Serial killers have become a topic of interest to the general public, especially since the hype that has been brought about from horror movies. A lot of people are interested in why people become serial killers, or what common traits serial killers posses.

Interestingly, there are similar characteristics among serial killers that have been found out through study and research. It is important to note that there are two types of serial killers; organized and unorganized.

Serial killers grow up into people who kill other human beings as a source of pleasure. The reason for this is not completely understood, but is believed to be caused by neurological damage and psychological defects that lower reaction to emotional stimuli. Therefore, for a killer to be able to feel pain, joy, happiness, or other emotions, they must commits horrendous acts of violence that would be unthinkable to a healthy individual.

As children, the top most common behavioral characteristics shared amongst all serial killers include extensive day dreaming, compulsive masturbation, chronic lying, isolation, bed wetting over the age of twelve, rebelliousness, destroying property, nightmares, setting fires, stealing and cruelty towards other children. It is important to note that not all children who experience these things will turn into serial killers, it is only that the serial killers which criminologists have studied, have found these similar characteristics to be true. Almost all serial killers were sexually and physically abused as children and about half have of them had their fathers abandon their family before the age of twelve. It the other half of these cases where the father didn't leave, he was always controlling and abusive. Many serial killers tend to become highly interested in fetishism and sadomasochistic pornography at an early age. When serial killers are still at a young age and they are too small to inflict pain upon other humans, they get joy out of torturing insects or small animals.

It has be proven that most organized serial killers are white males between the ages of 25 and 30 years old, of average or above intelligence and are usually married with children. Despite their high intelligent levels they tend to do poorly in school and might have a hard time holding down a job.