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Base Instincts: What Makes Killers Kill? by Jonathan H. Pincus
INSTINTOS PRIMARIOS ¿POR QUÉ MATAN LOS ASESINOS? (4ª de cubierta) Una profunda investigación sobre los factores físicos, psicológicos y sociológicos que culminan en una conducta violenta. El neurólogo Jonathan Pincus examina la vida de numerosos asesinos en serie y otros criminales violentos buscando la motivación que hay tras sus comportamientos violentos. Genética, geografía, taras físicas y entornos social son minuciosamente analizados de forma científica y precisa para llegar a conclusiones sorprendentes e inesperadas. Y ante los resultados obtenidos, ¿se puede identificar a las personas violentas en la infancia para impedir que el daño sea irrevocable? ¿Se puede rehabilitar a los criminales violentos y proteger de paso a la sociedad ante sus futuros crímenes? Un libro apasionante que recurre a casos reales y utiliza métodos científicos para responder a una de las preguntas más desgarradoras de la sociedad moderna. ¿Por qué matan los asesinos
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First published January 1, 2001
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
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January 10, 2013 In the book Base Instincts: What Makes Killers Kill, Neurologist Jonathan H. Pincus studies and researches extensively the characteristics and behaviors of serial killers and murderers. He gathers information from a broad variety of people, varying in gender, age, income level and social status. Pincus’s study was thorough and un-biased. He interviewed the killers’ families, acquaintances, the killers themselves, and the families of victims. In his book, Pincus is clearly quite experienced in this area and had plenty of evidence to prove his overall hypothesis of what makes killers kill.
Pincus’s information was well-organized, albeit often gruesome. His depictions of the lives of the killers were proven accurate each time through his complete investigation. With each case, he further proved his theory of what truly makes killers kill. Pincus’s writing met my expectations because he was clear and concise. Pincus proves that the violent instinct that prompted the killers stemmed largely from severe physical abuse and emotional abuse beginning at a young age, brain damage, and mental illness. In each chapter, he introduced a killer and explained their crime. He then dug into their past, evaluating their home life, past criminal records, and searched for signs of mental illness and brain damage. Although this book was, at times, a painful read, it opened my eyes to a treacherous reality; I believe it’s a worthwhile read for adults everywhere. Pincus shows how to prevent potentially dangerous behavior, how to recognize at-risk individuals, and through this, we can better the lives of people trapped in dangerous homes.
Pincus explained that while not all children who are abused will grow up to abuse, the majority of abusers were in fact abused. Pincus’s example of how this happens made sense and was accurate. He explained that as a child, his father used a specific phrase with him when he did something wrong. He said this phrase never actually stopped him from misbehaving, yet he found himself using the very same phrase with his son and later his son used the phrase on his own son. This shows that even though the abused know what it is like is to be abused and would swear against it, they know nothing else. Being raised in this way creates a vicious circle. They learned through physical and emotional pain and don’t know any other way to teach.
Pincus also incorporated the fact that the killers who had brain damage had it as a result of physical abuse as children or fetal alcohol syndrome. While a child can possibly be taken out of physically abusive care with enough evidence, fetal alcohol syndrome is beyond the control of anyone but the mother. Fetal alcohol syndrome affects the area of the brain that makes judgment calls. With this as a factor, Pincus shows that at times, the behavior of the killers may have been unpreventable.
Pincus’s writing is especially unbiased in where the blame can be placed. Rather than painting the killers as horrendous villains, he tells their stories. The backgrounds of these killers are unbelievable. The homes they came from are horribly abusive and reading about them forces one to reevaluate every day interactions.
Pincus’s information was well-organized, albeit often gruesome. His depictions of the lives of the killers were proven accurate each time through his complete investigation. With each case, he further proved his theory of what truly makes killers kill. Pincus’s writing met my expectations because he was clear and concise. Pincus proves that the violent instinct that prompted the killers stemmed largely from severe physical abuse and emotional abuse beginning at a young age, brain damage, and mental illness. In each chapter, he introduced a killer and explained their crime. He then dug into their past, evaluating their home life, past criminal records, and searched for signs of mental illness and brain damage. Although this book was, at times, a painful read, it opened my eyes to a treacherous reality; I believe it’s a worthwhile read for adults everywhere. Pincus shows how to prevent potentially dangerous behavior, how to recognize at-risk individuals, and through this, we can better the lives of people trapped in dangerous homes.
Pincus explained that while not all children who are abused will grow up to abuse, the majority of abusers were in fact abused. Pincus’s example of how this happens made sense and was accurate. He explained that as a child, his father used a specific phrase with him when he did something wrong. He said this phrase never actually stopped him from misbehaving, yet he found himself using the very same phrase with his son and later his son used the phrase on his own son. This shows that even though the abused know what it is like is to be abused and would swear against it, they know nothing else. Being raised in this way creates a vicious circle. They learned through physical and emotional pain and don’t know any other way to teach.
