PDs & Crime Flashcards
PERSONALITY & CRIME
- evidence does link some PDs w/criminal beh
- psychopathy linked to Eysenck’s “psychoticism”
- anti-social PD (APD)
PSYCHOTICISM-PSYCHOPATHY CONTINUUM
EYSENCK & EYSENCK (1976)
- psychopathy = extreme psychoticism
- continuity hypothesis = psychopathological disorders represent extreme normal personality
- psychoticism = criminality/psychopathy/schizophrenia predisposition
- ^ P = impersonal/emotionally indifferent/lack empathy -> impulsiveness/recklessness/anti-sociality
EYSENCK’S PERSONALITY THEORY & CRIME
- acknowledged limitations:
1. inapplicable to all crime
2. classical/operant conditioning emphasis doesn’t include all learning
3. other personality traits may be important - BUT theory = important; emphasis on hereditary/bio/environmental interaction on kid development
PD & CRIME
LEWIS & APPLEBY (1988)
- mere mention of personality disorder diagnosis has powerful effect on clinicians’ views
- stigma/discrimination from PD diagnosis shows evidence based diagnosis importance
- evidence suggests relation between PD/criminal beh
ARE PEOPLE W/PERSONALITY DISORDER DANGEROUS?
- majority ARE NOT dangerous/violent
- occasions when violence does occur involve APD
- psychopathy = rated w/APD; people w/diagnosis = ^ likely violent
- childhood trauma may lead to difficulties w/emotional regulation/impulsivity/empathy -> violence/anti-social beh
APD X PD: DIAGNOSTIC CRITERIA
- DSM-5 retains original 10 personality disorders BUT incl. hybrid dimensional-categorial model in appendix
- psychopathy ISN’T listed BUT measure incl. in hybrid alongside APD criteria
- APD diagnostic incl. psychopathy
APD X PSYCHOPATHY
- definitions = related
- dyssocial personality disorder (DPD) = listed w/APD in DSM-5
- dangerous/severe personality disorder (DSPD) = another psychopathy term
- overlap between categories suggests APD/DPD/psychopathy might be used interchangeably -> justice perception implications
FILONE ET AL (2014)
- potential stigma associated w/diagnostic labels = of particular courtroom importance
- label juror perceptions could have substantial impact on defendant sentencing recommendations
- pps read vignettes w/antisocial/dyssocial/psychopathy labels x crime type (white collar/violent crime)
FILONE ET AL (2014): RESULTS
- labels DIDN’T consistently impact sentencing recommendations/defendant perceptions
- ^ influenced by crime type > diagnosis
- white collar = ^ negative > violent offenders
- diagnostic label most influential on recidivism ratings/pps perceptions of violent offenders across all conditions
- psychopathy labels perceived at ^ risk > APD/DPD
EDENS & COX (2012)
- examined psychopathy/sociopathy/APD label prevalence/impact in capital murder cases
- surveyed defence team members at law conference
- when asked to estimate effects of any label on trial outcome respondents most frequently said considerable/extensive
BAKER ET AL (2021)
- examined BPD diagnosis/stigma
- methodology = experimental mock-jury w/2 dif scenarios to assess BPD impact on jury decision-making
- when defendant = “complex mental health”/severe personality disorder/borderline pattern -> ^ dangerous/segregation/coercive treatment rating > controls
PSYCHOPATHY: ATTRIBUTES
CLECKLEY (1941)
- superficially charming
- of/above average IQ
- unable to feel shame/remorse
- egocentric
- deceitful
- highly manipulative/impulsive
- engage in extreme violence acts incl. murder
- offend w/o purpose
- loyal to no one
- propensity to indulge in perverse sexual/harmful beh
COID (2009)
- psychopathic traits < prevalent in women (7.7% men > 1.9% women)
- correlated w/younger age/repeated imprisonment/high security detention/disciplinary infractions/cluster personality disorders/substance misuse BUT not neurotics/schizophrenia
- psychopathy (traits) prevalent in UK male prisoners
PSYCHOPATHY STATS
CLECKLEY (1976)
- >90% sexual/serial killers diagnosed as psychopaths
HARE (1993)
- individuals w/psychopathy commit 1/2 serious crime BUT…
- estimated 3m USA psychopaths; ^ than incarcerated for murder
- generally don’t commit murder BUT devastate lives/finances around them
HARE (1980s)
- developed/extended Cleckley
- studies incarcerated male psychopaths; developed feature list identified by Cleckley
- described how psychopaths lack empathy/conscience BUT more able in business/politics despite recklessness reducing success rate
HARE (1980s)
- developed/extended Cleckley
- studies incarcerated male psychopaths; developed feature list identified by Cleckley
- described how psychopaths lack empathy/conscience BUT more able in business/politics despite recklessness reducing success rate
