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Research article
First published February 2004

Violent Cultural Factors and Serial Homicide by Males

James DeFronzo [email protected] and Jane ProchnowView all authors and affiliations
Volume 94, Issue 1
https://doi.org/10.2466/pr0.94.1.104-108

Abstract

Explaining the phenomenon of male serial homicide has usually been approached from a psychiatric perspective. However, recent integrative theory suggests that cultural factors may play a role in shaping the psychology of young males with particular psychiatric and possibly neurological vulnerabilities in such ways as to facilitate converting the motivation to kill into actual behavior. Present results indicated that 34–45% of the interstate variation in rates of serial killer activity could be accounted for by three dimensions of local culture. Higher rates of male serial killer activity were associated with a local state culture supportive of game hunting and military training and a local culture supportive of punitive violence. The findings must be viewed with caution since societal variables are complex and the results are based on correlations which cannot be causally interpreted without more direct evidence of validity.

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Published In

Volume 94, Issue 1
Pages: 104 - 108
Article first published: February 2004
Issue published: February 2004

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© 2004 SAGE Publications.
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PubMed: 15077753

Authors

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James DeFronzo
Sociology Department, University of Connecticut
[email protected]
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Jane Prochnow
Department of Learning and Teaching, Massey University
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Notes

Please direct correspondence to Jim DeFronzo, U-2068, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT or e-mail ([email protected])

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