When one hears the word “psychopath”, they probably picture someone in an insane asylum locked away with crazy hair and ripped clothes. However, this is simply not always the case. Sometimes the true psychopath is the person one would least expect because he or she seems rational, stable and possibly even fairly caring. A true psychopath is defined as someone who “displays a number of behavioural traits which range from being cunning and devious to manipulative and charming” (Guy pars 3). Psychopaths are not always easily pointed out in a group of people until close examination of their behavior, past history, and neurological reactions to certain situations. One may not immediately identify someone with a psychopathic personality. It takes …show more content…
For example, a psychopath might be superficially charming, selfish, manipulative, shallow, impulsive, or irresponsible and may have a lack of remorse, common pathological kindness, and poor control over their behavior. The careful evaluation of someone's lifestyle will reveal a psychopathic mindset. Anyone with a psychopathic personality has a tendency to be: “...smooth, engaging, charming, slick, and verbally facile. Psychopathic charm is not in the least shy, self-conscious, or afraid to say anything. A psychopath never gets tongue-tied. They have… a grossly inflated view of one’s abilities and self-worth, self-assured, opinionated, cocky, a braggart... the use of deceit and deception to cheat, con, or defraud others for personal gain” (The Sociopathic Style pars …show more content…
The connections and patterns in the data show that little to no empathy was shown for the pain of others. Several other researchers suggested that there might be pleasure involved in the description of the pain of others. The prisoner's brain not lighting up in the anterior midcingulate cortex, along with other areas of the brain associated with empathy and understanding other’s emotions, supports the idea that psychopaths do not feel empathy towards other people. Another neurological connection found in most psychopaths is the presence of MAOA (monoamine oxidase A) in their DNA. MAOA is also known as the warrior gene, known for its aggression and strength. The warrior gene controls, “the production of a protein that breaks down brain-signaling chemicals like dopamine, noradrenalin, and serotonin, which all influence mood” (Lewis 2 pars 3). The warrior gene has a strong effect on the mood and attitude of a person. Possessing the MAOA-L gene alone will not cause someone to have a psychopathic personality. However, if you add an unstable environment to the situation it becomes much more likely. If a person posses the warrior MAOA-L gene and is exposed to a harsh environment, they are far more likely to contain the qualifications and traits of a psychopath. (Lewis 2 Pars 9-10). A close examination of the neurological
Are psychopaths like Alice, “mad or bad?” (page 21). The question whether psychopaths are mentally ill or just a bad seed has caused much debate. Dr. Hare explains that the problem is not only labeling them mad or bad, but who deals with them. “Does the treatment or control of the psychopath rightly fall to mental health professionals or to the correctional system?” (page 21). Not only are professionals confused on how to classify psychopaths, but the media also creates confusion. Psychopath means mental illness and the media uses the word to classify someone as, “insane or crazy”, (page 22). Dr. Hare explains that even though psychopaths, “cannot be understood in terms of traditional views of mental illness”, they, “are not disoriented or out of touch with reality, nor do they experience the delusions, hallucinations, or intense subjective distress that characterize most other mental disorders…psychopaths are rational and aware of what they are doing and why.” (page 22). Most professionals use the term psychopath and sociopath as one in the same. Since DSM-III, antisocial personality disorder has been used in place of psychopath and sociopath. Philippe Pinel was the first psychiatrist describe a psychopath and Harvey Cleckley was one of the first successful publish a book describing a psychopath to the general public . Pinel used the term, “insanity without delirium”, (page 25). Cleckley wrote The Mask of Sanity, which influenced researchers in North America. Dr. Robert Hare explained that WWII was the first time clinicians felt a need to diagnosis people with psychopathy. Due to the draft, there was a need to weed out the people could disrupt or harm the military structure. Dr. Robert Hare realized how hard it was to identify a true psychopaths from rule breakers and developed the Psychopathy Checklist. This checklist is used world wide to help clinicians identify true
Neurotransmitters have been suggested as a significant cause of aggressive behavior. Hans Brunner, a geneticist at the University Hospital in Nijmegen, has found that the violent male members of the Dutch family mentioned earlier in this paper, lacked a gene that produces monoamine oxidase-a (MAOA) (4). MAOA is an enzyme that breaks down significant transmitters in the brain. If the MAOA does not break down these transmitters - specifically, serotonin - then buildup of serotonin will occur and could cause a person to act violently (3).
