Perhaps because of their interaction with patients who have mental disorders, most psychologists develop a passion for investigating the causative agents of people’s behavior. Most people assume that people with certain mental disorders are sick, and need medical attention. Such perceptions make people to be too quick to take the victims to health centers for examination. Some prominent psychologists have variously suggested that the environment within which a child is raised shapes his or her conduct. That means that a child who is raised with both parents may not have similar traits as a child who is raised by only a single parent. While the society brands an individual as either good or bad, psychologists try to investigate childhood experiences of individuals in an attempt to come up with a remedy. This working paper investigates a prominent individual; Charles Manson, his childhood experiences, and adult life. Afterward, his conduct will be explained using two personality theories: Alfred Adler birth order, and Mary Ainsworth and John Bowlby attachment theory.
Early Life of Charles Manson
Charles Manson was born in 1934 in Ohio. His mother was Kathleen-Bower-Cavender who was 16 years old and unmarried (Library, 2018). At the time of his birth, he was named “no name Maddox” but after a few weeks, he was named Charles Milles Maddox. Speculatively, Manson’s biological father was someone known as Colonel Walker Henderson Scott Sr, whom Manson might have never known. According to Library (2018), Scott worked occasionally in local mills but also had a reputation as a con artist. He made his family to believe that he was an army colonel, a title that he had deliberately given himself to disguise his activities. When Manson’s mother got pregnant, Scott lied to her that he was going for an army mission and never came back.
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Even before Manson was born, his mother got engaged to another husband; William Eugene Manson, who worked at a dry cleaning business. Manson’s mother went on drinking sprees with her brother leaving Manson with numerous babysitters. Her husband later divorced her for negligence of duty in 1937 (Manson, 2018). Manson’s mother was once arrested for attempting to rob a person they were drinking with. Kathleen (Manson’s mother), was sentenced to five years in prison while her brother was given a 10-year sentence. Manson was consequently placed under the care of his aunt in West Virginia. Nevertheless, his mother was paroled and Manson described the first weeks after her release as the happiest times in his life. During his early life, Manson played truant while his mother spent a significant part of her life drinking. She even got engaged to an alcoholic. While avoiding school. Manson started to steal from stores as well as from his home. After failing to find a temporary home for Manson, Kathleen took him to a boys’ school in Indiana that was run by Catholic priests. Manson fled from the school but his mother took him back.
Manson started committing crimes at a tender age. For instance, when he was only 13, he was caught stealing a gun from the house of his aunt and uncle. Manson ran away from school but instead of going home, he supported himself by breaking into stores at night. It was not, however, long before he was caught but due to his young age, he was sent to a juvenile facility in Nebraska. Even after being sent to the juvenile facility, four days later, Manson and another student stole a car and stole a gun, which they used to break into a casino and a grocery store. Manson was imprisoned for the first time in 1951 at a minimum security institution but his aunt pleaded with the administrators of the facility to release him. It did not take long before Madison was caught raping a boy at knifepoint. He was taken to the Federal Reformatory in Virginia but he committed other severe disciplinary offenses, many of them involving homosexual acts (Manson, 2018). Nevertheless, he was released in 1954 for demonstrating good behavior and moved in to his aunt’s place. Manson married a hospital waitress in 1955 but was later arrested for crossing state lines with a stolen vehicle. Briefly, throughout his teenage life, Manson was charged with theft, burglary and other social vices.
The Manson Family
Perhaps Manson is prominently known for establishing a cult, which was a group of approximately one hundred followers. This was a group of individuals who had a similar lifestyle to Manson; they used hallucinogenic drugs such as magic mushrooms and LSD. After the release of Manson from prison in 1967, the Manson family moved to San Francisco but afterward relocated to an isolated ranch in the San Fernando Valley. The most interesting thing about the group is that it also comprised of young girls who believed that Manson was the Messiah. The Manson family is said to have committed about 35 killings (Library, 2018). Manson himself did not take part in the killings but instructed his followers to carry out the murders. One of the most brutal killings that the family carried out was that of actress Sharon Tate. At the time, the actress was pregnant and she is said to have pleaded for her unborn child. One of the staunch followers of Manson, Susan Atkins, stabbed the actress in the stomach and even used the actress’ blood to write the word ‘pig’ on the front of her door.
