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Chapter 6 - The Motivation Underlying Serial Lust Killing

from Part I - The Factors That Underlie Lust Killing

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 May 2022

Frederick Toates  and
Olga Coschug-Toates
Frederick Toates
Affiliation:
The Open University, Milton Keynes
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Summary

The motivation underlying lust killing normally arises from a merging of desires for sex and dominance. Although anger is a negative emotion, aggression has properties of an appetitive activity. Heterosexual lust killers generally have a grievance against women. Homosexual lust killers appear to be unhappy about their sexual orientation, often because of taunting. A distinction is drawn between affective and predatory aggression. An act of killing is commonly preceded by taking alcohol or illegal drugs, viewing violent pornography or acute stress, such as a fight with a partner. Brains are a hybrid of regions old in evolution and development and regions that are new. A Go-System, also known as a behavioural activation system, employs dopamine and underlies engagement with incentives. This system is strongly activated by the prospect of reward in individuals high on a psychopathy score. Sex differences in sexual violence are discussed in terms of brain processes.

Keywords

motivationdesiredominancedopaminefrustrationaggressionpornographydrugshierarchy
Type
Chapter
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Understanding Sexual Serial Killing , pp. 71 - 86
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2022

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