PSYCHOPATHY

W H AT YO U T

H O U G H T AB O U T H

U M A N S WA S N

O T

T R U E . .

CONCEPTUALIZING PSYCHOPATHY Insanity without delirium (Philippe Pinel)

Behaviour w/o remorselessnessThe Mask of Sanity (Hervey Cleckley)

An intelligent person Poverty of emotions No sense of shame, superficially charming,

manipulative, irresponsible behaviour Without Conscience (Robert Hare)

Intra-species predators Charming, manipulative, violent

Modern Definition Psychopathy is a personality disorder A constellation of symptoms

DEFINING PSYCHOPATHY

Psychopaths

(10-25%)APD(65-80%)

All Offende

rs(100%)

Hart (2000)

DEFINING PSYCHOPATHY

Antisocial Personality or Psychopathy

Most (not all) psychopaths are antisocial personalities BUT

Not all antisocial personalities are psychopaths

MEASURING PSYCHOPATHY

Factor 1:Interpersonal/

Affective Features

Factor 2:Socially Deviant Lifestyle

•Impulsive & irresponsible•Delinquent & antisocial

•Narcissistic & dominant•Low empathy & anxiety S.D.Hart (2000)

DEFINING PSYCHOPATHY

Psychopathy

Interpersonal* Arrogant* Deceitful

Lifestyle* Boredom* Parasitic

*Irresponsible

Antisocial* Early Beh Prob

•Juvenile Delinquency• Criminal Versatility

Affective* Lacks Emotion* Lacks Empathy

Factor 1 Factor 2

DEFINITIONSDifficulties processing, understanding and using emotional

materialDeficit in processing emotional information

Their linguistic processes seem relatively superficial and the subtle more abstract meanings and nuances of language seem to escape them (Cleckly, 1976, Hare 2003)

He knows the words but not the music (Hare, 2003)

MOVIE CLIPhttp://topdocumentaryfilms.com/i-psychopath/

THE PSYCHOPATHFail to understand the affective meaning of words (emotional

words) but understand the dictionary meaning of wordsThey take longer to process emotional words rather than

neutral words (like a second language)They have more difficulty recognizing fearful content in spoken

languagePsychopaths were more likely to attribute happiness to an

individual who had committed intentional harm (when evaluating emotional stories and trying to determine how someone would feel)

Psychopaths rely on listeners to pay attention to how things are said more than what was said

PERSONALITY DISORDER VS DISTINCT PATHOLOGY

Biological studies consistently show differing reactions in brain scans

Psychopathy may be associated with anomalies in various structures and circuits in the brain

BIOLOGY OF PSYCHOPATHSGenetic Factors• TemperamentBrain Structures• Dysfunction of the paralimbic system--a

system that includes parts of the temporal and frontal lobes (2006, Kiehl)

• Defects in frontal lobe processing • Amygdala dysfunction (abnormal

structure, 2011, Boccardi)• Differences in temporal gyrus

(differences in perceptions of emotions in facial stimuli)

• Associated with abnormalities of processing conceptually abstract material.

BIOLOGY OF PSYCHOPATHSPeripheral Nervous System Research• Low skin conductance (attenuated cues of

impending pain or punishment – “I just put it out of my mind”, less reaction to distressing images)

Autonomic Nervous System Research• Autonomically and cortically underaroused• Deficient in avoidance learning (show little

fear in anticipation of an unpleasant or painful stimuli)

Integration of activities between the two hemispheres may be deficient

CRITERIA FOR PSYCHOPATHY ACCORDING TO HARE (2003)Hare PCL-R most widely used

measure for PsychopathyGold standard for assessmentImportant element in trials

involving serious offensesConducted by well trained

professionalsBased on file review or clinical

interview (with collateral sources)

DEFINITION ACCORDING TO HARE (PCL-R)FACTOR 1:

