Criminal Psychopathy Flashcards
What are Robert Hare’s three categories of a psychopath?
Primary, Secondary, Dyssocial
What is the primary category? (4)
- True psychopath.
- Fearlessness.
- Lack of anxiety.
- Guiltlessness.
What is the secondary category? (4)
- Acting out. Neurotics.
- Emotional instability.
- More aggressive and violent.
- Disturbed conscious vs. absent conscious.
What is the dyssocial category?
Learned antisocial behaviour from subculture
What are the behavioural descriptions of psychopathy?
- Superficial Charm
- Average to above average intelligence
- Shallow feelings
- Manipulative / Deceitful
- Selfishness
- Egocentricity
- Impulsivity
- Lack of remorse or guilt
- Semantic aphasia
- Instrumental aggression
What is semantic aphasia?
When these individuals use language, they use words in unusual ways. They mimic people’s language (don’t always know what it means.)
“They know the words but don’t know the song.”
What is instrumental aggression?
What are the components of a psychopath? (3)
- Psychological
- Interpersonal
- Neurobiological
What is the relationship between psychopathy and aspects of mental disorder?
- Usually no symptoms of mental disorder
What is the emotional affect of psychopaths?
Lack of any affect. (Lack of emotional arousal)
Why do psychopaths never commit suicide?
- People who tend to take their lives have a sense of anxiousness, sadness, hopelessness. Psychopaths don’t feel these things.
What is an exception of suicide with psychopaths?
- They are easily frustrated so they may build up
narcissistic agression and that may manifest in self-harm. Very few actually kill themselves.
Literal translation of “psychopath?”
Sick mind.
What type of criminals show signs of psychopathy?
- Serial killers
- Drug dealers
- Sexual offenders (few)
- Pimps
- Contract killers
- White collar criminals (CEO, politician)
What is the prevalence of psychopathy in the general population?
Roughly 1%