The Characteristics of a Psychopath
Main Traits
Through many researches, with many studies, it's been discovered that psychopaths all share similar abnormal qualities. For instance, they do not feel any sort of guilt, empathy or remorse. What is interesting is that they are capable of dividing right from wrong but they still choose to ignore it because their minds because their mind tells them otherwise! They also have manipulative qualities, which helps them in a way. Psychopaths lack emotions as well, such as: love, happiness and sympathy. Psychopaths are full of themselves and do not lack any sort of confidence, some may even say they are narcissistic and self-centered.
Hervery M. Cleckley, an American psychiatrist and pioneer in the field of psychopathy, states different qualities of a psychopath in the book “Mask of Sanity”
While investigating in cases involving psychopaths, it was proved that people with this personality disorder all share similar characteristics:
They have superficial charm and average intelligence, they have absence of delusions and irrational thinking. They also lack nervousness, which makes their crimes much easier to perform, which leads to no shame or remorse. They are unreliable, and lack sincerity and are not truthful (basically careless liars). As stated before, they can be very antisocial. They make poor decision (linked to irrational thinking found above) and they do not learn from past mistake. They do not have normal reactions to certain things, another similarity to irrational thinking. These individuals do not have a proper perception and awareness. They do not have any life plans whatsoever (antisocial habits lead to this).
Some also agree that “psychopathy manifests as a constellation of antisocial and criminal behaviors that may arise in response to a combination of environmental stressors (such as childhood abuse or deprivation) and personality factors.”
http://jennifercopley.suite101.com/personality-traits-of-a-psychopath-a62413
Hervery M. Cleckley, an American psychiatrist and pioneer in the field of psychopathy, states different qualities of a psychopath in the book “Mask of Sanity”
While investigating in cases involving psychopaths, it was proved that people with this personality disorder all share similar characteristics:
They have superficial charm and average intelligence, they have absence of delusions and irrational thinking. They also lack nervousness, which makes their crimes much easier to perform, which leads to no shame or remorse. They are unreliable, and lack sincerity and are not truthful (basically careless liars). As stated before, they can be very antisocial. They make poor decision (linked to irrational thinking found above) and they do not learn from past mistake. They do not have normal reactions to certain things, another similarity to irrational thinking. These individuals do not have a proper perception and awareness. They do not have any life plans whatsoever (antisocial habits lead to this).
Some also agree that “psychopathy manifests as a constellation of antisocial and criminal behaviors that may arise in response to a combination of environmental stressors (such as childhood abuse or deprivation) and personality factors.”
http://jennifercopley.suite101.com/personality-traits-of-a-psychopath-a62413
Believing their own Lies
They are also known to blame others for their problems, including their victims (think school shootings). These people may seem very intelligent and witty and create believable scenarios that can fool mostly anything. A huge trick used by psychopaths if flattery, especially to pull someone in. Since they do not feel any guilt or remorse, they mostly feel like their crimes are justified. A research showed that after many interviews with different psychopaths who have committed huge crime, it seemed as if many insisted that they did the right thing, that their victims deserved what they got. In an online article (http://jennifercopley.suite101.com/personality-traits-of-a-psychopath-a62413), it was said “They [psychopaths] rationalize, justify or deny any wrongdoing, while perceiving themselves as victims of an unfair society.”
The Ten Subtypes
To be a little more specific and narrow, Theodore Millon, a personality theorist, chose to divide psychopathy into ten different subtypes:
- Abrasive: Showing little concern or feeling for others, basically harsh
- Covetous: Having or showing a great desire to possess something, typically something belonging to someone else, basically possessive
- Disingenuous: Not candid or sincere, typically by pretending that one knows less about something than one really does, basically untruthful
- Explosive: Likely to cause an eruption of anger or controversy, basically short-tempered
- Malevolent: Having or showing a wish to do evil to others, basically hostile
- Malignant: Spiteful, malicious, etc
- Risk-Taking: Lacks fear, basically fearless
- Spineless: Lacking resolution, weak and purposeless, basically weak-willed
- Tyrannical: Exercising power in a cruel or arbitrary way, basically controlling
- Unprincipled: Not acting in accordance with moral principles, basically immoral
“Each of these types will manifest a different set of traits. However, what they all have in common is the inability to feel guilt or empathy”
http://jennifercopley.suite101.com/personality-traits-of-a-psychopath-a62413
- Abrasive: Showing little concern or feeling for others, basically harsh
- Covetous: Having or showing a great desire to possess something, typically something belonging to someone else, basically possessive
- Disingenuous: Not candid or sincere, typically by pretending that one knows less about something than one really does, basically untruthful
- Explosive: Likely to cause an eruption of anger or controversy, basically short-tempered
- Malevolent: Having or showing a wish to do evil to others, basically hostile
- Malignant: Spiteful, malicious, etc
- Risk-Taking: Lacks fear, basically fearless
- Spineless: Lacking resolution, weak and purposeless, basically weak-willed
- Tyrannical: Exercising power in a cruel or arbitrary way, basically controlling
- Unprincipled: Not acting in accordance with moral principles, basically immoral
“Each of these types will manifest a different set of traits. However, what they all have in common is the inability to feel guilt or empathy”
http://jennifercopley.suite101.com/personality-traits-of-a-psychopath-a62413