Not all psychopaths are criminals or prisoners, nor are they hooded killers or sinister individuals, although film and literature portray them in this way, according to Robert Hare, a doctor of psychology and a psychopathy specialist, most of them are among us in the field of politics or business. Unbelievable, isn’t it?
Psychopaths aren’t disoriented, they don’t have delusions or hallucinations, they don’t feel much discomfort either. They are very rational people, aware of what they do and why they do it, that is, their behavior is the result of free choice, but what is behind that charismatic and attractive facade that usually characterizes them?What are their mechanisms?We’ll dive into this topic below.
- “Unsurprisingly.
- Many psychopaths are officially considered criminals.
- But many more have been released from prison and are using their chameleon charm and abilities to enter society and leave a trail of ruined lives.
- “-Robert Hare-.
Does the term psychopathy literally mean mental illness? (of the psyche, “spirit” and the pathetic, “disease”). However, the media often uses it inappropriately, using it as synonymous with madman. The fact is that psychopathy should not be seen as the result of a mental illness, because, as we said earlier, psychopaths are rational, choose how to behave and do not feel uneasy about their condition.
At the beginning of the 20th century, the French psychiatrist Philippe Pinel was one of the first authors to write about psychopaths, who used the term mental illness without delusions to describe people with behaviors marked by marked relentlessness and lack of restraint. that they are morally neutral, an opinion with which many authors do not agree because psychopaths are morally ill for them.
In 1941, American psychiatrist Hervey Cleckley gave the first detailed description of psychopathy in The Mask of Sanity. This book became a reference among the researchers of the time.
“The psychopath is not familiar with the facts or data that define what we might call personal values. You have a great inability to understand these problems. For example, it is impossible for him to devote any interest to the tragedy or human joy represented in literature or art. He also remains indifferent to these same emotions in real life. Beauty and ugliness (except in a very superficial way), kindness, evil, love, horror and humor have no meaning for him, they do not motivate him. , don’t you have the ability to see others move?. – Hervey Cleckley-
Subsequently, many psychiatrists devoted themselves to the study of psychopathy, but if one of them stands out for its advances, data and results, it is Robert Hare, a psychiatrist who has devoted more than three decades to psychopathy, generating the most widely disseminated scales. used to evaluate this dimension: PCL and PCL-R.
In addition to him, Kent Kiehl, professor of psychology at the University of New Mexico, and Kevin Dutton, a psychologist at the University of Oxford, are also widely recognized authors in the study of psychopathy.
Out of curiosity, there is an excerpt from an interview Dutton conducted with a imprisoned psychopath who shows his ability to interrogate and create confusion. At one point, the psychopath suggests that if a woman refused to have sex with him, she could do it on Button on the way out, she says that from the interview she learned that the two relate in different ways and that’s why the psychopath is in jail and out, to which the interviewee replied:
?« Don’t let your brain fool you, Kev, with all these tests that won’t allow you to see reality. There’s only one difference between you and me: I want and I go, you want and don’t want to?
?« You’re scared, Kev, you’re scared. You’re afraid of everything, I see it in your eyes. Afraid of the consequences, of being caught, of what they will think. Afraid of what they’ll do to you when they knock on your door. Are you afraid of me?
?? Look at you, you’re right, you’re out there and I’m here, but who’s free, Kev?Really free, I mean, you or me? Think about it tonight. Where are the real bars, Kev? (shows the window) Or here?(touch your sien). Without a doubt, the conversation surprises and invites reflection.
There are several traits and characteristics common to most psychopaths, however, it is also true that many people may have some of them, but that does not mean that they are psychopaths, remember that psychopathy is a syndrome, a set of related symptoms that can only be diagnosed by a specialist professional.
Below, we will briefly describe the most representative features according to Robert Hare:
The lack of remorse of psychopaths is usually associated with their great ability to rationalize and thus escape responsibility for their actions.
“Everything I’ve done in the past doesn’t concern me. Try to touch the past! Try to do something with the past. It’s just a dream!? That’s what Ted Bundy said in an interview. a serial killer who killed nearly 100 young people.
Psychopaths are characterized by a chronically unstable and aimless lifestyle in which violation of social norms is a common factor. “I did it because I wanted to; is usually one of the most common answers to all questions.
They are often impulsive to satisfy your main motivation, such as getting pleasure or immediate relief from any need. According to psychologists Willian and Joan McCord, they are like children who focus on their needs and demand immediate attention.
Another feature is that their level of control tends to decrease when they feel that someone is assaulting them or committing their interests, when that happens, they are very receptive, even though this control decreases, they rarely forget the purpose of what they do. , keeping your behavior calm.
The need for excitement is another strength of their lifestyle, they may even want to live on tightrope or on the edge, because that’s where they find the action, intensity or haste they need, tend to get into emotional disorders and are quite intolerant to routines.
Psychopaths know the meaning of words, but they are wrong to understand their emotional value, that is, they do not have the emotional dimension of language.
They fill this void using phrases that have heard others use in similar situations, phrases with which other people have succeeded and who can completely disconnect from their emotional state, also tend to confuse their explanations, not link sentences in a coherent way and, thanks to their enhanced skill with practice, are able to evade questions without raising suspicions.
Is your speech fragmented? For example, a psychopath said in an interview that he had never been violent, but then confessed that he had to kill someone. Out of curiosity, more recent research suggests that psychopaths move their hands more, especially when they talk about emotional aspects.
On the other hand, they have a very intellectual definition of conscience, they see it as a product of standards that others invent and that, like guilt, serves as a mechanism of social control, this has very little value for them, as well as love and compassion.
As we can see, the spectrum of psychopathy is both mysterious and interesting, so research on the subject is important so that we can continue to advance our understanding of the psychopathic personality.
“Psychopaths are predators who love, manipulate and go through life mercilessly, leaving a long trail of broken hearts, ruined expectations and empty wallets. With a total lack of conscience and feeling for others, they seek what they want as they want, without respecting social norms and without the slightest trace of repentance or compassion. -Robert Hare-