The Nature of the Psychopath - An In-Depth Look at Psychopathy
There is hardly a more fascinating and ultimately terrifying psychological
condition than the psychopath. The intangible boundaries of right and wrong fall away to
reveal an enigmatic conscience void of morals, love, and the capacity to feel remorse
and shame. The nature of the psychopath excites such intellectual, and perhaps even
eccentric, reverence that it captivates the imagination of the masses as well as studied
psychologists.
Despite its complexity, Psychopathy was one of the first personality disorders to
be recognized by psychiatry. Those diagnosed with the disorder often share a multitude
of similar yet non-universal characteristics. These characteristics may include:
superficial charm; egocentricity; need for stimulation; irresponsibility; impulsiveness;
shallow emotions, lack of empathy, guilt, or remorse; pathological lying; and above
average intelligence (Millon, vii). When encountered, the typical psychopath will seem
particularly agreeable and well adjusted. He will have the tendency to be smooth,
inviting, fascinating, and verbally facile. "More than the average person, he is
likely to seem free of social or emotional impediments, from the minor distortions,
peculiarities, and awkwardness so common even among the successful" (Cleckley, 338).
Despite their apparently suave and attractive exteriors, Psychopaths are riddled
with complex and often terrifying behavioral abnormalities and inadequacies. For
instance, Psychopaths rarely fulfill or honor obligations and commitments. Their
irresponsibility stems into various facets of their life, including work and finances. They
frequently fail to pay off loans and bills and have a tendency to perform assignments in a
careless manner. Likewise, psychopaths have difficulty developing and executing any
long term plans or goals. Most live day to day and give little thought to their future.
They procrastinate, are easily discouraged, and are often eager to simply quit. As a
result, they usually fail to maintain employment or a steady residence, which only fuels
their lack of responsibility (Widiger, 177).
The psychopath generally has an excessive need to acquire thrilling and exciting
stimulation. Some psychopaths may have "an imperative need to deal with a
continuous bombardment of sensation and primary process which may serve well to keep
terrifying images of disintegration at bay" (Reid, 8). They may derive the sensations and
stimulation they desire from violent, often criminal, acts. The violence they inflict is
planned, purposeful, and emotionless.
Psychopaths have been convicted of criminal offenses ranging from theft and
drug trafficking to murder and arson. Their criminal careers tend to be short, however,
showing a sharp reduction in criminality around age 35 or 40. Most offenses involve
deception, manipulation, and ruthless aggression (Widiger, 179). Their lack of emotion
reflects a detached, fearless state typical of a low sense of anxiety. Psychopaths
constitute the majority of the so-called "organized" serial killers. They are skilled at
deception and manipulation, and often methodically plan their murders. They may
ritualize their murders and collect trophies to remind them of their victims. They operate
with a grandiose demeanor, an attitude of entitlement, and an insatiable appetite with a
tendency toward sadism. These characteristics set them apart from the majority of the
serial killers; mainly the psychotic (Widiger, 180).
Whether or not they commit murder, psychopaths abound among the criminal
population. Although psychopaths are estimated to represent only 1% of the total
population, they make up approximately 25% of prison inmates. According to a 1992
FBI study, 50% of law enforcement officers who died in the line of duty were killed by
individuals whose profile resembled that of a psychopath (Sanmartin, Psychopaths and
Serial Killers). In addition, the number of psychopaths that reoffend is extremely high.
More than 80% of psychopathic offenders will reoffend violently within six years after
their release, compared with 20% of non-psychopathic offenders (Sanmartin,
Psychopaths and Serial Killers).
According to Dr. Robert Hare, professor of psychology at the University of British
Columbia, Psychopaths can be classified into four major subgroups: distempered
psychopaths, charismatic psychopaths, primary psychopaths, and secondary psychopaths.
Distempered psychopaths have the tendency to fly into a rage or frenzy more easily
and more frequently than other subtypes. They also tend to be men with incredibly
strong sex drives; apparently obsessed by sexual urges. Their sexual activity usually
consists of a variety of brief, superficial relations and an indiscriminate selection of
sexual partners. They are also characterized as having a powerful desire for any illicit or
illegal indulgence. They receive a "high" or "rush" off of the excitement of risk-taking.
The Boston Strangler, a well known serial-rapist-murderer, was one such psychopath
(Hare, 21).
Charismatic psychopaths are charming, attractive liars. They are usually gifted at
some particular talent, and they use it to their advantage in manipulating others. They
are usually very skilled orators, and possess an almost diabolic ability to persuade others
out of everything they possess, including their lives. Leaders of religious cults, for
instance, are often classified as charismatic psychopaths (Hare, 23).
Primary psychopaths do not respond to punishment, apprehension, stress, or
disapproval. They seem to be able to inhibit their antisocial impulses most of the time,
not because of conscience, but because it satisfies some underlying motive. Words do
not seem to have the same meaning for them as they do for others. In fact, it is unknown
if they truly understand the meaning of their own words, a condition called "semantic
aphasia" (Cleckley, 378).
