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Jeffery Dahmer - A Psychoanalytic Approach
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Jeffery Dahmer: A Psychoanalytic Approach Griffith University

2000CCJ Psychology Of Crime Word count: 2129

JEFFREY DAHMER 2 Jeffery Dahmer: A Psychoanalytic Approach A serial killer is defined as a person who murders three or more people in a period of over a month (Crime Museum, 2017). Serial killings are the rarest forms of homicide, consequently, few studies have been conducted regarding their behavioural traits. The purpose of this paper is to examine the key features of the psychodynamic theory and implement them to arguably the most notorious serial killer and sex offender, Jeffrey Dahmer. Firstly, the main concepts of the psychoanalysis theory will be discussed. In addition, Dahmer’s behaviour leading up to his serial killing behaviours will be analysed to explained with the application of the psychoanalysis theory. Psychoanalysis is the theory of personality, based on the notion that an individual becomes more motivated by unseen forces which are controlled by the conscious and the rational thought (Business Jargons, 2018). The Psychoanalytic theory was introduced into the field of criminology to assist in explaining criminal behaviour. Sigmund Freud founded psychoanalysis theory in the 1920’s (Elliote,1994). Freud elucidated that early childhood experiences has a profound impact in adolescent and adult behaviour (Bartol, 2002). Freud believed people could be cured by seeking insight into an individual’s repressed memory through their personality (O’ Driscoll, 2014). In relation to psychoanalysis, personality claims that human behaviour is the result of the interactions among three parts of the mind; the id, ego and superego (Lumen, 2019). The id is the first part of psychanalytic theory. It is entirely unconscious and encompasses the most primitive part of the personality, unconsciously supplying with instant gratification of basic physical needs and urges (Vinney, 2019). The id is also a primal part of the mind that consist of sexual and aggressive drives and hidden memories (Smith, 2018). The id remains constant throughout life for the reason that it is not influenced by external factors, it is

JEFFREY DAHMER 3 uninfluenced by logic and exists in the unconscious state of mind (Smith, 2018). The purpose of introducing the id is to highlight the element of repressed memories or childhood experiences associate in future criminal behaviour. Despite the id being a crucial part of the human psyche, the ego is also a vital. Once the id is established at birth, the second stage of the human psyche, the ego, serves as a metaphoric bridge by linking the id with external factors. “The ego develops to mediate between the unrealistic id and the external real world. It is the decision-making component of personality” (McLeod, 2016). If an individual’s behaviour produces negative consequences, the ego often compromises or postpones the id demands by attempting to minimise the urgent need for pleasure (McLeod, 2016). According to Sigmund Freud, “the ego is part of personality that mediated the demands of the id, the superego, and reality” (Cherry, 2019). If the ego is unsuccessful in its attempt to employ the reality principle, the unconscious defence mechanisms is then applied to deflect unpleasant feelings (McLeod, 2016). Consequently, if the ego fails to comprise the id, the individual acts illogically or irrationally, hence, leading to criminal behaviour. The ego is profoundly influenced at an early age and it’s duty to regulate the id, which is driven by impulsive motives, is a pivotal factor in this study. Particularly, serial killers display behaviours indicating a fractured or inflamed ego thus, unable to supress their violent impulses to kill. Consequently, the ego must be further explored to explain the traits impacting Jeffrey Dahmer’s psyche. In completing Freuds theory of personality, he introduced a third phase, the superego. The last component of personality to develop is the superego. The purpose of the superego is to refrain and suppress any urges or desires considered socially unacceptable by the id (Cherry, 2019). The superego functions to command the ego to act as an ethical constraint on

JEFFREY DAHMER 4 behaviour and morally rather than realistically to strive for perfection (McLeod, 2016). The superego functions through two systems; the conscience and the ideal self. For example, sexual and aggressive impulsive fantasies penetrate the ego from the id, the ego cannot rectify these impulses with the superego because they are considered forbidden or taboo. As anxiety forms within the ego, the superego’s conscience punishes the ego through guilt or shame. The ego represses the id’s impulses back to the subconscious (Kilby, 2015). The ideal self is an imaginary picture of how to be a good member of society (McLeod, 2016). When applying Freuds theory of personality on serial killers, it is apparent that negative childhood experiences substantially does influence the killers developing superegos, due to constant exposure to unhealthy environments and behaviours. The psychoanalytic theory is vital to understanding psychodynamics in terms of explaining criminal behaviour and the constant conflicts between the id, ego and superego. The final key feature of the psychoanalytic theory is the defence mechanism. A defence mechanism is an unconscious psychological mechanism to reduce an individual’s anxiety from inappropriate feelings or thoughts, or because the id or superego becomes too demanding (Schacter, 2011, McLeod, 2019). When ego-defence mechanisms become uncontrollable, neuroses develops (McLeod, 2019).

