Case Study of Charles Manson

Charles Manson is notoriously connected to the brutal border of Sharon Tate and other Hollywood residents. Born Charles Milles Maddox to sixteen year old Kathleen Maddox, Charles was born into mayhem. Kathleen was an alcoholic and a prostitute; she was not very accepting of her son and showed him no love. Kathleen married William Mason and quickly that marriage dissolved. Fighting for his mother’s attention Charles left his home and lived on the streets. Manson began to do petty crime to get by. Charles Manson spent about half of his life in prison; he was noted for being a model prisoner. In 1955 Charles got married to a seventeen year old and moved to California. She became pregnant and soon after Manson began his life of crime, instead of petty crimes he moved up to stealing cars. Soon his wife left him and moved away with his child. While incarcerated Manson tapt into his creative talents and learned how to read music and play the guitar. When analyzing the case of Charles Manson four perspectives come to mind. The four perspectives that could be applied to the life of Charles Manson include psychodynamic, behavioral, humanistic, and sociocultural. Psychodynamic is the modern version of psychoanalysis that is focused on the development of a sense of self and the discovery of motivations behind a person’s behavior other than sexual motivations. This applies to Manson because he struggled with not only knowing himself, but finding acceptance from those around him. The behavioral perspective is voluntary behavior that is learned. Behavioral responses are filled by pleasurable consequences are strengthened or reinforced. Manson learned his behavior at a young age as his mother set a poor parental example by using drugs and her refusal to acknowledge his existence escalated his desire to be followed. The third perspective is cognitive and it states the modern perspective that focuses on memory, intelligence, and perception, problem solving and

Bibliography: • Ciccarelli, S. K., & White, J. N. Psychology. (3` ed.). • Rosenberg, J. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://history1900s.about.com/od/1960s/p/charlesmanson.htm • (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.biography.com/people/charles-manson-9397912