HARE: PSYCHOPATHY CHECKLIST-REVISTED (PCL-R)
- developed screening instrument (PCL) for identifying psychopathy (1986)
- psychopathy = most commonly assessed w/it
- measures 2 symptom clusters:
1. EMOTIONAL DETACHMENT
2. UNSTABLE/ANTISOCIAL/IMPULSIVE LIFESTYLE
PCL-R: EMOTIONAL DETACHMENT
- interpersonal traits ie:
1. incapacity for fear/empathy
2. superficial charm
3. shallow emotions
4. callous attitudes towards others
PCL-R: UNSTABLE LIFESTYLE
- unstable/antisocial/impulsive ie:
1. impulsivity
2. poor self-control
3. early beh issues onset
4. strong need for excitement
PCL-R: PSYCHOLOGICAL TRAITS
- aka. cluster 1 (emotional detachment):
1. glibness/superficial charm
2. grandiose self-worth
3. egocentricity
4. pathological lying/deception
5. sincerity lack
6. remorse/guilt lack
7. callousness/empathy lack
PCL-R: BEHAVIOURAL TRAITS
- aka. cluster 2 (unstable lifestyle):
1. stimulation need/boredom proneness
2. early beh issues (ie. lack of realistic goals/irresponsibility/impulsivity)
3. juvenile delinquency
4. parasitic lifestyle
5. irresponsible parent beh
6. many offence types
PSYCHOPATHY X APD: PCL-R
- main distinctions in emotional/interpersonal cluster 1 traits (typical to psychopathy)
- cluster 2 = ASPD typical; emphasises observable beh ie. chronic lying/repeated criminal beh
- psychopaths display cluster 1 traits along w/dominant 2
- extreme psychopaths meet diagnostic APD criteria BUT not everyone w/APD = psychopath (10-30%)
PSYCHOPATHY X APD: DIFFERENCES
- psychopaths = superficially charming/intelligent BUT also callous/deceitful/remorseless/impulsive/fearless
- APD designation emphasises observable beh ie. lying/criminal beh/authority conflicts
PSYCHOPATHY X CRIMINALITY
GRETTON ET AL (2004)
- ^ adolescent psychopathy = early adulthood violence predictor risk
HARE ET AL (2003)
- evidence reviews indicate psychopaths x4 ^ likely to violently re-offend post release > non-psychopath offenders
WOODSWORTH & PORTER (2002; 2006)
- murdering psychopaths ^ likely to commit cold-blooded murder for gain reasons (ie. premeditated monetary gain) > non-psychopaths
- psychopaths minimise premeditated/instrumental crime aspects; portray as ^ reactive > police reports
- may reflect charm/manipulation attempts
APD X CRIMINALITY
- APD = most crimes BUT psychopaths commit disproportionate crime excess via long-term psychopathy/recidivism nature
WONG (2000) - psychopathy = treatment resistant
- attempt to manipulate therapeutic situation to their advantage
PSYCHOPATHY X WORLPLACE
CROOM ET AL (2021)
- significant gender dif
- marked not only by ^ psychopathy lvls in males > females BUT disposition difs
- relation between psychopathy/seniority = significant; indicative of relation between executive status/potentially toxic beh
BOARD & FRITZON (2005)
- disordered personalities at work
- rejected current categorical PD classification systems; instead favoured dimensional perspective to compare PD traits across 3 groups
- focus on personality traits associated w/psychopathy
- personality trait comparison between male forensic (criminal)/psychiatric patients at Broadmoor high-security hospital w/normal male senior business managers (39)
- Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory Scales (MMPI-PD) = dimensional assessment tool
BOARD & FRITZON (2005): RESULTS
- confirmed PD aspect presence in senior business manager sample; most prominent associated w/emotional components of psychopathy
- compared w/3 patient samples senior business manager group ^ likely to demonstrate traits associated w/histrionic PD; = likely to demonstrate narcissistic/OCPD traits
BOARD & FRITZON (2005): CONCLUSIONS
- traits associated w/PDs emerge in some individuals as successful characteristics in some situations ie. success at work
- some traits (ie. charm/manipulate) = useful in business
- similar to Hare (1993) BUT emphasised recklessness prevents success
- persuasive continuous distribution & pathology evidence; support dimensional conception alongside categorical approach
THE DARK TRIAD
PAULHUS & WILLIAMS (2002)
1. NARCISSISM
2. MACHIAVELLIANISM
3. PSYCHOPATHY
- all related w/criminal beh BUT also other behs ie. scholastic cheating
THE DARK TRIAD: NARCISSISM
RASKIN & TERRY (1988)
- sense of entitlement
- grandiosity
- sense of superiority
THE DARK TRIAD & CHEATING
WILLIAMS ET AL (2010)
- authors report findings from 3 studies examining wide personality predictor range of self-reported cheating in undergrad British Columbia students
- measures incl. Big 5 traits w/Machiavellianism/narcissism/psychopathy
- all 3 found significant predictors incl. DT/low agreeableness
