Are psychopaths born or made? In this episode, we dive deep into one of psychology’s most haunting questions.

Through the real-life stories of Ted Bundy, Ed Kemper, and Jeffrey Dahmer, we explore how childhood trauma, neurological differences, and genetic predispositions can shape a human mind into something capable of unimaginable violence.

From early warning signs and pivotal turning points to the latest scientific insights into brain development and empathy, this episode unpacks what makes a psychopath and whether any of us could carry the same seeds inside.

We also break down the difference between psychopathy and sociopathy, clarifying what science can and can’t tell us about the origins of conscience.

🔍 Listen to uncover:

• How Bundy’s hidden shame and narcissistic wounds fueled his crimes

• Why Ed Kemper’s abusive upbringing and high intelligence became a deadly combination

• What drove Jeffrey Dahmer’s need to possess and control

• What brain imaging studies reveal about empathy and morality

Are we born without conscience or do life’s circumstances break it away?

Press play and step into the shadows of the human psyche.

Scientific References:

• Hare, R.D. (1999). Without Conscience

• Raine, A. (2018). Antisocial Personality as a Neurodevelopmental Disorder (Annual Review of Clinical Psychology)

• Blair, R.J.R. et al. (2007). The amygdala and vmPFC in psychopathy (Trends in Cognitive Sciences)

• Viding & McCrory (2012). Developmental perspectives on psychopathy