One area of research in psychopathy focuses on the set of structures in the brain known as the limbic system, but more specifically on a structure known as the amygdala. According to neuropsychology class slides, the amygdala is involved in emotions and storage of emotions in memory as well as the fear response when encountering threatening environmental stimuli. Osumi and colleagues (2012) note that the affective and interpersonal facets of psychopathy, such as cold-heartedness and lack of empathy, which are thought to be the core features of psychopathy, are associated with reduced activity in the amygdala. This is coupled with the fact that a less functional amygdala is associated with a psychopathic individual’s exhibition of antisocial behaviors, at least in part because he will not perceive the threat of punishment as a consequence of his actions. So whether it be the acts against other people or the acts of justice that may be carried out against the perpetrator, the psychopath will perceive both as less significant, as compared to a non-psychopathic individual. (Osumi et al., 2012)
The psychopath know the reasons behind acting a certain way and just don't think about the consequences. Even in the DSM-IV clear definitions of a psychopath doe not exist but the closes to diagnose is anti-social personality disorder. Dr. Hare instead developed the Psychopathy Checklist for people to diagnose psychopathy. The first part of the Psychopathy Checklist looks at the emotional and interpersonal traits of the disorder(Hare, 1993). Some of the emotional qualities that the clinician would look for is as followed: glib/superficial, egocentric/grandiose and lack of empathy.
A psychopath is “calculating and measured in their actions” which makes is harder for one to be identified ("Characteristics of a Sociopath."). Although there is no clinical diagnosis for a psychopath one can be determined through their characteristics and actions for one is more “likely to construct a complex scheme or plan and to carry it out” if they suffer from this mental disorder ("Characteristics of a Sociopath."). They are the most dangerous personalities in society as they have the capacity for extreme violence and the intelligence to blend into a community as an average citizen. It is the personality Iago from Othello that could be diagnosed as a psychopath as he is cold, calculating, manipulative, and is elaborate in his plans. Iago
...res of the psychopaths and gives the reader various examples of these individuals playing out these characteristics in everyday life. A widely used checklist is provided so the reader can get a wide spanning view of what is accounted for when scoring a psychopath. This form of research is very important within the deceitfulness of this population; it allows the professional to ignore their words and examine their actions. Hare made it clear that it is not uncommon for there to be an emotional and verbal disconnect from their actions. With virtually no emotional functioning psychopaths feel no remorse for the offenses that they commit and it is very important that we work towards using the opportunities we have to study and assist these populations; not only for them but for ourselves.
What is a psychopath? What type of person can be characterized by this and how do they come to be? But first, before we can answer these questions, we must first know what a psychopath is. Psychopaths are people suffering from chronic mental disorder with abnormal or violent social behaviors; clinically it is a person who has a lack of what we would consider a conscience. Psychopaths are seen to suffer from a lack of empathy because of psychological, genetic and environmental factors.
Sociopaths are prevalent among society, and some researchers, like Martha Stout, claim that one out of every twenty-five people is a sociopath. However, this statistic is incorrect. This statistic is based on the assumption that sociopaths and psychopaths are the same people—which is untrue. While the sociopathic and psychopathic traits overlap, sociopaths differ in that they are obviously nervous and agitated, unable to create the illusions that psychopaths are so proud of. They live on the fringes of society, uneducated and unable to keep a steady job. Psychopaths, unlike sociopaths, are suave and able to maintain an illusion of conformity and maintain relationships on a superficial level. Both, however, are dominantly male, tend to disregard the rights and social mores of others, and have a tendency display violent and disruptive outbursts without remorse. Unlike psychopaths, who completely lack remorse and the ability to love, sociopaths may attach themselves to certain people, though they still remain contemptuous of the rest of humanity (7).
