homicide crimes in seven different states before his execution (Rule, 2009). Bundy’s handsome and charismatic appearance made it possible for him to easily win the confidence of young women who were always his targets. He broke into the dwellings of his victims at night and bludgeoned them as they slept. He also approached young women in public places where he impersonated an authority figure or feigned injury on his victim before empowering and assaulting them in a more secluded area where he left them dead (Rule, 2009).
A serial killer is a person who murders three or more people over a period of more than 30 days, with a "cooling off" period between each murder, and whose motivation for killing is largely based on psychological gratification. Most people do not understand what can make a person want to kill multiple people for no reason other than own satisfactional gain. In actuality serial killers have been studied for over hundreds of years, and the information that has been documented continues to grow. The research that I have gathered about serial killers focuses on their childhood development, the differences and similarities between men and female serial kills, and finally general information on how their brains operate and their motives for committing such harmful acts.
Serial killers have many frightening facets. The most frightening thing about them is that experts still do not know what makes a human become a serial killer. Many experts believe serial killers become what they are because they have a genetic disposition or brain abnormality while other experts believe that a serial killer is created by childhood abuse; and some other experts believe that it is a combination of both brain abnormalities and abusive childhood experiences that creates a serial killer. A murderer is considered a serial killer when they “murder three or more persons in at least three separate events with a “cooling off period” between kills” (Mitchell and Aamodt 40). When defining a serial killer, their background, genes, and brain are not mentioned; perhaps one day those aspects of the serial killer can be included.
Since the beginning of time, psychologists have debated the topic of nature vs. nurture to find out why people act the way they do. The nature argument states that an individual is genetically shaped into the person he will be for his entire life. The nurture argument states that an individual is raised to be the person they will be by their close friends and family. David Berkowitz, Ted Bundy and Paul Bernardo are all serial killers who were nurtured into the killer they are today. David Berkowitz born Richard David Falco, was a serial killer who killed 6 people and severely wounded 7 others from July 29, 1976 to July 31, 1977 in the state of New York.
Theodore Robert Cowell was born in a Vermont home for unwed mothers on 24 November 1946, to Louise Cowell, and was raised initially by his grandparents. Teddy, as he was known, believed that his grandparents were his parents, and that his mother was his elder sister, a circumstance that was fairly common in illegitimate births at that time. When his mother married Johnnie Bundy in 1951, her son took his stepfather’s name, and was known thereafter as Ted Bundy.