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The Brains of Serial Killers and Other Social Deviants

Fifty and Better Summer Lectures

The Brains of Serial Killers and Other Social Deviants

During the past 14,000 years, the human brain has evolved to adapt to our environment and to each other.  Unfortunately, violence among humans has not been a stranger to our communities but a particular kind of violence has fascinated us for centuries. Despite making up less than one percent of human beings across the globe, serial killers have fascinated humankind as far back as the 1600s.

Much of true crime media is spent focusing on “pop” sociological, psychological and biographical reasons as to why otherwise seemingly “ordinary” people become serials killers and social deviants, committing heinous and nightmarish acts such as the acts of Dennis Raider (the BTK Killer) or Richard Ramirez (the Night Stalker). What is less discussed and understood are the neurological components behind this grim reality. Nature and genetics are thought to reign supreme when it comes to our behavior, but upbringing and nurture seem to have just as much of an impact. Discover what we do know about how the three pounds of tissue we call the human brain dictate’s behavior, whether someone is a non-violent human being or a brutal serial murderer.

Wesley Tierney is a PhD candidate in Neuroscience at Arizona State University. He studies the mechanisms of Herpes Simplex Virus infection of neurons. Tierney has worked in various research labs for seven years ranging from social psychology, entomology, regenerative medicine, virology, and neuroscience. 

The Fifty and Better (FAB) program was designed for people 50 and older seeking intellectual stimulation through university level courses (without the pressure of grades) for the sake of learning and social engagement.


Register

Register by Aug. 4 at 1 p.m.

Sponsored By
Fifty and Better

Contact

Christina Tierney
fab@callutheran.edu
805-493-3290
Website

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