I suggest you read the book "Mindhunter" by John Douglas. In his book, he points out three characteristics found in most serial killers, although he says there are some serial killers who do not appear to have any of these three traits, some exhibit all, but most have at least one of these... 1. Cruelty to animals, often beginning in early childhood. 2. Bedwetting after age 12. 3. An abusive, harsh or strict female involved in their childhood, most often the mother, but sometimes an aunt or an older sister.

Serial killers frequently have extreme sadistic urges. Those who lack the ability to empathize with the suffering of others are frequently called psychopathic or sociopathic, terms which have been renamed among professional psychiatrists as antisocial personality disorder. Some serial killers engage in lust and torture murder, loosely defined terms involving, respectively, mutilation for sexual pleasure and killing victims slowly over a prolonged period of time. Psychology and development Most serial killers have dysfunctional backgrounds. Frequently they were physically, sexually, or psychologically abused as children and there is often a correlation between their childhood abuse and their crimes. The element of fantasy in a serial killer's development is extremely important. They often begin fantasizing about murder during or even before adolescence. Their fantasy lives are very rich and they daydream compulsively about domination, submission, and murder, usually with very specific elements to the fantasy that will eventually be apparent in their real crimes. Others enjoy reading stories of sadism featuring rape, torture and murder. In some cases, however, these traits are not present. Some serial killers display one or more of what are known as the "MacDonald triad" of warning signs in childhood. These are: * Fire starting, invariably just for the thrill of destroying things. * Cruelty to animals (related to "zoosadism"). Many children may be cruel to animals, such as pulling the legs off spiders, but future serial killers often kill larger animals, like dogs and cats, and frequently for their solitary enjoyment rather than to impress peers. * Bedwetting beyond the age when children normally grow out of such behavior. It should be noted that recently this Triad, developed in 1963, has been called into question by other researchers. See MacDonald Triad for more information. Many experts have claimed that once serial killers start they cannot (or only rarely) stop. Recently this view has been called into question as new serial killers are caught through methods that were previously unavailable, such as DNA testing. Some argue that those who are unable to control their homicidal impulses are more easily caught and thus overrepresented in the statistics. http://www.answers.com/topic/serial-killer

Daydreaming Compulsive Masturbation Isolation Chronic Lying Bed Wetting Rebelliousness Nightmares Destroying Property Fire Setting Stealing Cruelty To Children Poor Body Image Temper Tantrums Sleep Problems Assaultive To Adults Phobias Running Away Cruelty To Animals Accident Prone Headaches Destroying Possessions Eating Problems Convulsions Self-Mutilation (please do not try and self-analyze if you suffer from one or more of these as this does NOT make you a serial killer!!!!!!) Personality Traits White male between 25 and 35 years old. Can be of high income or low income. Average to high intelligence. Usually married with children and has a career. Victim Characteristics Serial killers enjoy extending the suffering of their victims. They get a lot of power by determining whether their victim will live or die. They may torture their victim for several days to obtain as much pleasaure as possible. Victims of serial killers have no profile. Most victims are chosen at random, just being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Some serial killers have a preference for their victims, choosing to eliminate a certain group of people (prostitutes, young women, children, etc.). Unlike mass murderers, serial killers select the victim. The killer will fantasize about the murder until the fantasy is no longer enough to bring about pleasure, and he must commit the crime. The serial killer will survey the location, and take every precaution to not get caught. Then they seek out the victim and murder them. Serial killers are seeking an object or prop to victimize, not a partner. Jeffrey Dahmer was searching for a living, breathing zombie who would do whatever he wanted and would never refuse or leave. The victims share personality traits such as vulnerability and confusion. Childhood Characteristics *A majority of serial killers have a history of sexual and physical abuse during childhood. *In half of the serial killers families, the biological father had left before the child was 12 years old. In the cases where the father didn't leave, he was domineering and abusive. *Delinquent acts such as pyromania, theft, and cruelty to animals were present in the childhoods of most serial killers.

Didn't think I could add anything here- you two really have it nailed. Points to you all-- good question- In this day and age, it would be good for us to know, as they say at any given time there are 35- 40 serial killers operating in the U.S. I might add- detachment disorder. Never having learned feelings because they were deprived of the emotional and especially physical touch they needed as babies. Goes along with the sociopath, lack of ability to empathize with others. Intelligence enables them to mimic feelings [Scott Peterson & OJ may not have been serial killers, but clearly felt only for themselves- showed in the treatment of their wives, the planning and after the facts.]

