Reilly, Amy (2019) Aileen Wuornos psychobiography: An insight into the life of a serial killer. Honours thesis, University of Southern Queensland. (Unpublished)
Abstract
For almost two decades scholars, law enforcement and laypeople alike have postulated about the motivations and contributing factors that caused serial killer Aileen Wuornos to kill her first victim Richard Mallory. The study aimed to expand the existing literature on Wuornos by investigating the role played by trauma in her later crimes, specifically the first murder she committed. Understanding the specific role of trauma is important for the understanding of trauma generally. Using a psychobiographical research method, a thematic analysis was performed using a contemporary trauma lens to explore the prototypical scenes of traumatic experiences throughout Wuornos’ life. Wuornos’ motivations, behaviours and trauma symptomology were explored in an attempt to generate greater insight into the role these events may have played in her later actions during her first murder. Analysis found that Mallory inadvertently triggered Wuornos’ trauma symptoms and behavioural cues during her intoxicated state that caused a dissociative response provoking his murder. Suggesting that the cumulative effects of untreated complex trauma can generate explosive reactivity when triggered during a subsequent trauma event.
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| Item Type: | Thesis (Non-Research) (Honours) |
|---|---|
| Item Status: | Live Archive |
| Additional Information: | Current UniSQ staff and students can request access to this thesis. Please email research.repository@unisq.edu.au with a subject line of SEAR thesis request and provide: Name of the thesis requested and Your name and UniSQ email address |
| Faculty/School / Institute/Centre: | Historic - Faculty of Health, Engineering and Sciences - School of Psychology and Counselling (1 Jan 2015 - 31 Dec 2021) |
| Supervisors: | Carol du Plessis |
| Qualification: | Bachelor of Science (Honours) |
| Date Deposited: | 28 Oct 2025 01:34 |
| Last Modified: | 28 Oct 2025 01:34 |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | Psychobiography; Aileen Wuornos; Complex Trauma; Contemporary Trauma Theory; Murder; Thematic Analysis |
| Fields of Research (2008): | 17 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences > 1799 Other Psychology and Cognitive Sciences > 179999 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences not elsewhere classified |
| Fields of Research (2020): | 52 PSYCHOLOGY > 5299 Other psychology > 529999 Other psychology not elsewhere classified |
| URI: | https://sear.unisq.edu.au/id/eprint/52692 |
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