Pincus also incorporated the fact that the killers who had brain damage had it as a result of physical abuse as children or fetal alcohol syndrome. While a child can possibly be taken out of physically abusive care with enough evidence, fetal alcohol syndrome is beyond the control of anyone but the mother. Fetal alcohol syndrome affects the area of the brain that makes judgment calls. With this as a factor, Pincus shows that at times, the behavior of the killers may have been unpreventable.
Pincus’s writing is especially unbiased in where the blame can be placed. Rather than painting the killers as horrendous villains, he tells their stories. The backgrounds of these killers are unbelievable. The homes they came from are horribly abusive and reading about them forces one to reevaluate every day interactions.
August 1, 2017
An excellent book based on years of research that attempts to explain why some people become violent killers. Pincus's theory that it is a combination of childhood abuse and frontal lobe damage (from injury, genetics, etc.) is a compelling one because abuse provides the template and frontal lobe damage removes the internal check on our behavior. Although this is a nonfiction work based on in-depth research, it is very readable for the layperson though the descriptions of child abuse are VERY graphic. (For example, one killer's mother used to give him butcher blood enemas with used tampons shoved up his anus and his penis tied to his waist. I am NOT making this up.) So, if you're sensitive to descriptions of child abuse, don't read this book. There are some really revealing tidbits to the research though, like many people hearing a baby cry when they dissociate during abusive episodes, but it might not be worth enduring the graphic descriptions of violence.
February 6, 2018
He has a theory that brain damage plus abuse causes it. Mostly interesting for case histories.
October 3, 2019
I enjoyed this, but as some of the other reviewers noted, mainly for the case studies. The link between Pincus's triadic features (abuse, brain injury and paranoid ideation) and murder was fascinating, but I wonder if the book has been updated recently? While Pincus mentions seizures in some of the case studies of killers, I don't recall a commentary on the possibility of temporal lobe epilepsy to explain such experiences as astral travel (rather than viewing it as resultant of brain injury or paranoia -- for example. Unfortunately, I just can't remember what his view was on the subject).
I also would have liked to see some focus on the type of amygdala dysfunction that Kent Kiehl so persuasively discussed in relation to antisocial (read: psychopathic) behaviours a few years ago. Still, it was a great read and anyone into this sort of sad subject will find it of interest, I'm sure.
I also would have liked to see some focus on the type of amygdala dysfunction that Kent Kiehl so persuasively discussed in relation to antisocial (read: psychopathic) behaviours a few years ago. Still, it was a great read and anyone into this sort of sad subject will find it of interest, I'm sure.
January 29, 2025
Great book. The details make it a tough read. I wish there was a 2025 version of it
August 30, 2025
I enjoy this book very much! The stories in the book are very interesting and makes the book hard to put down. The way it is written also makes it easy to visualize what is happening!
September 13, 2025
DO NOT READ IF YOU HAVE TRIGGERS!!!!
Nothing Ground Breaking. A lot of the same points a lot of these books have. Children who have been abused long enough and have accompanied brian damage tend to be violent and can lead to criminal activity. shows the connection between abuse, developmental delays, nature vs. nurture to substance use, and criminal activities.
Nothing Ground Breaking. A lot of the same points a lot of these books have. Children who have been abused long enough and have accompanied brian damage tend to be violent and can lead to criminal activity. shows the connection between abuse, developmental delays, nature vs. nurture to substance use, and criminal activities.
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April 17, 2015This book wasn't what I expected based on the title. It reads like a research paper/research study in some ways and would be a great reference for a psychology paper on biological or behavioral causes of psychopathology/APD. It covers brain damage, abuse, brain structure, and how DNA, nature vs nurture and other factors can play a role in the development of a serial killer.
It's a good book if you're interested in serial killers or what causes them, or if you need a reference for a paper.
It's a good book if you're interested in serial killers or what causes them, or if you need a reference for a paper.
February 18, 2013
The author does a great job of staying objective while relating not only the sordid details of the killers' actions, but also the details of past abuse that the killers themselves suffered. I found myself overwhelmed by the depravity of the abuse some of the killers suffered in their youth. This book is very thought-provoking - it had me taking a long hard look at my feelings on the death penalty and mitigating circumstances while at the same time wondering if some criminals weren't so badly broken already that they could never be fixed.
October 1, 2007
Pincus' Criminal Behavior Triad:
1. Brain Damage (especially in the frontal lobe)
2. Abuse experiences in childhood, and
3. Paranoia
1. Brain Damage (especially in the frontal lobe)
2. Abuse experiences in childhood, and
3. Paranoia
June 8, 2008
This may be one of the BEST books I have ever read. I am reading it slowly, because I simply do not want it to end!
February 12, 2013
"Ever hear a baby cry" is by far the most awful and disturbing chapter of the book. I wish we were also informed of the fate of the abusive parents featured.
Captivating read.
Captivating read.
January 21, 2015
Read for university.
September 23, 2008
Abuse, neurological disturbance, and mental illness.
Read this book and weep.
Read this book and weep.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews