Looking back to humans’ ancestral roles as hunters and gatherers could help to explain how serial killers choose their victims.
This is according to new research led by a Penn State evolutionary psychologist, who says the different patterns seen between male and female murderers may be a product of gender-specific behaviors that persisted for most of human history.
While male serial killers tend to ‘hunt’ for their victims, often targeting and stalking complete strangers, female serial killers are more likely to ‘gather,’ seeking out victims from the people around them – many of whom they already know.
Male serial killers such as Jeffrey Dahmer, left, are often nicknamed for the brutality of their crimes - Dahmer was also known as the Milwaukee Cannibal or the Milwaukee Monster. Female serial killers, on the other hand, are given nicknames to reflect their gender. Jane Toppan (right) was nicknamed Jolly Jane
The dark triad is a name given to three personality traits: narcissism, psychopathy and Machiavellianism.
When all three traits are found in a single person, it implies a malevolent personality.
All three dark triad traits are conceptually distinct, but have been shown to have an overlap.
Narcissism is characterised by grandiosity, pride, egotism, and a lack of empathy.
Machiavellianism is characterised by manipulation and exploitation of others. It is also often linked to a cynical disregard for morality, and a focus on self-interest and deception.
Psychopathy is characterised by continuing antisocial behaviour, impulsivity, selfishness, callousness, and remorselessness.
‘If a murder has been committed without a known suspect, you can sometimes use details of the crime to form a profile of what the perpetrator might look like,’ explains Marissa Harrison, associate professor of psychology at Penn State Harrisburg.
‘So if you know that men are more likely to commit a crime in a certain way and women are more likely to do it another,
