The fixated and the pursuit of public figures

Abstract

This paper considers the problem created by those who harbour unusually intense fixations on public figures. It examines the nature of such pathological fixations and how they differ from the wide range of normal concerns which lead people to communicate with, and even occasionally harass, politicians and other prominent persons. In those harbouring a pathological fixation, there often emerges a pattern of stalking-type behaviour, with repeated attempts at communication and/ or contact which create concern. In a small number, the fixation either remains hidden or leads to attempts to communicate about, rather than to, the subject. Occasionally, such a fixation will come to attention with some dramatic approach, or even attack, on the individual with whom the fixated person has been preoccupied. Fixated people are of concern, not just because they create problems for public figures and their security systems, but because many are seriously mentally ill individuals in need of care, who in most cases cause harm only to their own lives and well-being.

The Concept of Leakage in Threat Assessment

“…The proposed eight warning behaviors for threat assessors are: 2. Fixation warning behavior -any behavior that indicates an increasingly pathological preoccupation with a person or a cause (Mullen et al, 2009) 3. Identification warning behavior -any behavior that indicates a psychological desire to be a "pseudocommando," (Dietz, 1986), have a "warrior mentality," closely associate with weapons or other military or law enforcement paraphernalia (Hempel, Meloy, & Richards, 1999), identify with previous attackers, or identify oneself as an agent to advance a particular cause or belief system.…”

Protecting the prominent? A research journey with Paul Mullen

“…The importance of motivation in assessing risk was also a consistent theme of our studies (Mullen et al, 2009b). In short, the risk of violence was signifi cantly higher in the resentful (i.e.…”

Public Figures and Stalking in the European Context

“…In a general sense, fixation is defined as an intense preoccupation with an individual, activity or idea. In its normal form fixation finds its expression for instance in romantic love, parental affection or intense loyalty (Mullen et al 2009). In pathological fixations on public figures the individual believes that there is a special and individual connection to the famous person although in reality no mutual relationship exists and often there is no real connection at all.…”

“…The idea of a pathological fixation on a public figure brings together these at first glance quite different phenomena. Pathological fixation is a psychiatric and psychological concept that was recently brought into the discussion on stalking (Meloy et al 2008a;Mullen et al 2009). In a general sense, fixation is defined as an intense preoccupation with an individual, activity or idea.…”