True taxon or the end of the continuum PSYCHOPATHY True taxon or the end of the continuum

Psychopathy Based on work of Robert Hare; derived from conceptualization of Cleckley More emphasis on affective and interpersonal features Most (but not all) psychopaths will be antisocial personality disorders, but not all ASPD’s will be psychopaths Most inmates will be ASPD, but only 25% or less will be psychopaths

Psychopathy Etiology unknown: thought to be interaction of biological/genetic factors and social forces Expression of disorder depends on social and developmental context (shaped by environment) Most research with criminals, but construct important in general society Most studies to date on white males, but recent research suggests validity with females and other ethnic/cultural groups Hare, 2001

1% Psychopaths in General Population Hare, 2001

10-30% Psychopaths in Prison Populations Hare, 2001

44% Psychopaths as killers of Law Enforcement Officers Hare, 2001

90%+ Psychopaths as Serial Killers Hare, 2001

Are psychopaths “mad”? Unless comorbid condition present, not usually in legal or psychiatric sense Know right from wrong, know the rules But own rules are more important than society’s Knowledge of rules is intellectual, not emotional

Are all psychopaths criminals? Not in technical, legal sense Behaviour is often unethical, but may not end up in jail Hare undertaking studies of subclinical, white collar psychopaths

Criminal vs White-Collar Psychopaths Although underlying personality structure is similar, other factors shape the outcome: Physical attributes and appearance Intelligence Social and economic status Family social connections (it’s who you know, not what you know) Opportunities available in the environment

Core Personality Traits Attributes, Background, Opportunity Good Bad Subcriminal psychopaths Criminal psychopaths Violation of legal and ethical standards subtle flagrant Fame, fortune Minor setbacks Prison Early death Outcome Hare, 2001

ASPD 3-5% Psychopaths 1% Psychopathy and ASPD in General Population Hare, 2001

Psychopathy and ASPD in Offender Populations 50-80% Psychopaths 15-25% Psychopathy and ASPD in Offender Populations Hare, 2001

20 Characteristics of Psychopaths Glib/Superficial Charm Grandiose Self Worth Need for Stimulation/ proneness to boredom Pathological Lying Conning/Manipulative Lack of Guilt or Remorse Shallow Affect Callous/Lack of Empathy Parasitic Lifestyle Poor Behavioral Controls 11. Promiscuous Sexual Behavior 12. Early Behavioral Problems 13. Lack of Realistic Long-Term Goals 14. Impulsivity 15. Irresponsibility 16. Failure to Take Responsibility for Own Actions 17. Many Short-Term Marital Relationships 18. Juvenile Delinquency 19. Revocation of Conditional Release 20. Criminal Versatility

Features of Psychopathy Responsible of large proportion of crime More violent crimes Offend later into life Higher rates of recidivism More likely to use instrumental than reactive aggression (less often crimes of passion) Can be politicians, CEO’s, rather than criminal justice offenders May get worse with treatment

Neurobiological Differences in Psychopaths Psychopaths show absence of autonomic responses of anticipatory anxiety to punishment (e.g. electric shock) Criminal psychopaths show abnormalities in function of limbic system and frontal cortex while processing affective stimuli (e.g. words) Amydala and hippocampus less active (emotion and memory) Fronto-temporal cortex more active (need more cognitive, non-emotional neural resources to process emotional stimuli)

Neurobiology and Psychopathy Fearlessness Hypothesis - higher threshold for experience of anxiety/fear; don’t respond at autonomic level to anticipated threat/punishment Cortical hypo-arousal – brain is understimulated except by dangerous/thrill seeking behavior Different (non-limbic) processing of affective stimuli; not processed on an emotional level

Some conclusions from Robert Hare Psychopaths are not the same as you and I They think, feel and act differently Emotions and deep processing play little role in their thinking, language or behavior They may mimic emotions well, but it’s mostly an act Their approach to the world is instrumental; they are viewed by us as predatory They do not play by our rules, nor do they care about our feelings or welfare They put on a good show, and it’s hard not to be taken in