Jeffrey Dahmer was an American serial killer and sex offender who murdered 17 males between the years 1978 and 1991. Rape, dismemberment, necrophilia, and cannibalism were all parts of his modus operandi (Crime Museum, 2017). Dahmer had a normal childhood, however, after he underwent a double hernia surgery at the age of 6, there was a gradual change in personality. He was a loner, often felt neglected by his family. Dahmer only had a few friends in school, and he tried to become more extroverted, in which he succeeded to some extent. However, as he got

JEFFREY DAHMER 5 more involved in sadistic fantasies, he became introverted, developing an unusual interest in dead animals (Smith, 2018). At the age of eight, Dahmer was molested by a boy in his neighbourhood, however this incident went unreported (Newton, 2006). His teenage years marked a significant shift in behaviour, developed from his withdrawn personality. Jeffrey often consumed alcohol, and his average grades started to decline. During his adolescents, he became aware of his homosexuality and engaged himself in homosexual necrophiliac fantasies (Master, 1993). Three weeks after graduating from high school, he committed his first murder. At the time, Jeffrey was left home alone due to his parents’ divorce. He used this as an opportunity to execute his dark desires. He picked up a hitchhiker and took him to his father’s house for a drink. After hitting his victim unconscious, Dahmer proceeded to dissect, dissolve, pulverise and scatter the remains throughout his back yard (Crime Museum, 2017). Dahmer’s father forced him to enlist in the army. Due to his drinking habits, he was discharged from the army. He moved to Florida to live with his Grandmother whilst continuing necro-obsession (Storey, 2019). He often went to bathhouses and would drug and rape them while being unconscious. Dahmer faced probation but was never charged for the rapes. After 1990, he continued his killing spree but at this point, Dahmer began performing unsettling acts with their corpses, by having intercourse, taking photos of the mutilation process, preserving the victims skills and genital for display with scientific precision (Crime Museum, 2017). Police found body parts and pictures in his apartments. On August 1991, Dahmer was charged with 15 counts of murder to which he pled guilty to insanity. Jeffrey Dahmer received 15 consecutive life sentences, giving a minimum sentence of 936 years (Smith, 2018).

JEFFREY DAHMER 6 When incorporating the division of the mind theory to Jeffrey Dahmer’s behaviour, it is apparent that the there is a serious imbalance of the id, ego and superego. “A person who is involved in deviant behaviours, have feelings of self-importance and obsession with fantasies of unlimited success” (Study moose, 2017). Jeffrey Dahmer convinced himself that he is special and unique and had the authority to punish and hurt others. It is evident that Dahmer had an extremely powerful id that dominated the ego and superego and Dahmer could not progress to superego and remained “stuck” in the stage of id. Dahmer was often lonely at school; his loneliness may have led to harbouring aggressive fantasies. From being guilt ridden from childhood, he could not enjoy sexual gratification in adult life, henceforth inflicting pain and suffering upon his victims. Dahmer believed that having sexual intercourse with a corpse is more attracted as they cannot reject you, or be unfaithful and, cannot make sexual demands (Schwartz, 1992, 82). In order to gratify his id’s impulses, he had to engage in violent behaviour. In Dahmer’s adulthood, he frequently tried to repress his immoral urges. This is an indication that his superego was operating to a certain extent, and he was trying to conform to societal norms. After his first two killing, he felt repelled by his actions and consumed more alcohol to console his repression. At one point, Jeffrey abandoned alcoholism and his superego completely failed and he quit repressing. After his id continued to control his life, this marked the beginning of his notorious killing spree. It is believed that Jeffrey could not accept his own ego, for the reason that he is homosexual and was attracted to people of colour. It is to be noted that Jeffrey’s drinking habits started after he came out as gay (Macias, 2013). Between Dahmer’s ego and superego, an intense tension emerged to which Jeffrey responded with destruction, because “nobody who was taught to repress sexuality is able to love” (Abdoh, 1999). In prison, he would

JEFFREY DAHMER 7 use racial slurs and said that ‘they deserved to die’, even though he was sexually attracted to people of different colour (Abdoh, 1999). An important theoretical component in psychoanalytic theory is defence mechanisms. There are two defence mechanisms present Jeffrey Dahmer’s personality, displacement and projection. According to Freuds defence mechanism, displacement is the redirection of an impulse in order to secrete the true or original impulses (McLeod, 2019). After discovering his sexuality, his did not acknowledge his sexual orientation to his parents. He killed his victims because he wanted to kill the source of his homosexual attraction to them. In killing them, he eliminated what he hated in himself (Martinez, 2016), it was purely because it was Dahmer’s way escaping his sexuality. Projection is the second defence mechanism shown by Dahmer. He did not see any harm in his deviant behaviours, rather than doing something for the greater good, eventually getting rid of evil (Storey, 2019). Within projection, there is paranoia which leads to continuously killing people. During the oral stage, he was adored but not breast fed, and his mother had difficulty bonding with Dahmer dude to her anxiety. Compared to the universal developmental process, Jeffrey had a slower development as he had difficulty moving his legs at four months. Excessive drinking suggest that the drinker became fixated at the oral stage of development. Alcoholism is a symptom of underlying personality disorder. Psychoanalysts claim the condition on some unresolved conflict between the id and ego. During the phallic stage, Oedipus complex was not fulfilled, hence associating death with pleasure in as opposed to his mother. In the latency stage, Jeffrey was never able to develop his superego or make interpersonal relationships with his peers. Dahmer was stuck during the genital stage, alcoholism began, and he joined the army. He tried to supress his sexual desires and he fought his sexual desires.

JEFFREY DAHMER 8 There are several weaknesses when implementing the psychoanalytic theory to explain Jeffrey Dahmer’s criminal behaviour. There are several weaknesses when implementing the psychoanalytic theory to explain Jeffrey Dahmer’s criminal behaviour. Essentially, it is widely accepted that the psychoanalytic theory is not scientific, for the reason that it is not testable, and the unconscious mind cannot be measured. Some studies elucidated that according to psychoanalysis, Dahmer’s root cause of criminal behaviour could be because he was sexually abused at eight years of age. Childhood traumas are linked to serial killings. However, Dahmer was already fascinated by small dead animals at the age of four. The psychoanalysis relies heavily on how childhood influences behaviour of an individual and how their experiences predetermines their adult personality. It proposes that Dahmer’s killings were predetermined by his experiences throughout childhood and individuals lack free will. Rather than childhood experiences shaping an individual’s life, there could beo a possibility of Dahmer suffering from a mental illness. In conclusion, the psychodynamic theory can be used to explain the mind of the serial killer, Jeffrey Dahmer. It is of critical importance to understand how childhood experiences mould an individual and how important it is to adapt to social norms. Jeffrey Dahmer was a socially isolated, lonely and frustrated man whose id outbalanced ego and superego. According to the psychoanalysis theory, a healthy environment with the “correct” upbringing, a child ensures moral individuals. As a result, one will not commit peculiar behaviours if their personality is correctly shaped.

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JEFFREY DAHMER 10 McLeod, S. (2016). Id, Ego, Superego. Retrieved from https://www.simplypsychology.org/psyche.html Newton, M. (2006). The encyclopedia of serial killers (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Checkmark Books. O’Driscoll, D. (2014). The case for Dr. Freud. Learning Disability Practice, 17(3), 11 Schacter, Daniel L. (2011). Psychology Second Edition. 41 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10010: Worth Publishers. pp. 482–483. ISBN 978-1-4292-3719-2. The Application of Two Personality Theories to the life of a Serial Killer – Jeffrey Dahmer. (19 Feb 2017). Retrieved from https://studymoose.com/the-application-of-twopersonality-theories-to-the-life-of-a-serial-killer-jeffrey-dahmer-essay Vinnay, C. (28 Feb, 2019). Freud: Id, Ego, and Superego Explained. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/id-ego-and-superego-4582342...