The Race War
At the time when Manson was committing the crimes, racism was so much prevalent. Specifically, black people were demanding equal rights in all aspects. One of the prominent activists, Martin Luther King Jr. had been very influential for advocating for the rights of the black people but had been assassinated. The assassination had sparked violent protests among black people. Manson saw an opportunity to develop his cult and make his followers believe him. Using his position as the ‘Messiah’, he prophesied that the black people would start an uprising and that they would win the war. Seemingly, Manson believed in the Armageddon and envisioned himself being the commander of such an army (The Root, 2018). His plan was to do everything possible to spark the war. He also believed that there would be a nuclear attack where he and his family would be saved by hiding in a secret location under the world. Additionally, Manson had the conviction that he had the responsibility of mentoring the black race because they would be inexperienced in running the world.
Although Manson was not as educated as many people, he was very tactical in trying to instigate the confrontation between the whites and the blacks. Since he was a white himself, many people would have expected him to execute the blacks. On the contrary, he started a killing mission that intended to put the black people in bad light. The whites would think that it was the black people who were behind the killings and would probably retaliate. It is the main reason why the Manson family murdered a wealthy supermarket executive, Leno LaBianca together with his wife (The Root, 2018). Manson took the wallet LaBianca’s murdered wife and intended to deposit it in a place in Los Angeles where an African American would probably pick it, something that would implicate the blacks in the killings.
Summarily, Manson started the cult because he depicted himself as the devil that would lead the Armageddon. He saw himself as the person who would cause the destruction of the earth. He even had a cross on his forehead which transformed into a swastika, a mark that was also adapted by his followers. He even shaved his head at one time when taken to court and claimed that the devil was bald-headed. His gang mainly engaged in sexual activities and drug abuse. Perhaps it was a way of showing the society that they did not conform to the conventional order of life. They wanted to paint themselves as evil in all aspects. Manson, together with a number of his disciples, were arrested initially for vandalizing a part of the Death Valley National Park before the authorities established that they had carried out the murders of prominent people and even attempted to assassinate the then president Gerard Ford.
Women as Members of the Manson Family
Manson’s gang mainly comprised of young women but who were very brutal. The most prominent was Susan Atkinson, who murdered the actress, Sharon Tate. Even after seeing that Tate was remaining with barely a month to deliver, she stabbed her in the stomach. Reports indicate that Atkinson wanted to remove the baby from her victim’s stomach and stab it but said that there was no time. Another significant woman in the group was Van Houten, who was only 19 years when she participated in the LaBianca killings (Library, 2018). Manson seemingly used their vulnerability to convince them into the cult. For instance, Van Houten was only 19 and it is said that she did not like her mother. That means that she was rebellious at the time. Perhaps it was easier to convince the women than men. Most of the young women either had single parents or their parents did not take good care of them. They, therefore, needed someone who was concerned about them and that would give them all the attention they needed. When Manson instructed them to commit the atrocities, they must have felt that it was the only way of paying back the love and support they were accorded. The Manson family was the only family they had, and they could do anything to please their head.
Alfred Adler Birth Order Theory
This theory consists of assumptions or general observations that have been made in regard to the position an individual is born in a family. This theory attempts to explain an individual’s position in relation to the five personality traits which include openness, neuroticism, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and extraversion. Before delving into the specifics of the theory, it is vital to understand the five prominent personality traits. Starting with the first, neuroticism, Adler (2016) points out that people who are high on neuroticism are prone to depression and anxiety while those who measure low on neuroticism are more emotionally stable. Secondly, individuals who are extraverts tend to be more social and attract crowds around them.
