Prompt: This is a research paper that I had to write for my final project for AP Psychology after taking the AP exam Junior year. For the paper we learned about the well-known serial killer, Ted Bundy, from the 1970's by reading articles and watching the movie The Deliberate Stranger. We were then tasked with diagnosing Ted Bundy's disorder and support our claim with examples of his actions and interactions with others that matched the characteristics listed in the DMV-IV of that disorder.
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Ted
Bundy Final Project
I believe that Ted Bundy, a notorious serial killer who killed over 30 women, had anti-social personality disorder. This disorder is more than evident throughout his actions seen in the movie The Deliberate Stranger.
To start, one of the most significant characteristics of Anti-social personality disorder evidenced by the DSM-IV is that one lacks empathy and remorse for their actions and may even be “indifferent to, or provide a superficial rationalization for, having hurt or mistreated [someone].” Bundy definitely shows such behavior by frequently calling or talking to his girlfriend, Cas Richter, after committing heinous murders to women (as if it is a normal day). He shows no guilt for his crimes and after being taken into custody justifies his actions by saying “this is blown out of proportion” “they don’t understand” “I am not guilty.”
Bundy also “tends to be irritable and aggressive” which is also stated in the DSM-IV. After murdering the women Bundy showed periods of irritability in the movie such as one instance when he meets his girlfriend with her daughter. When she asks if they are still going out to dinner he yells “I said maybe. Maybe seems to mean a lifelong promise!” His girlfriend also describes an instance to the cops later on when Bundy tied her up (around New Years) and tried to strangle her “as if in a trance.”
So, Bundy reveals the capacity for aggression yet also meets the description of being “excessively opinionated, self-assured or cocky…[displays] glib, superficial charm.” After being detained the detectives say that Bundy gets power by talking because it makes him feel in control. Bundy is a sweet talker using his charm to try to reverse his sentence and lure his women victims into vulnerable situations. He is also very opinionated and self-assured when he attends the parties hosted by the Republican Party for which he works for, displaying an essence of prestige even though he does not even have a law-degree yet.
Lastly, Bundy displays “A pattern of impulsivity” in his murders. In the movie the police later describe Bundy of being a “deliberate stranger” to his women victims because he never murders anyone from which he had previous contact to. Bundy literally roams the streets in his BMW looking for victims that appeal to him thus showing his impulsive nature.
Bundy represents the age requirement of having to be diagnosed after the age 18 years since he was believed to have killed between 1974 and 1978 when he was around 22 years old. He was also described as being a pretty normal teenager being a high school athlete with his own lawn mowing business and “was never short of a pretty girl on his arm.” Thus such signs of a disorder were not evident until when he was over 18 years of age. The DSM-IV also says that anti-social personality disorder is more common in men than women; which makes Bundy more likely to have such the disorder since he represents the more commonly diagnosed gender. Lastly, anti-social personality disorder is evidenced among “low-socioeconomic status and urban settings.” Although, Bundy is not perfectly representative of a low economic status he is not especially wealthy he does not have a high paying job or a law degree yet. He does however live in the primarily urban area of Seattle, which is densely populated. In the crimes Bundy committed he was typically “manipulative and deceitful” as stated in the DSM-IV. He exhibits such behavior for example when he uses a fake cast as a way of appealing to his victim’s sense of pity and luring them into his trap. He also lies about being a cop to another girl to try to seduce her. Overall, he successfully commits his crimes by manipulating women into vulnerable situations in which he can murder them below the public radar.
In his crimes committed Bundy also displays the criteria for anti-social personality disorder by “repeatedly [performing] acts that are grounds for arrest.” Bundy commits the crimes originally around once a month according to the cops but it later begins to occur more frequently. After escaping jail he even kills a multiple college students in a sorority house in their sleep with a wooden log. The fact that Bundy can excessively commit such terrible murders also alludes to the lack of remorse and empathy he exhibits as well.
It took a long time for Bundy to be identified and apprehended by those around him mainly because of his likability and charm. Bundy was considered a good egg by all his colleagues because he was a diligent worker and pleasant company. For example, when a woman at his office was down about her boyfriend breaking up with her Bundy was quick to comfort her by massaging her shoulders and bringing her to a party. His girlfriend was also dumfounded by the sentence because he was so kind and wrote the most wonderful letters. Therefore, Bundy deceived all those around him of his true colors. His records were overlooked by officers because they were so “squeaky clean” and he did not seem capable of murder to his peers.
Richard Larsen, a reporter in which Bundy is friends with, uses the defense mechanism of rationalization. Laresen (who Bundy calls “dick”) does not believe that Bundy is capable of murder even when clear evidence is presented. He rationalizes his thoughts justifying why it is not possible by saying “but he is such a good kid” “he reminds me of myself” and so on to cover up the truth of the situation to himself. Bundy’s girlfriend, Cas Richter, exhibits the defense mechanism of denial. When signs occur suggesting that Ted is a possible murder criminal, Cas denies that it is possible saying that it is widely unlikely to her friend when she brings up the topic. Even when he is arrested and police talk to her the first time she says “but he writes such wonderful letters…he can’t be a killer!”
After being arrested Bundy himself displays full out denial. He claims that he “will not share the burden of the guilt” because he “did not do it.” Bundy also does not seem worried or concerned about being in jail and reacts to everything rather calmly. Victims of anti-social personality disorder besides being charming are “frequently deceitful and manipulative…and may repeatedly lie.” This is precisely what Bundy does during his trial and to the police officers because he feels no remorse for his actions and thus no obligation to take ownership for them. Most humans or criminals natural instinct is to deny what they are accused of but Bundy does it in such a callous, cynical way completely exempt of any emotion besides denial.
