Explore The Mind Of A Serial Killer At Queens Showcase

The inner workings of the minds of some of the world's most notorious serial killers will be the subject of just one of the talks available at a free psychology showcase at Queen’s University this week.

The Flavour of Psychology event at Queen’s on Wednesday 27 February offers the public and secondary school students an insight into the world of psychology. Talks will cover a wide range of topics including serial killers, the psychology of advertising and teenagers' attitudes to sexual health.

The free one-day event, organised by the Northern Ireland Branch of the British Psychological Society (NIBPS) in partnership with Queen's School of Psychology, will feature six top psychologists from around the UK and Ireland, who will showcase their ground-breaking work in different areas of psychology.

Professor Peter Hepper from Queen’s will provide an insight into the murdering minds of serial killers. He said: "Psychology is the study of behaviour, and serial killing is one of the most extreme and bizarre behaviours that humans exhibit. It throws up many challenges for psychology to explain, ranging from our morbid fascination with serial killers to how an individual becomes a serial killer.

"My talk will explore how psychology contributes to our understanding of serial killers. We will discuss common myths, such as the belief that all serial killers are men - the truth is there are female serial killers, but they kill in different ways. Another common misconception is that serial killers 'must be mad' - in fact, they are very rational people, although clearly different from the rest of us.

"At Flavour of Psychology we will explore what serial killing is. We will attempt to get into the mind of a serial killer to examine why they kill in the way they do and how they manage to blend into society so well that we don’t know about them until it is too late."

Professor Carol McGuinness from Queen’s School of Psychology, who is Chair of NIBPS, said: "The Flavour of Psychology day is a great way to get an insight into the broad and fascinating discipline that is psychology. I would encourage anyone with an interest in psychology to come along, and I hope that the talks on offer will inspire future generations of psychologists."

The Flavour of Psychology event will take place at the Whitla Hall, Queen’s University on Wednesday 27 February from 9.15am-3.30pm. Admission is free but anyone who wishes to attend should book in advance by emailing n.ireland@bps.org.uk or calling 028 9097 4129.