Psychopathy Flashcards
Psychopathy A) Prevalence (gen pop and prison pop) B) Gender C) Onset and course D) Comorbid with
A) 1% (1 in 100) and in prison 20%
B) Same across gender - males more due to presentation
C) childhood.
D) anxiety, depression, substance abuse, ADHD. Conduct disorder, antisocial PDO and psychopathy
Social mask of psychopath
> conceals their mental disorder.
perfectly mimics a normal person
lack of true experience of emotions
Lying skills of psychopath
incredibly good. they have superior social skills.
psychopath inconsistencies with antisocial
- suicide rare
- joy of crime - flat affect until crime
- superficial charm to get what needed
similarities between psychopath and antisocial
- doesn’t act on a life plan
- antisocial behavior
- lack of remorse
Factor 1 is the ___ ___ component
interpersonal-affective component
Factor 2 is the ___ ___ lifestyle
Impulsive–Antisocial lifestyle
Factor 1 description
Interpersonal-affective component
- callous-unemotional seen in CDO
- lack of remorse
- interpersonally manipulative
- grandiose sense of worth
- glib, shallow affect, superficial. charming
Factor 2 description
Impulsive-Antisocial Lifestyle
- Rash and poor impulse control
- erratic
- deviant and criminal
- no LT goals
- need for stimulation and excitement
this factor is more consistent with antisocial
Reactive vs Instrumental Aggression
Reactive (affective or impulsive) aggression
Reactive (affective or impulsive) aggression
aggression is not goal directed and is activated without a purpose. Not premeditated. Emotion -> act
- antisocial quality
Instrumental (proactive) aggression
goal-directed
- used instrumentally to achieve a specific goal such as possession or increased status.
- Controlled aggression
- NOT antisocial quality
Primary psychopath vs secondary psychopath
Primary - born without emotions. Maps more on factor 1 - instrumental
Secondary - due to environment brought up in. created to survive. Maps more on factor 2- reactive/impulsive.
- underlying depression. anxiety. tough on outside, soft on inside
Causes of psychopath
genetic/biological contributions
- amygdala (small or under-active theory)
- frontal lobe activity - inhibiting impulse
Kernberg’s theory of cause
Disturbed early object relations are central to personality disorders
- lack of object relations are central to psychopathy development