In regard to openness, Gustafson (2010) posits that individuals who have a high level of openness often enjoy adventure. Additionally, such individuals are curious and appreciate art, are imaginative and like trying out new things. On agreeableness, it is an extent of an individual’s warmth and kindness. People who measure high on agreeableness are perceived to be helpful, compassionate and trusting. On the contrary, individuals who are disagreeable tend to be cold and unresponsive. Lastly, people who are conscientious are orderly and have a sense to duty. Such people are dependable and independent. That means that they do not need close supervision to perform. People high on this trait are usually preferred by most employers because they strive to do their best at all times.
Adler (2016) analyzes the birth order theory by looking at three groups of individuals born in a family; the first born, the middle born, and the last born. Adler worked as a psychologist and made interesting observations in relation to the three groups. To begin with the first-borns, Adler associated this group with certain characteristics. People classified under this category are perceived to be reliable, perfectionists, conscientious, well-organized, serious, and critical, support law and order as well as believers in authority and ritual. Describing the middle-borns, Adler observed that individuals in this category have the most contradictory and varied characteristics of all the birth positions. Nevertheless, individuals in this group may be mediators, independent, or very loyal to a particular peer group. Middle-borns are variously described as children who get ‘lost’ in a family. Additionally, the middle-borns may also exhibit traits such as being shy, friendly, outgoing or impatient and easily frustrated. According to Adler, last-borns tend to be outgoing charmers. Last-borns are also perceived to be more carefree and vivacious.
Looking at Adler’s theory, Adler seems to imply that every child in a family tries to define his or her own role in relation to his or her siblings. It is unlikely that children will take similar roles because each tries to create his or her own identity. Beginning with the first-borns, they try to demonstrate leadership and a good example to their young siblings. They, therefore, attempt to excel in various aspects so that they present a challenge to their brothers or sisters. Sometimes, first-borns are pushed to excel or demonstrate good example to their siblings by their parents. First-borns also attempt to be like their parents, a reason why a majority of them tend to be conservative (Gupta, 2017). The middle-borns do not have a lot of responsibilities and will have a variety of traits. Some will try to create a niche for themselves by either trying to be better than the first-borns or taking an opposite route. The last-borns seem to be more experimental probably because they do not have much pressure to excel. It usually happens that most parents tend to have a close relationship with the last-borns, an aspect that contributes to their attitude towards life. The close relationship makes the last-borns to be more social and outgoing.
Mary Ainsworth and John Bowlby Attachment Theory
According to Ainsworth and Bowlby, attachment is a very strong emotional bond that connects one person to another over time and space. Most prominently, children attempt to seek close proximity to people, often known as attachment figures when they are threatened or upset (Cassidy & Shaver, 2016). Adults attach to their children when they respond positively to the needs of the children in time. This strong bond seems to occur across all cultures around the world (Bowlby, 2012). Bowlby and Ainsworth observed that children experienced distress when they are separated from their mothers. Additionally, even when the children are fed by other caregivers, they would have already developed a strong bond with their mothers, something that makes them anxious.
In an attempt to simplify the theory, Ainsworth and Bowlby came up with stages, which children go through during their development. The first stage is described as asocial (0-6 weeks) whereby various kinds of stimuli, both social and non-social, trigger a favorable reaction such as a smile (McLeod, 2018). The second stage is the indiscriminate attachment that occurs between 6 weeks and 7 months. At this stage, infants enjoy the company of any caregiver. When the company ceases, the children get upset. The third stage is the specific attachment stage starts from 7 to 9 months. The baby develops a strong bond with a particular attachment figure. That means that the baby looks to specific people for comfort and security. It is at this stage that the baby develops fear to strangers and becomes unhappy when separated from the attachment figure. The last stage is the multiple attachment stage (10 months onwards). It is a stage where the baby becomes independent and creates numerous attachments (Bowlby, 2012). Ainsworth and Bowlby posit that these attachments are likely to be formed with people who responded favorably to the needs of the child. One of the factors that make children to form attachment with some people is food. Children develop the perception that people who give them food are their source of comfort and protection.
