The Psychology of school shooters

[ThomasISFP]

Recently I have been thinking about the psychology and types of the school shooters David Hogg and Adam Lanza. Honetsly I think they are the same type because they have the same look intheir eyes and also other similarities like how intense they are about getting they're message across. I saw in interviews that David seems very extroverted and it's posible that Adam Lanza was too but he was autistic so its hard to type. What do you think?

 

[Frosty]

I think that its likely that these peopke have very individuals psychologies that would make it very difficult to find any common denominators besides... likely antisocial personality disorder.

Im not a mental health professional- but I wouldnt associate this with typology myself. These are extreme examples of how far away from ‘the norm’ that people can get- and they probably wouldnt represent ANY type fairly because of that.

 

[Mole]

We may as well type the guns as type the shooters.

 

[Ghost]

the school shooters David Hogg and Adam Lanza

WAT???

 

[Lark]

I think that its likely that these peopke have very individuals psychologies that would make it very difficult to find any common denominators besides... likely antisocial personality disorder.

Im not a mental health professional- but I wouldnt associate this with typology myself. These are extreme examples of how far away from ‘the norm’ that people can get- and they probably wouldnt represent ANY type fairly because of that.

On the one hand I'd be prepared to say, sure, they have got to be anomalous but they are that anomalous why are they not spotted long before the shootings and therefore the threat neutralised?

 

[ducks]

[MENTION=7280]Lark[/MENTION]

Because being fucked up IS normal?

 

[Obfuscate]

i wouldn't say that they are beyond typing, but what causes them to perform such acts is... there is a monster in everyone, and knowing it is part of being whole... there is a danger in us vs them thinking, just as there is one in identifying too deeply with the motivations of these folks... acknowledge your capabilities, and move on... there is nothing to be gained on an individual level from focusing on this...

 

[Lark]

[MENTION=7280]Lark[/MENTION]

Because being fucked up IS normal?

I dont know, I just think that a lot of the post-incident rationalisation involves work to identify how different from the general population the preps are, which is fine, though I'd prefer it translated into stopping the next incident by spotting the type rather than whatever it achieves at the moment, which I'm not sure what that is.

 

[Ghost]

I still don't get why you're calling David Hogg a school shooter.

 

[Crabs]

I still don't get why you're calling David Hogg a school shooter.

He does share a common trait with these shooters: a pathological need for public attention. The mainstream media is responsible for perpetuating that. David Hogg is a hypocrite and an opportunist.

Anti-Gun David Hogg Caught Taking Stroll in NYC with Armed Guards Feet Away

 

[Lark]

I still don't get why you're calling David Hogg a school shooter.

Its a clue

 

[wildmoon]

I've never heard of these guys before (because I'm not American) but... it doesn't really seem like you're interested in determining their types. It just seems like you're trying to equate an activist/trauma survivor with a mass murderer.

 

[SurrealisticSlumbers]

A school shooter can be any type. There was a thread on here regarding the Columbine shooters. Dylan Klebold was likely an INFP, while Eric Harris is believed to have been an INTJ. It doesn't really matter, both were psychologically disturbed. The psychological profile of a gunman who kills his fellow classmates at random - or mass shooter in general for that matter - is someone who is either narcissistic (thinks they're "above it all") or empathetically impaired in some way (i.e. autism spectrum). They aren't always victims of bullying or abuse.

 

[LucieCat]

I don't think such individuals are above typing. However, it must be taken into consideration that typing such a person does not make them a normal or typical person of that type. Else, we start using the tool to demonize people of certain type with claims that could be something akin to "ENTJs are all evil." (Just through ENTJ out there, it could be any type).

Also, individuals on the autism spectrum can also fit into MBTI and Enneagram types the same as anyone else. Now, I suppose it would be very hard to tell for someone who is very severely autistic. But, people on the spectrum can encompass a lot of different types. It's not all just INTx types (which I've seen people attribute it to, which is kind of like saying all ExxPs have ADHD).

Of course, it is important to note that autism does not lead someone to be a murderer. The vast majority of autistic people, even if they do have issues with empathy- which is only one possible manifestation and does not make them sociopaths/psychopaths- are just as likely to hurt someone as any other random person not on the spectrum. I'm not saying that it's never a contributing factor, but the vast majority of people on the spectrum are not violent. Heck, if you told me that my three Fi-dom friends the spectrum committed violent atrocities, I'd flat out call you crazy because I know them and how it would deeply contradict the personal values they live by. (Albeit, I'd seriously question the legitimacy of such a claim about any of my friends, regardless if they're on the spectrum).

Sorry that might be a bit ranty, but I tend to get that way about these sort of issues.