The Macdonald Triad Essay Example

setting, animal cruelty is believed to be a precursor to the killing of human beings.Non merely the act of killing, but also the means of carrying out the murder on a human. The act of killing an animal is essentially reclaiming what they lost through humiliation from their peers, as they dominate something weaker than themselves. It has been suggested that children who later become serial killers use animals to release their frustrations because the person causing their humiliation is too powerful for them to handle. These future serial killers feel that they regain power and control over their lives by tormenting and killing animals, thus gaining the ability to inflict pain on their future victims. Personally, I disagree with the Macdonald Triad. While I do not doubt that all three factors individually indicate troubled behavior, I do not believe that their combination alone is enough to directly link them to violent behavior. To me, there is insufficient information to support the validity of these theories. The studies mentioned in the text only involve research counts of 84, 102, and 1200; this is not enough research or statistical data collection to convince me that these behaviors are direct factors in the actions exhibited by serial killers. The main flaw of this theory lies in the lack of research and diverse study groups. However, I believe that the strength of this theory lies in its potential, which could be realized through more funding, research, and studies.The Macdonald Triad is effective in illustrating the emotions behind an action and is believed to enhance the theory's credibility. The relationship between nature/nurture and a child's emotional development process is

crucial and often serves as a direct indication of their adult behavior or response.