The TED talk that I chose was “Exploring the Mind of a
Killer” and was given by Jim Fallon at the February TED2009 conference in Long
Beach, California. At the beginning of the talk, Fallon describes how his work
in neuroscience with brain imaging has inspired his speech, and how this TED
talk relays how his research into the brain imaging of serial killers aligns
with public interests. With the rise of the general public’s fascination with
serial killers through TV shows and movies, this particular TED talk was also
intended to clarify facts about why people become serial killers based on
genetics and environmental influences, such as domestic abuse or exposure to violence.
In his speech, Fallon describes how the MAOA gene,
violent environments, and timing combine to create the conditions under which most
serial killers become prone to violence. He discusses how witnessing and experiencing violence and abuse can alter certain regions of the brain, making someone more prone to future violence.
Although the audience’s prior knowledge is never formally addressed,
based on the fact that the speaker gives a general explanation of the
neuroscience that serves as the basis for his speech, it seems that the audience could be
composed of both professionals familiar with neuroscience and average people
with an interest in the pathology of serial killers.
The audience most likely came into the speech expecting to
hear about which specific aspects of the brain are either damaged or different
in serial killers, based on the title of the talk. They probably expected both
a scientific analysis of a serial killer’s brain, as well as an analysis of the
effects of brain damage and development, which Fallon definitely provided.
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| Fallon's eye contact was good overall, but there were times where he looked down frequently, as is demonstrated in this screenshot. |
Fallon was mostly successful at speaking effectively to the
audience. His eye contact was probably the poorest aspect of his speech
delivery, since he spent several seconds at a time looking at the ground, which
was especially evident from 5:28-5:35 as he discussed his surprise at his
family’s history of murderers. In this particular time window, he only looked
up for a total of about two seconds. He was definitely very good at making eye
contact with the entire audience, however, so overall his eye contact was not
too bad.
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| The PowerPoint used as a visual aid was very helpful in demonstrating how various factors combine to contribute to homicidal tendencies. |
Fallon used a PowerPoint as a visual aid, which was
especially useful when he was explaining the biological differences in serial
killers and how they contribute to an altered brain structure, since it gave a
clear visual representation of an otherwise confusing concept for the
layperson. His speech was very well organized, progressing from an explanation
of the biology of serial killers’ brains into an application of this imaging.
Fallon was also very good about making the speech seem almost conversational,
and the audience seemed to feel very comfortable with responding to it because
of this dynamic. This was evident when he was discussing his family history as well,
because the audience could be heard audibly chuckling in the background in
response to his story, demonstrating how comfortable they felt.
Overall, I found Fallon’s TED talk to be both fascinating
and entertaining. Although he generally did a very good job delivering the speech,
my one specific critique would be that he spent a little too much time looking
down. I really liked how he incorporated a PowerPoint, since it made the
concept far easier to understand, and I felt that the conversational feel of
the speech added an extra level of connection with the audience. I felt like it
was a very good speech overall, and was impressed by both Fallon’s concept and technique.
