1. Nature
2. Maslow's Pyramid on the Hierarchy of Needs
Esteem Needs
Esteem needs on the pyramid is the need for self-esteem, achievement, competence, and independence; wanting recognition and respect from others. BTK loved the feeling of success or achievement after his murders, that is a major reason why he took souvenirs, cut out pictures, and took photographs. Once the investigation started to figure out who BTK really was, Rader admired the attention he was getting and it made him feel wanted or needed. He also wrote letters to the police admitting what he did so then he would get recognition for his actions. Lastly, Rader always had a strong feeling to be accepted by the police officers which relates to the pyramid and wanting to be respected from others.
3. Which part of the brain is affected for BTK?
The hypothalamus and thalamus play a major role in the mind of a psychopath. The hypothalamus takes a part in aggressive behaviors along with positive and negative emotions with incoming stimuli. Having abnormalities in that area is a reason why most serial killers may have trouble with keeping relationships, making new ones, and feeling sympathy towards others. That area also affects fearful behavior and sexual desires, when one area is stimulated, the pleasure spreads to other parts of the brain producing violent actions along with that pleasure. With serial killers, this means that they get positive responses in the brain even though it is caused by a negative action.
- Although Dennis Rader did not have traumatic experience as a child, he was born with a defected thalamus. This has been linked to OCD. The orbital-frontal cortex is supposed to send out the "worry signals" to the thalamus, but since Rader's is defected, his thalamus rejects the signals. BTK's stalking also links with OCD because he became obsessed with his projects and their daily routines, he knew everything about them before his victims even knew who he existed.
- Rader also shows Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) which probably developed as a child. As his murders evolved, he became famous and well known by the town in which he lived. He sent and left letters and poems to frighten those who were in the area and communicated with the police to feel accepted. When other day-to-day citizens started to the talk about BTK either in newspaper articles or on the internet, he felt accomplished, famous, and loved the attention. In 2005, Rader did an interview with NBC and he said "I am BTK" with a smile on his face.
- His feelings of being inferior, or controlled by his religious structure, may have created a desire within him for control. With a defected thalamus to go along with his feeling of inferiority, he relied heavily on his amygdala for his emotional feelings, which may have caused his sexual feelings of control. Mixed with his obsessive behavior it helped his sexual fantasies to consume him.
2. Maslow's Pyramid on the Hierarchy of Needs
Esteem Needs
Esteem needs on the pyramid is the need for self-esteem, achievement, competence, and independence; wanting recognition and respect from others. BTK loved the feeling of success or achievement after his murders, that is a major reason why he took souvenirs, cut out pictures, and took photographs. Once the investigation started to figure out who BTK really was, Rader admired the attention he was getting and it made him feel wanted or needed. He also wrote letters to the police admitting what he did so then he would get recognition for his actions. Lastly, Rader always had a strong feeling to be accepted by the police officers which relates to the pyramid and wanting to be respected from others.
3. Which part of the brain is affected for BTK?
The hypothalamus and thalamus play a major role in the mind of a psychopath. The hypothalamus takes a part in aggressive behaviors along with positive and negative emotions with incoming stimuli. Having abnormalities in that area is a reason why most serial killers may have trouble with keeping relationships, making new ones, and feeling sympathy towards others. That area also affects fearful behavior and sexual desires, when one area is stimulated, the pleasure spreads to other parts of the brain producing violent actions along with that pleasure. With serial killers, this means that they get positive responses in the brain even though it is caused by a negative action.