Ep: 238 - The Werewolf of Wysteria (RELOADED) - Forensic Analysis of Serial Killer Albert Fish

Albert Fish is notoriously one of our most famous episodes, so we've decided to resurrect him from the digital grave. We explore one of America's most gruesome serial killers, Albert Fish. He was a living Boogeyman. Listen in as we explore the nature vs. nurture of Fish, his psychopathology, cannibalism, and sexual paraphilia.

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Ep: 218 - Death Row Psychology - The Psychology of Death Row

Dr. Bill Kimberlin has interviewed multiple inmates just prior to their executions. He comes with a message: Death row is not what we think it is.The author of the book, "Watch Me Die!" has come to UPC to talk about what he has learned.

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Ep: 214 - Scale of Evil, (Part 12) - The Psychology of Rape and Murder

Category 17 is a dark part of the Gradations of Evil scale. Its covers serial killers, torturers, and sadists. They kill for the gratification of the murder itself, and can involve sexual contact with their victim. Ted Bundy & Richard Ramirez- two serial rapists and sadists.

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Ep: 194 - Scale of Evil, Part 11: The Abbotsford Killer - The Psychology of Murder

We continue The Scale of Evil Series with a forensic analysis on the case of Terry Driver, convicted murder. Driver ranks at level 16 of Dr. Michael Stone's "Gradations of Evil Scale".

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Ep: 190 - Herb Baumeister / “I-70 Strangler" - Reloaded - The House of Fox Hallow Farm - The Psychology of Serial Killers

Serial Killer, Herb Baumeister, AKA The "I-70 Strangler" and responsible for "The Gay Murders" in Indiana in the late 1980's and early 1990's was an odd man that rode around in a hearse and urinating on a lot of different things... In this episode, Michael Drane, UPC's resident psychotherapist dives into the Psychology of Erotophonophilia & Auto-Erotic Asphixiation.

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Ep: 188 - Laura Brand and Analyzing The Toolbox Killers - The Psychology of Serial Murder

We interview Laura Brand, a private investigator who helped find the location of 2 missing victims from the Toolbox Murders of the late 1970s. Laura Brand is one of the leading experts on serial killers and has worked with over 50 serial killers including Lawerence Bittaker (Tool Box Killers).

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Ep: 182 - Scale of Evil: Interview with The Experts - The Psychology of Murder

We are SO excited to provide you with this fascinating conversation between myself, Dr. Michael Stone & Dr. Gary Brucato - The renowned experts behind "The Gradations of Evil" Scale and their new book "The New Evil: Understanding the Emergence of Modern Violent Crime".

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Ep: 173 - Scale of Evil, (Part 10) “Death House Landlady” - The Psychology Of Serial Killers

Do serial killers and murderers have to look like the devil to be one? In this episode, we present the Case of Dorothea Puentes, one of the most cited cases for level 15 on Dr. Michael Stone’s Gradations of Evil Scale.

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Ep: 161 - Scale of Evil (Part 8) Inadequate, Rageful Psychopaths - The Psychology of Murder

We look at level 13 on the scale of evil these are Psychopathic murderers with inadequate, rageful personalities.Ed Gein and Benjamin Nathaniel Smith as examples of these murderers. The Butcher of Plainfield or the Plainfield Ghoul, was a convicted murderer and body snatcher.

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Ep: 157 - Netflix's "YOU" Season 2- Stalker Analysis - The Psychology of Stalkers, Psychopaths, and Murder

We dive into Netflix’s You Season 2. Michael Drane discusses the psychological profile of Joe Goldberg, Love Quinn, and Forty Quinn. He dives into the analysis of these characters and discusses how this effects the story. Haven’t seen Season 2 yet? Beware of spoilers!

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Ep: 146 - Scale of Evil (Part 7) Cornered Killers - The Psychology of Murder

In May of 1977 a sadistic Mormon cult leader Ervil Lebaron orders his cult to walk into a clinic and gun down a rival cult leader. This is where our episode on the level 12 scale of evil begins- With a warning about what it means to follow your own killer down a path of weaponized religiosity. Michael drane, true crime, forensics, killer, dr. Michael Stone, gradation of evil, scale of evil,

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Ep: 142 - Scale of Evil (Part 6) Psychopathic "In The Way" Killers - The Psychology Of Murder

We review the case of Ismael Juarez Cisneros, a semi-psychopath "In The Way" killer who murdered his close friend in retaliation for informing to authorities. This is level 11 on Dr. Stone's Gradation Evil Scale.

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Ep: 141 - Scale of Evil (Part 5) "In The Way" Killers - The Psychology of Murder

Continuation of the series on Scale of EvilWe review the case of John List, a semi-psychopath "In The Way" killer who murdered his entire family to save their souls. Level 10 on Dr. Michael Stones Gradation of Evil Scale.

