Ted Bundy: A Case Study
Motivation Evaluation
Motivation has three major viewpoints consisting of psychoanalytic, humanistic, and diversity (McAdams, 2009). Another approach to human motivations is Henry Murray’s theory. These views can help a person understand the motivations of others. In the case of Ted Bundy, using these viewpoints can help understand the reasons behind his motives for becoming a serial killer.
Psychoanalytic view
At an early age, Ted Bundy became interested in disturbing objects such as knives (bio. True Story, 2013). This was only the beginning however. As a teenager Bundy began looking through people’s windows and stealing (bio. True Story, 2013). In an interview before his death, he told psychologist James C. Dobson that pornography especially those that depicted violent sexual relations fueled his reasons (interview, January 23, 1989). This fits into Freud’s view that …show more content…
While Bundy’s murderous crimes do not convey a person who is trying to better their self his academic and social life does. After Bundy learned his sister was actually his mother and the devastating break up between him and his girlfriend he threw himself into his studies and graduated with honors (bio, 2013). Bundy also became a republican campaigner for the governor of Washington who wrote him a letter of recommendation for law school (bio. True Story, 2013).
Diversity view
The diversity view believes that people are motivated by a number of things (McAdams, 2009). The reason for Bundy’s rampage on killing women falls under the diversity view because pornography is not believed to be his only reason. While in college he fell in love with a woman who did not reciprocate the feelings he did (bio, 2013). His victims during his killing spree shared her physical characteristics; it is possible this heart break drove him to doing harm to women who resembled her (bio, 2013).
Henry Murray’s
Motivation has three major viewpoints consisting of psychoanalytic, humanistic, and diversity (McAdams, 2009). Another approach to human motivations is Henry Murray’s theory. These views can help a person understand the motivations of others. In the case of Ted Bundy, using these viewpoints can help understand the reasons behind his motives for becoming a serial killer.
Psychoanalytic view
At an early age, Ted Bundy became interested in disturbing objects such as knives (bio. True Story, 2013). This was only the beginning however. As a teenager Bundy began looking through people’s windows and stealing (bio. True Story, 2013). In an interview before his death, he told psychologist James C. Dobson that pornography especially those that depicted violent sexual relations fueled his reasons (interview, January 23, 1989). This fits into Freud’s view that …show more content…
While Bundy’s murderous crimes do not convey a person who is trying to better their self his academic and social life does. After Bundy learned his sister was actually his mother and the devastating break up between him and his girlfriend he threw himself into his studies and graduated with honors (bio, 2013). Bundy also became a republican campaigner for the governor of Washington who wrote him a letter of recommendation for law school (bio. True Story, 2013).
Diversity view
The diversity view believes that people are motivated by a number of things (McAdams, 2009). The reason for Bundy’s rampage on killing women falls under the diversity view because pornography is not believed to be his only reason. While in college he fell in love with a woman who did not reciprocate the feelings he did (bio, 2013). His victims during his killing spree shared her physical characteristics; it is possible this heart break drove him to doing harm to women who resembled her (bio, 2013).
Henry Murray’s