For years, psychologists and sociologists have debated whether nature or nurture have a more considerable influence on psychological and physical development. One case study into Anthony Sowell revealed many details regarding his past that became known not too long ago. Due to the details enclosed in the case study, experts can say that nurture played a more considerable role in Sowell’s development and his fall from approbation. Every person has distinctive characteristics, which is why there is a need to examine every serial killer individually. Idiosyncrasy among serial killers is evident and can be displayed by Sowell due to his rough upbringing, as explained by Stephen Giannangelo in Real Life Monsters, as he attempted to identify the main factors in the development of serial killers. Sowell’s childhood was well documented by the authorities, …show more content…
Firstly, and most notably, Sowell was the victim of rampant child abuse at the hands of his mother and grandmother, and commonly witnessed violent interactions between them and the other children living in the household at the time (Giannangelo 92). Child abuse is one of the major factors involved in the development of a serial killer. The impact of the abuse Sowell faced can be demonstrated by the fact that Sowell later used many of his mother’s techniques on his victims, according to Giannangelo (92). Not only does this demonstrate that Sowell suffered mentally from the abuse, but it also influenced him in a negative manner, especially since children's psyche tend to become irreparably damaged because of childhood trauma. While Sowell's childhood had a major impact on him becoming a serial killer, there are many other