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Pepe
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21 Sep 2020, 5:11 am

I have finally started my research on psychopathy.
I will use this thread to add random bits of information I find interesting.
Others are welcome to contribute.



Pepe
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21 Sep 2020, 5:13 am

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Psychopathy, sometimes considered synonymous with sociopathy, is traditionally a personality disorder characterized by persistent antisocial behavior, impaired empathy and remorse, and bold, disinhibited, and egotistical traits. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychopathy


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But we believe (and this is my subjective belief) that we should not treat psychopathy as a mental illness – something which positively contributes to evolutionary fitness should not be viewed as a psychological dysfunction.” https://www.psypost.org/2017/12/psychop ... ests-50350



magz
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21 Sep 2020, 6:10 am

Based on my private research, reading a lot of self-insight from http://www.psychopathicwritings.com/ I came to a conclusion that there are two dimensions of psychopathy:
1. Shallow emotionality - an in-born, neurodiverse trait;
2. Anti-social personality disorder - an effect of abusive upbringing.

My (absolutely unprofessional, private) conclusion is that people with trait 1, growing up in abusive environment, are much more likely to develop trait 2 than any other personality disorder.


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21 Sep 2020, 7:37 am

Psychopathy or also Sociopathy,there has never been a definitive absolute differencial really.All people posses some degree of empathy or concern for others,Not everyone is absolutely caring toward others all the time.Some people are just much more impaired in the ability to care for others and get the "title" of psychopath.

Psychopath is really more of a adjective than a noun really.


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Lunella
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21 Sep 2020, 12:51 pm

I thought Psychopathy was like an umbrella term and Sociopathy/Narcissism was where it was at because those 2 both have their own separate spectrum.

Psychopathy is a B Cluster brain disorder and falls under an antisocial personality disorder but what type of psychopathy do they have.

Like people say Narcissists and sociopaths don't kill but they totally do.

Oh also - if you're into this stuff, go watch Dirty John on Netflix you will be shocked. They are based on true stories.


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Pepe
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21 Sep 2020, 6:54 pm

magz wrote:
Based on my private research, reading a lot of self-insight from http://www.psychopathicwritings.com/ I came to a conclusion that there are two dimensions of psychopathy:
1. Shallow emotionality - an in-born, neurodiverse trait;
2. Anti-social personality disorder - an effect of abusive upbringing.

My (absolutely unprofessional, private) conclusion is that people with trait 1, growing up in abusive environment, are much more likely to develop trait 2 than any other personality disorder.


I read an interesting article which differentiated "Psychopaths" and "Sociopaths" in this way:

Psychopaths are born.
Sociopaths are made.

I use this as a guide until I am convinced there is something better. 8)



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21 Sep 2020, 6:55 pm

vermontsavant wrote:
Psychopathy or also Sociopathy,there has never been a definitive absolute differencial really.All people posses some degree of empathy or concern for others,Not everyone is absolutely caring toward others all the time.Some people are just much more impaired in the ability to care for others and get the "title" of psychopath.

Psychopath is really more of a adjective than a noun really.


I think the terminology is useful, though. ;)



Pepe
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21 Sep 2020, 6:59 pm

Lunella wrote:
I thought Psychopathy was like an umbrella term and Sociopathy/Narcissism was where it was at because those 2 both have their own separate spectrum.

Psychopathy is a B Cluster brain disorder and falls under an antisocial personality disorder but what type of psychopathy do they have.

Like people say Narcissists and sociopaths don't kill but they totally do.

Oh also - if you're into this stuff, go watch Dirty John on Netflix you will be shocked. They are based on true stories.


This is my understanding also.
The suggestion is that a psychopath is a person with an extreme form of ASPD.



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22 Sep 2020, 12:22 am

ASPD is basically the entire thing yeah, cause loads of stuff fall under this. Psychopathy is like the umbrella term of the bad messed up ones from what I understand.

Also I read a study a while ago saying people with ASPD are not born like that it is a learned behaviour or something traumatic happened to them as a child because no child is born basically evil right away, something has to happen for that to be a thing.

Like with autism that's definitely a genetic thing, ASPD I think falls more under the "hit head as kid, kid randomly starts killing birds then people" lol. In all seriousness I think it's more with people who have been sexually abused in adolescence or people with parents that beat them/mentally torture them so they end up all kinds of messed up in adult life.

I've always found it really interesting with these people because the actual scary thing is they are ridiculously common. I've had narcissist/sociopath bosses, colleagues, parents, friends, exes etc. They come in all shapes and sizes.


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magz
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22 Sep 2020, 12:45 am

We clearly need more precise definitions.
From what I understand, even the mainstream psychiatry lacks consensus on them.

I wouldn't equate psychopathy to narcissism - I know (in my private life) an example or two of certainly non-psychopathic narcissists - people with completely screwed up self-image but otherwise law-abiding and not intentionally malevolent.

