Serial Killers And The Social Learning Theory Essay

Serial killers are usually made because of a significant event/events that may have happened during their childhood. Albert DeSalvo may be one of those serial killers. He grew up in an abusive household. He was taught at an early age about sex and physical abuse. This behavior demonstrates the characteristics of the social learning theory. This paper will go into great detail on Albert DeSalvo’s family background and the crimes that he committed in his lifetime, give a brief description of social learning theory, discuss differential association, and show how Albert DeSalvo and the social learning theory are related. â€Å"Albert Henry DeSalvo was born on September 3, 1931 in Chelsea, Massachusetts† (Vronsky, 2004, p. 76). His mother married his father, who was an alcoholic that was arrested numerous times, when she was fifteen (Vronsky, 2004). Albert DeSalvo’s father â€Å"had beaten the children repeatedly and often forced his wife to have sexual relations in front of them† (Evans, 2003, p. 549). These acts had a major effect on Albert’s life and personality. According to Vronsky (2004), Albert DeSalvo was â€Å"once sold to a farmer in Maine along with his two sisters for nine dollars† (p. 76). There is no record of what happened while they were on the farm. His mother divorced his father after he was put in jail when Albert DeSalvo was twelve (Vronsky, 2004). According to Vronsky (2004), Albert felt alone as a child and did not allow himself to become close to anyone except for hisShow MoreRelatedSerial Killers And The United States1743 Words   |  7 PagesIntroduction Serial murder crime though rare, is not a a new phenomenon. This crime has been committed for centuries and will continue to be a crime that is committed throughout the world. 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