John Douglas: About the Former FBI Criminal Profiler

John E. Douglas grew up in Brooklyn, New York, and initially thought he would become a veterinarian. He ended up taking a far different path, carving out a career in the FBI’s Behavioral Science Unit. During his tenure there, he revolutionized how the entire agency profiled criminals, enabling them to catch some of the most dangerous killers in recent history.

Throughout his time at the FBI, he interviewed infamous criminals like Charles Manson, Ted Bundy, and John Wayne Gacy, Jr., to better understand the psychological profile of the average serial killer. His memoir, Mindhunter: Inside the FBI’s Elite Serial Crime Unit, chronicles his time as a profiler and investigator and served as the inspiration for a television drama of the same name.

John Douglas has spent his life uncovering some of the darkest secrets of the human psyche. Learn more about his career.

1. 1. He became the world’s first criminal profiler. John pioneered the study and practice of criminal profiling while working in law enforcement. In his view, one of the best ways to catch future perpetrators of violent crimes was to better understand why people committed similar crimes in the past.
2. 2. He interviewed notorious serial killers. During his time as an FBI profiler and special agent, John saw into some of the most disturbing criminal minds of all time. He interviewed murderers like David Berkowitz (Son of Sam), Dennis Rader (the BTK killer), Wayne Williams (the alleged Atlanta Monster), and others responsible for brutal acts of methodical violence.
3. 3. He investigated murder cases. Alongside profiling past violent criminals, John also helped bring at-large killers to justice during his time in the FBI’s Investigative Support Unit. For instance, his psychological insight and profiling capabilities led to the arrest of Gary Ridgway, the Green River Killer who terrorized the Seattle area in the 1980s.
4. 4. He has written multiple books. John has authored books covering true stories about crime scenes and investigations. Alongside Mindhunter, he and his coauthor, Mark Olshaker, are responsible for The Anatomy of Motive, The Cases That Haunt Us, The Killer Across the Table, and Journey Into Darkness. These books cover unsolved murders and famous crimes of the past, like the killing of JonBenét Ramsey and the crime spree of the Boston Strangler.

John’s class gives you a look into his own genius and the dark psychology of those he’s spent his life profiling. Here are some highlights to expect:

1. 1. Developing intuition: You need to know the difference between valuable intuition and unfair bias to do the sort of analysis John and his team did. “Intuition is when we notice things and make a judgment without consciously noticing we are making the judgment,” he says. “Implicit or inherent bias is when we rely on superficial cues, and then we allow our preconceived stereotypes to fill in the blanks.” See how you can better develop your own intuition by taking John’s class.
2. 2. Getting in the mind of a killer: John’s work involved trying to better understand why serial killers could be capable of such monstrous acts of evil. “I need to put myself in the attacker’s mind as he thinks, plans, plots,” he says. “Understand and feel his gratification as his pent-up fantasies finally come to life as he is now in complete control to manipulate and dominate another human being.” Throughout this class, you’ll see just how he did this with people like John Wayne Gacy, Jr., and The Trailside Killer.
3. 3. The homicidal triad: Many serial killers share eerie similarities stretching back to their childhoods. “The three factors which make up the triad are fire-setting, animal cruelty, and persistent bed-wetting past the age of five,” John says. Learn in his class why John believes these traits are so common among killers.
4. 4. The key factors of a psychopathic personality: Psychotic individuals share certain elements in common. “One of the key factors with the psychopathic personality is really the lack of anxiety,” John says. “They don't have the anxiety. Their heart doesn't race like yours would.” You’ll hear about other essential characteristics psychopaths share in John’s new class.
5. 5. The three traits of a violent criminal: John believes there are certain traits you can expect almost any violent criminal to possess. “There are three personality traits that serial killers and violent offenders will exhibit,” he says. “Manipulation, domination, and control.” Learn more about how he built this simple profile to help identify some of the most prolific and brutal serial killers and predators of all time.

MasterClass members took away the following lessons from John’s class:

1. 1. Get an inside look. “As a true crime buff, the class met my expectations,” Carlene W says. “[It was] great hearing his perspective on known cases involving BTK, John Wayne Gacy, and others, and looking over his shoulder and seeing his approach to solving cases.”
2. 2. Hold loved ones close. “Wow. Where to start? This class was just incredible,” Nicolas B. says. “It was a powerful and often visceral reminder of life and the dangers simply in living—yet it ended on a positive note to hold our loved ones close and enjoy the time we have with them.”
3. 3. Learn transferrable skills. Member Ian Michael S. learned “tips on identifying lies, creating a profile, identifying weaknesses and vulnerabilities, reading body language, gathering key insights, identifying motivations, and creating lines of questioning for interviews. As a UX designer, questions for user interviews when testing products is at the core of what I do. I appreciate learning from someone who is the best at profiling in an entirely different field; it helps me switch up my approach in my own line of work.”

To learn more about human psychology, consider the following classes:

1. 1. Chris Voss on the art of negotiation: The former FBI lead hostage negotiator teaches you communication skills and strategies to help you get more of what you want every day. Watch Chris’s class to learn techniques for negotiation in real-life situations.
2. 2. Esther Perel on relational intelligence: The renowned psychotherapist teaches you the power—and the art—of connecting with others. Watch Esther’s class to discover how to improve your personal and professional relationships.
3. 3. Malcolm Gladwell on writing nonfiction: The author of Outliers and The Tipping Point teaches you how to find, research, and write stories that capture big ideas. Watch Malcolm’s class to learn how he uncovers narratives in the areas of sociology and psychology.

Getting to the core of human behavior takes knowledge and skills—just ask former FBI criminal profiler John Douglas. Learn how to spot a liar and uncover John’s tips for identifying other deceptive behaviors when you sign up for the MasterClass Annual Membership.