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Ep: 134 - Slenderman Reloaded - Slenderman Updates and The Psychology Of Shared Psychosis

NOW known as the SlenderMan Trial, their case has made national news as Anissa Weir and Morgan Geyser were both found NOT GUILTY for attempted first-degree homicide on the basis of being mentally-ill, specifically suffering from Shared Psychotic Disorder. Two twelve year old girls who tried to murder their friend in the name of the fictional internet character.

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Ep: 130 - Scale of Evil (Part 3) Hot Heads & Fits of Rage - The Psychology of Murder

We cover levels 6-8 on Dr. Michael Stones "Gradation of Evil Scale”. How can anger push someone to murder?

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Ep: 125 - Scale of Evil (Part 1) Levels 1,2, and 3 (Self Defense Murder) - Reviewing Dr. Michael Stone's "Scale of Evil"


👇Listen To The Full Episode Below👇


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Prof Michael Drane reviews Dr. Michael Stone's "Scale of Evil" using infamous cases. This episode looks at the first 3 levels of murder- Self Defense, Jealousy, & Companion Murders

Check out The New Evil: Understanding the Emergence of Modern Violent Crime. Copyright © 2019 by Michael H. Stone, MD, and Gary Brucato, PhD.


A Brief Description of The Scale Of Evil in This Episode


NOT EVIL

1. Justified Homicide

The least malevolent: Those who have killed in self-defense and do not show psychopathic features.

2. Jealous Lovers, Non-Psychopathic

Though egocentric or immature, evildoers in this category committed their crimes in the heat of passion.

3. Willing Companions Of Killers

Still far from psychopathic, some have antisocial traits and an aberrant personality. They're often driven by impulse.


About Dr. Michael Stone


Dr. Michael Stone is a professor of clinical psychiatry at Columbia. His specialty is personality disorders - most especially “borderline personality disorder.” But in recent years he has concentrated as well on the extremes of personality, as shown by persons who show antisocial, psychopathic, and sadistic traits. This led to an interest in the kinds of people committing murder - spanning the spectrum from jealousy murders to serial killers and torturers. Recently he served as the host of the Discovery Channel show, “Most Evil,” for which he was sent around the country interviewing serial killers and murderers of other types. This experience, plus his research over the past twenty years, led to his writing The Anatomy of Evil (appearing in July of 2009). The book explores the “why” factor: what are the inborn and environmental factors that cause certain people to commit murder and, at the extreme end, to behave with uncommon cruelty toward their fellow man. Modeled after Dante’s Inferno, the book progresses from the least to the most “evil” crimes, and contains a chapter devoted to recent contributions from neuroscience toward understanding the mind of the psychopath.


Unpopular Culture Podcast is a psychology podcast hosted by Professor & Psychoanalyst Michael Drane. With help from professionals in different fields, he seeks to shine light into the broken underbelly of society.

Listen as he takes on the psychology behind subjects like:

True Crime: serial killers, murders, stalkers, cults, forensic analysis

Psychology: mental illness, social phenomenon, mob mentality, psychoanalysis, etc. 

Culture: Sexuality, Satanic Panic, love, Tv analysis, movie analysis. 

We are an independent psychology podcast. Help us keep UPC free of ads and on the air. Please consider supporting the show and get access to our "Stalkers Only" archive, and help be a part of the creative process.

Support the Show! —> patreon.com/upcpodcast 


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Ep: 113 - I'm in Love With a Serial Killer - Psychology of Murder and Love

What would it take for you to fall in love with a serial killer? Why would someone fall in love with someone who committed such crimes? We dive into the psychological phenomenon known as "Hybristophillia".

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Ep: 110 - Ted Bundy and Reviewing "The Bundy Tapes" - The Psychology of Serial Killers

We discuss the four part Netflix documentary “The Bundy Tapes”. Michael Drane has years of experience in the mental hospitals treating the severely mentally ill. He delves into character analysis and psychological profiles.

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Ep: 105 - Serial Killer Analysis: The Skin My Mother Wears - (Preview)

Serial Killer Ed Gein is infamous for using human body parts to make a skin suit that he could wear to be closer to his dead mother.

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Ep: 49 - Herb Baumeister & The House on Fox Hollow Farm —The Psychology of Serial Killers

In this episode, Michael Drane, UPC's resident psychotherapist dives into the Psychology of Erotophonophilia & Auto-Erotic Asphixiation. You'll also hear a psychological profile of Herb Baumeister, prolific serial killer and murderer who turned his massive estate, "Fox Hollow Farm" into a burial ground.

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