Psycological Analysis:
Several of Bundy's victims
Ted Bundy had no father figure growing up: therefore, he had no father to depend on or look up to so that he would know how to behave. He only ever looked up to one man, his grandfather, but he was taken across the country from his grandfather as a young boy to be raised by his mother (assumed to be his sister) and a step-father he rejected. The lack of a male figure could have added to his social awkwardness because he did not know how to properly act (no male figure to copy). The influence of male figures in the media could have added to his violent dominance in later years
During college, Bundy went through a massive change. He became depressed while his traumas were crashing down upon him. When he finally overcame his social awkwardness enough to date Stephanie Brooks, she broke his heart, but he continued to be obsessed with her. Right after their separation, Bundy figured out that his supposed sister was his mother (this also means the only man he ever looked up to was not his father). The two most important women in his life had humiliated him. When he came out of the depression, he became the new Ted Bundy who was charismatic, charming, and confident: Bundy’s previous shyness and social awkwardness were gone. The betrayals and depression seemed to come together and transform him into the man who was the serial killer.
All of Bundy’s victims looked very similar to Stephanie Brooks and also a little like his mother. Being humiliated by both of these women and obsession is what caused his transformation and most likely a fear of being humiliated by women. The murders seem to be a response to the cause of the transformation because the new Ted Bundy got rid of the problems he previously had. Bundy first rid himself of his social impairments which had haunted him throughout his life, and then seemed to take complete control of his female relationships. He made something of his life (which proved Brooks, who said he was going nowhere, wrong) and then he split with her instead leaving with himself in control of their relationship and escaping a second humiliation. However, Bundy’s obsession with Brooks remained. The murders of the girls gave him a “relationship” with girls that looked like Brooks, and in these relationships, he actually has control of the outcome and assurance that he will not be humiliated by them, unlike the previous relationship with Brooks who left him and humiliated him. The obsession with Brooks which makes him want a relationship, but he fears being humiliated again by women and so these murders were his solution. In the murders he has relations with the women looking like Brooks keeping their bodies as long as he can, but even after the decomposition of the body had become to great for this to continue, he kept their heads with him: the women gave him the relationship he was craving but feared too much to have.
During college, Bundy went through a massive change. He became depressed while his traumas were crashing down upon him. When he finally overcame his social awkwardness enough to date Stephanie Brooks, she broke his heart, but he continued to be obsessed with her. Right after their separation, Bundy figured out that his supposed sister was his mother (this also means the only man he ever looked up to was not his father). The two most important women in his life had humiliated him. When he came out of the depression, he became the new Ted Bundy who was charismatic, charming, and confident: Bundy’s previous shyness and social awkwardness were gone. The betrayals and depression seemed to come together and transform him into the man who was the serial killer.
All of Bundy’s victims looked very similar to Stephanie Brooks and also a little like his mother. Being humiliated by both of these women and obsession is what caused his transformation and most likely a fear of being humiliated by women. The murders seem to be a response to the cause of the transformation because the new Ted Bundy got rid of the problems he previously had. Bundy first rid himself of his social impairments which had haunted him throughout his life, and then seemed to take complete control of his female relationships. He made something of his life (which proved Brooks, who said he was going nowhere, wrong) and then he split with her instead leaving with himself in control of their relationship and escaping a second humiliation. However, Bundy’s obsession with Brooks remained. The murders of the girls gave him a “relationship” with girls that looked like Brooks, and in these relationships, he actually has control of the outcome and assurance that he will not be humiliated by them, unlike the previous relationship with Brooks who left him and humiliated him. The obsession with Brooks which makes him want a relationship, but he fears being humiliated again by women and so these murders were his solution. In the murders he has relations with the women looking like Brooks keeping their bodies as long as he can, but even after the decomposition of the body had become to great for this to continue, he kept their heads with him: the women gave him the relationship he was craving but feared too much to have.