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The approaches to explaining evil are as diverse as evil itself. Despite all the controversial debates, research assumes that the interaction of genes, socialisation and the acute situation determine human behaviour.
Criminals who commit violent crimes are quickly labelled "sick" or "perverted" by the public. In the rarest cases, a perpetrator is found to be unfit to commit a crime. Much more often, the evil deed can be explained by the biography of the perpetrator.
Scientists and forensic psychiatrists explain at different stages of life (birth, childhood, adolescence, adulthood) possible influences that can lead to an act of violence. One example is the biography of the Norwegian mass murderer Anders B., who killed 77 people in July 2011. In addition, other well-known case studies will be presented.
