THE HUMAN EQUATION
Articles published in Psychology Today
AMERICAN MAGAZINE
The Human Equation, looks at the dark side of human nature, with a special emphasis on women and crime.
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Topics include female serial killers, Munchausen by proxy, cult leaders, and the psychology of evil.
Serial Killers, Self-Reliance, and Everything in Between
Case Study: Sandra Birchmore's death may offer clues to a murder staged as a suicide.
How dark personality traits create false perceptions of social exclusions.
An apparent suicide should be treated as a murder until proven otherwise.
Here's why the risk of murder-suicide flies under the radar until it's too late.
What Salazar-Tapia's story could tell us about intimate partner violence.
A Real-World View of Incompetence to Stand Trial
Accused murderer Lori Vallow has been found incompetent to stand trial and sent to treatment. Is she faking it? Will she ever stand trial? Here's a forensic psychologist's take.
The Psychology of "Copycat Killers"
People often discuss copycat killers after a mass shooting or serial murder. But if the media inspires murder, why aren't true crime fans more violent?
Precious Commodities
Most of us think of life insurance as a way to protect our children from an uncertain future. But what if it's a way to use our child to finance our own?
Should It Matter if a Perpetrator Was Once a Victim
Why would a grown woman burn her father alive? She says it was payback for sexual abuse. But even if that's true, should it matter?
When the Child You've Raised Is a Batterer
We don't usually think about the family who raised a domestic violence perpetrator. What should we do if we do?