I believe that Ted Bundy, a notorious serial killer who killed over 30 women, had anti-social personality disorder. This disorder is more than evident throughout his actions seen in the movie The Deliberate Stranger.
To start, one of the most significant characteristics of Anti-social personality disorder evidenced by the DSM-IV is that one lacks empathy and remorse for their actions and may even be “indifferent to, or provide a superficial rationalization for, having hurt or mistreated [someone].” Bundy definitely shows such behavior by frequently calling or talking to his girlfriend, Cas Richter, after committing heinous murders to women (as if it is a normal day). He shows no guilt for his crimes and after being taken into custody justifies his actions by saying “this is blown out of proportion” “they don’t understand” “I am not guilty.”
Bundy also “tends to be irritable and aggressive” which is also stated in the DSM-IV. After murdering the women Bundy showed periods of irritability in the movie such as one instance when he meets his girlfriend with her daughter. When she asks if they are still going out to dinner he yells “I said maybe. Maybe seems to mean a lifelong promise!” His girlfriend also describes an instance to the cops later on when Bundy tied her up (around New Years) and tried to strangle her “as if in a trance.”
So, Bundy reveals the capacity for aggression yet also meets the description of being “excessively opinionated, self-assured or cocky…[displays] glib, superficial charm.” After being detained the detectives say that Bundy gets power by talking because it makes him feel in control. Bundy is a sweet talker using his charm to try to reverse his sentence and lure his women victims into vulnerable situations. He is also very opinionated and self-assured when he attends the parties hosted by the Republican Party for which he works for, displaying an essence of prestige even though he does not even have a law-degree yet.
Lastly, Bundy displays “A pattern of impulsivity” in his murders. In the movie the police later describe Bundy of being a “deliberate stranger” to his women victims because he never murders anyone from which he had previous contact to. Bundy literally roams the streets in his BMW looking for victims that appeal to him thus showing his impulsive nature.
Bundy represents the age requirement of having to be diagnosed after the age 18 years since he was believed to have killed between 1974 and 1978 when he was around 22 years old. He was also described as being a pretty normal teenager being a high school athlete with his own lawn mowing business and “was never short of a pretty girl on his arm.” Thus such signs of a disorder were not evident until when he was over 18 years of age. The DSM-IV also says that anti-social personality disorder is more common in men than women; which makes Bundy more likely to have such the disorder since he represents the more commonly diagnosed gender. Lastly, anti-social personality disorder is evidenced among “low-socioeconomic status and urban settings.” Although, Bundy is not perfectly representative of a low economic status he is not especially wealthy he does not have a high paying job or a law degree yet. He does however live in the primarily urban area of Seattle, which is densely populated. In the crimes Bundy committed he was typically “manipulative and deceitful” as stated in the DSM-IV. He exhibits such behavior for example when he uses a fake cast as a way of appealing to his victim’s sense of pity and luring them into his trap. He also lies about being a cop to another girl to try to seduce her. Overall, he successfully commits his crimes by manipulating women into vulnerable situations in which he can murder them below the public radar.
In his crimes committed Bundy also displays the criteria for anti-social personality disorder by “repeatedly [performing] acts that are grounds for arrest.” Bundy commits the crimes originally around once a month according to the cops but it later begins to occur more frequently. After escaping jail he even kills a multiple college students in a sorority house in their sleep with a wooden log. The fact that Bundy can excessively commit such terrible murders also alludes to the lack of remorse and empathy he exhibits as well.
It took a long time for Bundy to be identified and apprehended by those around him mainly because of his likability and charm. Bundy was considered a good egg by all his colleagues because he was a diligent worker and pleasant company. For example, when a woman at his office was down about her boyfriend breaking up with her Bundy was quick to comfort her by massaging her shoulders and bringing her to a party. His girlfriend was also dumfounded by the sentence because he was so kind and wrote the most wonderful letters. Therefore, Bundy deceived all those around him of his true colors. His records were overlooked by officers because they were so “squeaky clean” and he did not seem capable of murder to his peers.
Richard Larsen, a reporter in which Bundy is friends with, uses the defense mechanism of rationalization. Laresen (who Bundy calls “dick”) does not believe that Bundy is capable of murder even when clear evidence is presented. He rationalizes his thoughts justifying why it is not possible by saying “but he is such a good kid” “he reminds me of myself” and so on to cover up the truth of the situation to himself. Bundy’s girlfriend, Cas Richter, exhibits the defense mechanism of denial. When signs occur suggesting that Ted is a possible murder criminal, Cas denies that it is possible saying that it is widely unlikely to her friend when she brings up the topic. Even when he is arrested and police talk to her the first time she says “but he writes such wonderful letters…he can’t be a killer!”
After being arrested Bundy himself displays full out denial. He claims that he “will not share the burden of the guilt” because he “did not do it.” Bundy also does not seem worried or concerned about being in jail and reacts to everything rather calmly. Victims of anti-social personality disorder besides being charming are “frequently deceitful and manipulative…and may repeatedly lie.” This is precisely what Bundy does during his trial and to the police officers because he feels no remorse for his actions and thus no obligation to take ownership for them. Most humans or criminals natural instinct is to deny what they are accused of but Bundy does it in such a callous, cynical way completely exempt of any emotion besides denial.
Reflection: Overall, I received a 90 on this paper and was able to improve my experience writing research papers (having only written one other before).