Secondary psychopaths are risk-takers, but are also more likely to be guilt-prone
and stress-reactive. They expose themselves to more stress than the average person,
although they are just as vulnerable. They are daring, adventurous, and unconventional
individuals. They are resolutely driven by a desire to escape or avoid pain, but are unable
to resist temptation. "As their anxiety increases towards some forbidden object, so does
their attraction to it. Their lives are driven by temptation" (Cleckley, 388).
There is a general consensus among psychologists that Psychopathy is the result
of complex interactions between biological predispositions and social conditions. Over
the last few years, there has been considerable progress in the analysis of biological
predispositions and not as much in the analysis of the social factors related to
Psychopathy (Sanmartin, Psychopaths and Serial Killers). Modern brain imaging
techniques are confirming old theories that asserted a correlation between criminal
behavior and particular defects in the frontal and temporal lobes. It has been ascertained
that the prefrontal cortex of a selected sample of impulsive murderers is less active than
the prefrontal cortex of "normal" persons. This part of the brain seems to be responsible
for controlling the actions mediated by structures such as the amygdala, which is linked
to aggressiveness (Sanmartin, Psychopaths and Serial Killers). Thus, it is believed that
their violent behavior is caused by a very active amygdala without the control of the
prefrontal cortex. Not only have dysfunctions been found in the impulsive murderer, but
there have also been reports of anatomical defects, such as a reduced volume of
prefrontal gray matter in individuals that have antisocial personality disorder. It is widely
accepted that, in most cases, these biological predispositions will not cause violent or
psychopathic behaviors without the proper psychological conditions.
Psychological factors of Psychopathy mainly include early childhood deprivation,
parental rejection, and loss of parents. Childhood physical and sexual abuse has been
shown to be a major contributor to adult antisocial behavior (Paris, 279). In one study
(McCord, 1973), examining the risks of delinquency and crime, it was found that the
most powerful predictor of delinquency was parental instability. Likewise, the presence
of a relationship involving a stable and loving parent was a strong inhibitory factor. In
another study (West & Farrington, 1973), the risk factors for future antisocial and
psychopathic behavior included low family income, large family size, parental
criminality, and lack of discipline and control from parents (Paris, 279). Each of these
findings suggest that family dysfunction is the most substantial risk factor for
Psychopathy. Dysfunctional families are likely to promote Psychopathy through
inappropriate and inconsistent punishments along with an absence of well-defined
consequences for a child's misbehavior.
In addition to biological and psychological factors, there are also social
conditions that influence the incidence of Psychopathy. The results of various surveys
conducted in the 1980s and 1990s have shown that the incidence of Psychopathy is
strongly related to certain demographic variables including age, gender, and
socioeconomic status (Paris, 280). It was found that antisocial behavior is much more
common in younger individuals, in males, and in the lower socioeconomic classes. The
disorder is approximately five to seven times more prevalent in men than in women.
One study concluded that the disorder was also more extensive in urban areas as opposed
to rural areas, and especially high in one city: St. Louis, Missouri (Paris, 280).
A psychopath's inability, or reluctance, to learn from their mistakes and feel the
emotions of others makes treatment very difficult. Most therapies have proven to be
relatively ineffective, if not counterproductive. Psychologists utilizing the psychoanalytic
approach have attempted to help patients feel and take responsibility for their own
feelings. By doing so, they are supposedly alleviating an internal stress responsible for
the development of a callous facade (Reid, 264). This facade is also believed to protect
the psychopathic individual from perceived external threats. The psychologist may also
promote fantasy as a normal function in order to help the patient relieve tensions and
anticipate future events. They insist that the patient set easily attainable short-term goals
for themselves, so that they may attain satisfaction faster, and with less stress.
Over the past few decades, advances in psychopharmacology have brought forth
medications which are commonly used to treat varies aspects of Psychopathy. Controlled
studies have indicated that tranquilizers such as carbamazepine and lithium may reduce
impulsivity, a major component of Psychopathy (Von Knorring, 366). The anti-
impulsivity effects of stimulants are also well documented in both adults and
children with attention-deficit/ hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Studies have shown that
a lack of serotonin also plays a role in the control of impulsivity. As a result,
serotonergic agents have been successfully used to treat ADHD. Likewise, individuals
with psychopathic behavior disorders may be treated with such medication, in addition to
MAOI's and beta blockers. The MAOI's and beta blockers help to control social phobia,
and thus anti-social behavior (Von Knorring, 366). In many cases, medication is used in
conjunction with psychotherapy.
Psychopathy is one of the most devastating, yet intriguing, behavior disorders
currently classified. Caused by a biological/ psychological abnormality and/or an
emotionally deprived upbringing, psychopathy is generally very difficult to treat
successfully. Many psychopaths end up in prison as a result of the crimes they have
committed. There is much optimism, however, that we will eventually learn enough
about the causes and mechanisms of this disorder to properly treat it, and perhaps even
prevent it.
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