Psychopathy is a condition characterized by the absence of empathy and the blunting of other affective states. Callousness, detachment, and a lack of empathy enable psychopaths to be highly manipulative. Their antisocial nature inclines them often (but by no means always) to criminality. Psychopaths spark popular fascination and clinical anguish
The Signs of a Psychopath
Glibness/superficial charm
- Pathological lying
- Conning/manipulative
- Shallow affect
- Callous/lack of empathy
- Parasitic lifestyle
- Poor behavioral controls
- Lack of realistic, long-term goals
- Impulsivity
- Irresponsibility
- Failure to accept responsibility for one’s own actions
- Many short-term marital relationships
- Juvenile delinquency
- Revocation of conditional release (from prison)
- Criminal versatility (i.e., commits diverse types of crimes)
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According to some psychopathy researchers, psychopathy is on the rise
- Can we, each of us, be contributors to psychopathy? Our behaviors may suggest the answer
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Psychopathy, Sociopathy, and Antisocial Personality Disorder
People often conflate the terms “psychopath” and “sociopath” or use both of them to describe those who flagrantly disregard moral rules.
- The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) does not use either of these terms as diagnostic terms
- Psychopaths are thought to comprise just a fraction of people with antisocial personality disorder
- Genetic and non-genetic causes are likely to play a role in shaping any person who has antisocial traits
Psychopaths and Violence
Elevated impulsiveness, tendency to deflect blame, and other antisocial traits may make a psychopath more inclined than other people to cross moral boundaries and threaten, hurt, or kill
- The link between psychopathy and violence is far from one-to-one
- Not all psychopaths are killers or even criminals, and there are other personality traits and forms of pathology besides psychopathy that may contribute to aggressive behavior
