title: Applying social learning theory to childhood and adolescent firesetting: can it lead to serial murder?
abstract: Despite the fact that serial murder has existed for centuries, it has been given little academic attention in the social science literature. Existing studies have primarily examined the motivational factors involved in the commission of serial murder. However, research examining the childhood and adolescent backgrounds of serial murderers is scant. Based on three case studies of serial murderers, this study contributes to the existing literature by exploring the possible link between childhood and/or adolescent fire setting and adult serial murder by applying social learning theory.
authors.affiliation: Department of Sociology, Social Work, and Criminology, Morehead State University, Morehead, KY 40351, USA.
authors.forename: Stephen D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Singer
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hensley
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D005391:Firesetting Behavior / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006708:Homicide / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning; D008297:Male; D011582:Psychological Theory; D012919:Social Behavior