Mass murder - revision

What is a serial killer?

Someone who kills three or more people over a period exceeding one month, with distinct periods of time (cooling down periods) between each murder.

• Murders must occur as separate events and are typically motivated by psychological pleasure or thrill

• Psychological profile includes traits associated with psychopathy e.g. marked lack of empathy and guilt, extreme egocentricity

• Many serial killers are able to maintain a convincing façade of normalcy, sometimes called a 'mask of sanity', which allows them to appear well-adjusted and even charismatic to others.

What is mass murder?

Mass murderers kill many people, typically at the same time in a single location.

• Many mass murders end with the death of the perpetrators, either by self-infliction or by law enforcement

• Mass murderers tend to be paranoid individuals with acute behavioural or social disorders

• Display psychopathic tendencies, e.g. being cruel, manipulative, and uncompassionate. However, most mass murderers are social misfits or loners who triggered by some uncontrollable event.

What is the key difference between mass murderers and serial killers?

What differentiates the two is the timing and number of the murders.

• Serial killers commit murders over a long period of time and often in different places, while mass murderers kill within a single location and time-frame.

• Serial killers are organised and methodical, with their actions driven by specific psychological motivations rather than random impulses like mass murderers.

Gustav Gilbert

Psychological analysis of 22 Nazi leaders revealed three distinct but related personality types, all falling under psychopathic traits:

1. Schizoid (detached from reality)

2. Narcissistic (extreme self-importance)

3. Paranoid (irrational distrust and suspicion)

He found that German culture emphasised absolute obedience to authority and this played a crucial role- the Nazi leaders were products of a society that valued unquestioning submission over independent thinking. There wasn't something psychologically wrong with them.

Staub's views on genocide

Staub sees the catalyst for genocide as persistent difficult life conditions, e.g. economic depression, or the aftermath of war where social breakdown is evident.

This has to be combined with other cultural factors such as strong acceptance of hierarchical authority, antagonism towards an outgroup, and a prior history of resorting to violence to deal with conflict.

This results in scape-goating a designated group against whom the frustrations can be targeted.

Stage 1 of Genocide

Classification

An 'us versus them' mentality. This distinguishes among religions, races, nationalities, and ethnicities.

Stage 2 of Genocide

Symbolisation

Forcing groups to identify themselves with a symbol.

During the Holocaust, Jewish people were forced to identify themselves with the Star of David.

Stage 3 of Genocide

Dehumanisation

Occurs when one group looks upon another as subhuman, or less than human. This depersonalises a genocide.

Stage 4 of Genocide

Organisation

Genocide is carried out by a state or terrorist group.

Stage 5 of Genocide

Polarisation

When the groups who have been classified are driven away and separated from society.

In Nazi Germany, the Nuremberg laws were passed, which polarised the Jewish people by forbidding inter-marriage, determining who was 'Jewish', and banning Jewish people from civil service. So they slowly started to isolate Jews from participating in German society.

Stage 6 of Genocide

Preparation

Happens as perpetrators move closer to stage 7, victims are identified and separated. They indoctrinate the population with a fear of the people e.g., 'If we don't kill them, they will kill us.'

Stage 7 of Genocide

Extermination and Denial

Mass Killing legally becomes genocide. Then they cover up evidence, harming witnesses, altering statistics, or even describing violence as caused by a civil war as opposed to genocide.