Why hasn't anyone mentioned addiction to pornography, especially pornography involving violence?

Obsessive, compulsive behavior or ocb. seral killers become fixed on a common goal, like murder, compared to a gambler like winning. odd comparison, but you get the point. Serial killers are much alike in some respect and different in others. some serial killers will select victims with a certain color hair. some a particular shade of lipstick or nair polish. some serial killers choose for eye color. they are all different, yet all the same. Invading a serial killers mind and discovering what makes them tick, is fascinating. most serial killers base their instinct to kill on events that occured in their childhood. molestation, rape and carnel knowledge are great contributors to a serial killers mode of operation, Their instinct to kill can be triggered by many factors. the smell of a certain perfume, the food a victim consumes and victims clothes are also triggers to kill to a serial killer. Planning and stalking are all part of a serial killers ocbeavior.

Some excellent answers. Although headaces and bedwetting? I'd say cuelty to animals. Lack of empathy. Alot have been sexualy assulted or shamed about their sexuality.

They don't value human life.

That they kill people?

the one common thing that serial killers have, in most reaseach if not all... the lack of empathy. This is usually what stops most reasoning humans from commiting a crime, simply because we can identify with the wrong doing. In research it shows that over 75% of serial killers cannot relate to the pain or suffering that a victim endures. This is a disassociative disorder.

determination

murder

they kill more than 1 person! :D i know dumb but hey. i tried. :P

UM...TO THE PERSON THAT SAID OCD- AS AN OCD SUFFERER- U GET ABSOLUTELY NO SATISAFCTION FROM OCD- SERIAL KILLERS ENJOY WHAT THEY DO, THATS WHY THEY ARE SERIAL... AN OCD SUFFERER DOES NOT FEEL ANY SATISFACTION OUT OF DOING A COMPULSION- BELIEVE ME.

isolation animal abuse human abuse charming give you the shirt of off his back intelligent high iq controlling verbally abusive intimindating always has a gimmick . marry one and let the good times roll because it will soon be your head.

Well, they're usually not very nice people. So there's that...! :-)

i dated a man who had antisocial personality..he would mimic others..no empathy at all..if so it was faking it. They all need to be caught..I'm sad because they are so tricky and so twisted..they will mess with your own reality..they can con people and it's sad because the people they do con are good people..with big hearts that get hurt. It takes years to reclaim there lives..I think my ex is VERY angry at women..he had fantasies of wanting to drug me..he took pictures of me..he raped my mind..It's about control.He liked watching very sadist movies and said there just like video games. I wish they would lock him up

They're persistent! ;-)

I've noticed that when they interview neighbors, the same phrase comes up, "He was a quiet man, who kept to himself".

they kill in multiples seems the most common . LOL

Well, if you watch the news, the neighbors always say, "He was a quiet man, always pleasant when we met him on the street. Didn't keep much company. I never would have suspected he was capable of this."

Y Chromosomes. Most serial killers are male.

High levels of testosterone and lots of thick facial and body hair (from too much testosterone).

insanity

animal abuse

Theyre quite often loners too, and were bullied at school - for being 'different' and quite often they hate their Mothers

wow!!! snooch sure provided a long list. i don't know. i've met serial killers who were male and other female. i've met very young ones, young adults, and older folks. i've met at least one serial killer of each major ethnic / racial group. given probabilities, younger white guys are more likely to be serial killers. that doesn't mean don't ever go on dates with younger white guys or disown your sons. as for personality characteristics, the most common factor is a lack of empathy for others. almost everyone has some history of violence - hurting a pet, killing a bird, raping the neighbor ... i'm assuming that the term "serial" killer would not include someone who, through activation of a vest bomb kills 20 people in a vegetable market as a means of protest. i don't mean this as a way of blowing off the question, but, given the diversity of serial killers, and given the ever expanding diversity of this group of sociopaths, the bottom line is this - the most common trait shared by serial killers is that they kill.

I've heard the two most reliable indicators of future serial killers are animal cruelty and bed wetting as children.