Serial killers are defined to “be driven by instinct and desire to kill.” In a study done in 2000, Dr, Richard Davidson says, “people with a large amount of aggression – in particular people who have committed aggressive murders or have a social disorder – have almost no brain activity in the orbital frontal cortex or the anterior cingulated cortex while activity in the amyglade continued perfectly. The orbital frontal cortex and the anterior congulated cortex control emotional impulses while the amyglade controls reactions to fear.” Davidson concludes his research claiming that although environment can and will affect a serial killer’s thoughts, it is a killer’s genetic makeup that inevitably creates murderous thoughts.
It is also crucial to consider the genetic makeup of these killers when trying to decipher their motives. New research shows a potential link between a strand of genes and aggression and violence (Bradley-Hagerty). The MAO-A gene or (monoamine oxidase A) has been researched extensively. The gene is often referred to as the “warrior gene” (Bradley-Hagerty). The function of this gene is to regulate serotonin in the brain. However, there are different variations of the gene, one of which is believed to prevent the brain from feeling the relaxing effects of the serotonin (Bradley- Hagerty). Without these calming effects, the person with this version of the gene is genetically predisposed to fits of rage; fits of rage that could potentially lead to murder over and over again.
Raine and his team continued to scan numerous murderers brains over the course of many years. They noticed a similarity between the brains such as overactivation of the amygdala, the area that generates and stimulates our emotions.They also found reduced activity in the prefrontal cortex, which is the area of the brain that monitors our emotional impulses. They came to the conclusion that a murderer has a brain that makes them impulsive and prone to rage. After being asked about his findings, Raine explained that the reason behind there being reduced activity in the prefrontal cortex most likely was caused by childhood abuse and damage cause by ruthless abuse. In general, the prefrontal cortex is extremely vulnerable, but especially when you are young and your brain has not grown to its hilt. Through the years of research and causal new findings only one caught the attention of Professor Raine. It was a gene that produced an enzyme called MAOA, better known as the Warrior Gene. Raine discovered that about 30% of men have this gene, but if it is triggered or not depends on the violence that occured when you were vulnerable and
Sociopaths often succeed in the business industries because they are highly manipulative of the people around them and can tell lies convincingly. Also “psychopaths love chaos and hate rules, [which is why they] tend to thrive in the fast-moving world of business, says Dr. Paul Babiak, a psychologist from New York City.” (Doc Zone) To add, they can fake emotions for effect, like crying at critical moments even though they do not feel sad at all. Although they do not feel for emotional bonds, they feel emotions such as jealousy, and anger. A reason why psychopaths are so smart is because they have no problem in achieving their goals. If they have to get married for money that would have no problem, for them it is a success. This helps with the fact that psychopaths can lie about anything in a completely convincing matter. They can go to any extremes to justify for their actions, even id it does not make sense. This is a good business thing in business which would make the owner prosper. Also, as many businesses hide their mistakes, psychopathes too refuse to take responsibility for their mistakes or misdeeds. Sometimes they admit to envy or dissatisfaction at not having emotions or meaning in their lives and sometimes their 'game' is to destroy others out of
What classifies someone as a psychopath? A psychopath is often not what people make them out to be. For example, if a professor still has
Psychopaths can be very persuasive and intelligent. They can be creative problem solvers and have the ability to turn any situation into one that will benefit them (Dutton, 2012). The could positively contribute to society by being good sales men and by solving problem within their work place or even communities. If they see something they see could be
“Psychopath” and “sociopath”, words that are thrown around easily by people who don’t know what they mean and if they do, they misunderstand it. These two types of people have many similarities, such as being manipulative and unfeeling, but they are extremely different. Although the differences are barely noticeable, it’s important to know them so that you don’t mix up the two. Maybe even prevent yourself from being brutally murdered. Differences include how they interact or build relationships, how they think or feel in a certain situation, and how they even became the way they are.