The Psychopathic Writings blog gave me an insight that psychopathy is high on built-in machiavelism. Emotional life is shallow, morality does not get linked to emotional rewards and punishments, what remains are calculations of gains and losses.

But I know law-abiding, non-malevolent people like that, too. I even read some article measuring the effect - that a "primary psychopath" growing up in an environment of cooperation and fairness learns these values as paying off.


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Lunella
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22 Sep 2020, 12:59 am

^ I agree. There needs to be much more clearer definitions and more research on psychologists part because there's sooo much scrambled information everywhere.

From a lot of the research I've done though (I mainly stick to Narcissism) there's like lots of different types of narcissists, you have malignant ones which are supposedly the paranoid ones, psychopathic narcissists are the murderers, covert ones are like the type who you can never suspect because they lie so well, then you have your basic grandiose ones who are just addicted to attention.

I believe there are more sub types of even those ones.

I have no idea with sociopaths but I know it's a similar spectrum because sociopaths are aware of what they are doing as narcissists do these evil things but they don't know why. Sociopaths are actually planning to destroy people on purpose.

Frankly, I think narcissists are worse because they are much more unpredictable as they act on impulse where a sociopath waits for perfect moments to strike. You could do something slightly wrong with a narc and it's BAM rage everywhere and constant stepping on egg shells.

I think either way it's worth learning about to protect yourself as these types of people are sadly quite common.


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Pepe
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22 Sep 2020, 1:33 am

Lunella wrote:
ASPD is basically the entire thing yeah, cause loads of stuff fall under this. Psychopathy is like the umbrella term of the bad messed up ones from what I understand.

Also I read a study a while ago saying people with ASPD are not born like that it is a learned behaviour or something traumatic happened to them as a child because no child is born basically evil right away, something has to happen for that to be a thing.

Like with autism that's definitely a genetic thing, ASPD I think falls more under the "hit head as kid, kid randomly starts killing birds then people" lol. In all seriousness I think it's more with people who have been sexually abused in adolescence or people with parents that beat them/mentally torture them so they end up all kinds of messed up in adult life.

I've always found it really interesting with these people because the actual scary thing is they are ridiculously common. I've had narcissist/sociopath bosses, colleagues, parents, friends, exes etc. They come in all shapes and sizes.


I read recently that:
- Abuse when young, can alter the neurotransmitters in some way.
- Psychopathy flourishes in harsher conditions.
- It is part of the evolutionary process.
- Psychopathy isn't definitive. There are different theories.



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22 Sep 2020, 1:49 am

magz wrote:
We clearly need more precise definitions.
From what I understand, even the mainstream psychiatry lacks consensus on them.

I wouldn't equate psychopathy to narcissism - I know (in my private life) an example or two of certainly non-psychopathic narcissists - people with completely screwed up self-image but otherwise law-abiding and not intentionally malevolent.

The Psychopathic Writings blog gave me an insight that psychopathy is high on built-in machiavelism. Emotional life is shallow, morality does not get linked to emotional rewards and punishments, what remains are calculations of gains and losses.

But I know law-abiding, non-malevolent people like that, too. I even read some article measuring the effect - that a "primary psychopath" growing up in an environment of cooperation and fairness learns these values as paying off.


Are psychopaths capable of falling in love/infatuation?

I read somewhere that part of the incentive in committing anti-social activities is to alleviate boredom, due to a lack of natural emotional satiation.



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22 Sep 2020, 5:29 am

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In personal relationships, sociopaths and psychopaths often initially entice with their superficial charisma and calculated charm, before revealing their cruel and uncaring nature over time (i.e., after a committed relationship is established or an important agreement is made). They deceive, manipulate, and abuse in relationships without remorse, leaving their victims wounded and traumatized by their utter lack of decency and empathy. https://www.psychologytoday.com/au/blog ... psychopath



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22 Sep 2020, 5:41 am

Below are seven characteristics of the modern sociopath or psychopath.

1. Pathological Lying and Manipulation
2. Lack of Morality and Rule Breaking
3. Lack of Empathy and Cold-Heartedness
4. Narcissism and False Superiority Complex
5. Gaslighting and Psychological Bullying
6. Lack of Contrition and Self-Serving Victimhood
7. The “Situational” Sociopath or Psychopath

https://www.psychologytoday.com/au/blog ... psychopath



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22 Sep 2020, 5:41 am

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Research by neuroscientist Adrian Raine reveals that people with antisocial personality disorder have fewer cells in their prefrontal cortex — considered the most evolved region of the brain. The prefrontal cortex is responsible for, among many functions, the capacity to understand other people’s feelings (empathy), the capacity to make sound, principled judgments (ethics), and the capacity to learn from life experience (reflection). https://www.psychologytoday.com/au/blog ... psychopath