Interpersonal/ EmotionalGlibness/Superficial

CharmGrandiosePathological LyingConning/ManipulativeLack of Remorse or

GuiltCallous/Lack of

EmpathyShallow AffectFailure to Accept

Responsibility for Own Actions

FACTOR 2: Socially Deviant Lifestyle

Need for StimulationParasitic LifestylePoor Behavioural ControlsEarly Behavioural ProblemsLack of Realistic, Long-term GoalsImpulsivityIrresponsibilityJuvenile DelinquencyRevocation of Conditional ReleaseAlso…Criminal Versatility; Many

Short Term Marital Relationships, Promiscuous Sexual Behavior

PSYCHOPATHY IN CHILDREN?Concerns• Labeling at young age• More likely to be transferred to adult court

system• Self-fulfilling prophecy with providers

Importance of early identification• Treatment• Avoid societal and individual repercussions

THE WHITE COLLAR PSYCHOPATHCEO’s, corporate presidents, Stock

market, Fraudsters …

4% of corporate professionals had a PCL R score of 30 + (N = 203; Babiak, 2010)

If you were a psychopath who wanted to avoid jail where would you go?

OFFENDING PATTERNS #1 Type of CriminalityPsychopaths are more likely to commit

violent offences Psychopaths were five times more likely to

commit a violent offence (Serin & Amos, 1995). Psychopathic offender, compared to non-

psychopathic offender, more likely to kill males who are strangers.

The violence of psychopaths has atypical motivations

Instrumental Violence, Sadistic Impulsive, Opportunism

OFFENDING PATTERNS

#2 Stability of Criminality About ½ of criminal psychopaths show

a reduction in non-violent crime by age 35 or 40 years Harpur and Hare (1994)

Offenders who ranged in age from 16 to 70 years assessed on the PCL-R

Scores on Factor 2 of the PCL-R decreased with age.

Scores on Factor 1 of the PCL-R were stable

Age-related changes in behaviour are not related with changes in the affective/interpersonal traits.

OFFENDING PATTERNS#3 Frequency of Criminality Psychopaths are high-density

offenders. They commit more crimes, have higher rates of recidivism, and re-offender faster than other offenders.

Hart, Kropp, and Hare (1988): Administered PCL-R to 231 inmates High PCL-R – 90% re-offended Mid PCL-R – 60% re-offended Low PCL-R – 30% re-offended

RISKPsychopathy is the biggest predictor of

violent reoffending

High PCL-R offenders are 2.5 Times more likely to get parole (Porter, 2009)

SEXUAL DEVIANCE + PSYCHOPATHY = HUGE PROBLEM!

Hart et al. (1988) offenders on conditional release – any reoffenseSurvival Curves

Low

High

Middle

Quinsey et al. (1993) Survival Curves for male rapists and child molesters

Psychopaths

Non Psychopaths

WORKING WITH THE PSYCHOPATHDOES TREATMENT WORK?WHAT TO EXPECT?HOW TO REACT?IN PEOPLE WITH A LONG HISTORY

OF CRIMINAL BEHAVIORS, RULE OUT PSYCHOPATHY FIRST

TREATMENT AND PSYCHOPATHYGroup therapy and insight-oriented therapy make

psychopathy worse Learning about empathy can help them to develop better ways of manipulating,

deceiving and using people Doesn’t help them understand themselves.

Other treatment possibilities? Don’t focus on characteristics that can’t be changed (e.g. not emotional

reactions, empathy). Focus on their motivations (not altruism, but short-term self-interest,

excitement, sense of power) (Thronton & Blud, 2007) Focusing on how behaving prosocially can get them what they want; focus on

their strengths (Hare, 2003) Give them those reinforcements for good behaviors… (make sure that it is a

true reinforcement for THEM – not what you would assume would be a reinforcement!)

SELF CARE WHEN WORKING WITH PSYCHOPATHSRecall last clip of movie…Very difficult to not attend to information

provided to you by psychopathsRecall their need for manipulationHave a set plan before you enter the

roomRelaxation, strong inner self-concept, let

some things goIdentify your vulnerabilities before handOne psychopath a day is lots to deal with

…

WANT MORE INFORMATION?

www.hare.orgfor research papers on many

facets of Psychopathy