Explanation of Charles Manson’s Personality Using the Two Theories
As already described about his life, Manson was a criminal in all aspects and never reformed even at the point of his death. While many people try to have good behavior that is approved by the society, Manson tried to be the opposite. One of the surprising thing is that he never killed rather; he commanded his followers to carry out the murders. Manson was a first-born, at least in his mother’s womb. It is not clear whether he had other siblings. However, according to the narrative, he seems to have been the only child on his mother’s side. He, therefore did not have pressure from any brother or sister to act in a manner that portrayed him as a role model. Furthermore, his mother was an alcoholic and a derelict (she took Manson to babysitters while she went on drinking sprees). Kathleen (Manson’s mother) was also an offender and spent some time in prison. Perhaps Manson’s mother lacked the moral authority to dictate how her son behaved.
Ainsworth and Bowlby’s attachment theory seems to describe Manson’s personality traits best. Manson seems not to have gone through the stages postulated by Ainsworth and Bowlby like other children. First, he might not have seen his father. Secondly, his mother took him to babysitters most of the time, making him not to develop a personal attachment with his family. Thirdly, he spent a significant part of his lifetime living with his aunt. In all this movements, Manson might have felt that he was not being given enough attention. He, therefore, had to come up with a way of getting the attention. The only way he could get the attention was to have undesirable social behavior. Going to prison was not a big deal because he did not miss home. His mother severally got engaged and divorced, apart from having a hands-off approach to parenting. As a first-born and last-born, the combination of traits associated with the two positions made him to command a following and to have a carefree attitude. He had to come up with something which would make him to be recognized.
Conclusion
Charles Manson seems to not have been any type of serial killer rather; he was up to a mission. The fact that he never killed anyone himself demonstrates that he was different and lived his life trying out his ideas. Since he did not have siblings whom he could demonstrate his leadership, he sought to try it in another way. The formation of the cult was done purposely so that he could have people who looked up to him and consulted him for directions. He used mainly young women because they were vulnerable and would be convinced easily. Additionally, Manson did not have people whom he was strongly attached; not even his mother because he spent most of his childhood away from her. Manson is a clear demonstration of what is likely to happen to a child that does not have a proper upbringing. The case serves as great caution to people in the contemporary US, who are often busy and far away from their children. Children need attention, which one they miss, will try to get through any means. It may become too late for the children to change their behavior hence; it may persist throughout their lifetime.
References
Adler, A. (2016). Understanding Birth Order: A Within-Family Analysis of Birth Order Effects.
Bowlby, J. (2012). A secure base . Routledge.
Cassidy, J. U. D. E., & Shaver, P. R. (2016). Theory, research, and clinical applications. Handbook of Attachment .
Gupta, T. (2017). Birth Order and Personality.
Gustafson, C. (2010). The effects of birth order on personality. Unpublished Master Thesis). The Faculty of the Alfred Adler Graduate School, Minneapolis, ABD .
Library, C. (2018). Manson Family Murders Fast Facts . CNN . Retrieved 18 May 2018, from https://edition.cnn.com/2013/09/30/us/manson-family-murders-fast-facts/index.html
Manson, C. (2018). Charles Manson . Biography . Retrieved 18 May 2018, from https://www.biography.com/people/charles-manson-9397912
McLeod, S. (2018). Attachment Theory | Simply Psychology . Simplypsychology.org . Retrieved 18 May 2018, from https://www.simplypsychology.org/attachment.html
The Root. (2018). Theroot.com . Retrieved 18 May 2018, from https://www.theroot.com/charles-mansons-race-war-explained-1820607360
