Psychopathy In Poe's "The Cask Of Amontillado

Psychopathy In The Cask Of Amontillado By Edgar Allan Poe
An FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin contends, "Psychopathy is the most dangerous of the personality
disorders. To understand it, one must know some fundamental principles about personality.
Individuals' personalities represent who they are; they result from genetics and upbringing and
reflect how persons view the world and think the world views them. In "The Cask of Amontillado",
Poe directs attention to Montresor who is a man that is tormented by Fortunato sick pranks. Little to
be know is that in fact Montresor is a psychopath that will get his revenge. Psychopathy is a mental
illness that could possibly be hereditary through genetics. Montresor's family motto is, "Nemo me
impune lacessit" (Poe 6). According to Encyclopedia Britannica Online ... Show more content on
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Psychopathology is understood to assume the grounds of pathological liars. Montresor emphasizes,
"A draught of this Medoc will defend us from the damps." [...]. He raised it to his lips with a leer. He
paused and nodded to me familiarly, while his bells jingled. "I drink," he said, "to the buried that
repose around us." "And I to your long life." For Montresor to toast to Fortunato's long life knowing
in his mind he is set out for revenge and will retrieve it unquestionably is a strong sign of a
pathological liar. Montresor is allowing himself to seem perceiving by being a pathological liar. The
argument of proving Montresor is a pathological liar is easily conceived due his intensifying need
for
... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...

Research on Psychopathy: A Personal Disorder Essay
Psychopathy is an extremely complex subcategory of a specific personality disorder. This disorder
has been researched since approximately the 18th century. Modern technology in science can detect
psychopathy by examining the human brain using different techniques. This technology can and
should be used to prevent violence in the world today. Research of the brain abnormalities in
psychopaths have been traced back to the 1800's when an Italian psychiatrist and criminologist
Cesare Lombroso stated that all of the mental functions in one's brain are localized in different parts
of the brain. Lombroso generalized the idea that one is born with a "criminal mind". The criminal
mind can be classified by "deformations of their skulls". (Weber ... Show more content on
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Moving forward into the 20th century, Hervey Cleckley made a contribution to the knowledge and
research of the psychopathic brain. He wrote a book called, "The Mask of Sanity" (1976) where he
described psychopathy as a configuration of interpersonal and behavioral features. He found that not
only do psychopaths contain an antisocial behavior, they also have many negative characterizations
and traits such as being manipulative, fearless, impulsive and lacking empathy as well as remorse or
guilt. He also found that psychopathy is not only in those who show criminal behavior, however
psychopathy may be present in those who appear to be successful and socially fit individuals.
Furthering the studies of psychopathy, there are two main theories that have been used to explain
this abnormalities in the brain. The first theory is called the Somatic Marker Hypothesis of Damasio
(1994) which proposed that damage to the prefrontal cortex in the brain causes poor decision
making abilities which shows a lack of potential development for the somatic aspects that are linked
to the excitement of rewards and/or punishment. This leads to an inconsiderate attitude towards any
negative consequences as well as social rules or outcomes. This theory is supported by its
neurobiological equivalent which is the orbitofrontal and medial frontal cortex in the brain which is
responsible for decision making and other cognitive processes. Neuropsychological evidence proves
that the Somatic

Characteristics Of A Cure For Psychopathy
Psychopathy is a collection of personality traits, which include callousness, low anxiety,
remorselessness, failure to form emotional bonds, and externalization of blame. Although the
condition effects ones personality, experts have stated that it has not been coded using the taxonomic
system DSM–IV–TR. Furthermore, they have considered that psychopaths are influenced by social
factors, environmental, biological and psychological factors. These factors influence social forces
and biological predispositions which in fact affects one's personality (Ogloff 2006). As early as the
19th century the methods for a cure have not been agreed upon, because of this psychopaths have
been deemed resistant to treatment. Psychopathy has been an argued disorder for centuries, research
has been done on criminals, juveniles, whether or not it is curable/treatable. There have been many
scholarly papers written on the effectiveness of treating or a cure for psychopathy. There have been
multiple researches done in the prison systems in many countries in the world on psychopaths. In
juveniles and other adult offenders it has been found that with treatment it does make the condition
treatable. Various ways have been introduced to treat psychopaths. There are several psychological
factors associated with psychopaths, such as, social, biological and environmental.
Psychopathologist believe that increased crime immensely effects people with this disorder.
Although, there is great controversy

Psychopathy Case Studies
Psychopathy
Psychopathy, a personality/mental disorder, in which an individual often display apathy in
conjunction with manipulation strategies, and without the ability to demonstrate remorse for wrong
actions, is a characteristic that has shown to be highly present in violent criminality. It is believe that
the understanding of psychopathy can lead to the prediction of criminal behavior. However,
psychopathic behavior can be affected or influence by numerous variables, including age, sex, race,
ethnicity or socioeconomic status or in some cases a combination of two or more variables.
In the study by Huchzermeier and colleagues (2008), they investigated possible age differences in
the frequency of antisocial personality disorder (APD) and psychopathy, through a cross–sectional
study of 226 male violent offenders. They hypothesize that "psychopathy", and/or antisocial
personality elements will be more strongly ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Psychopathy was assed using the PCL, while SES was based on classification in the jail roster as
well was the ratings from the Hollingshead Index (1958). Though the use of police record, prior
violent charges and recidivism was also assessed. Walsh and Kosson (2007), elected to use cox
proportional hazards regression and Kaplan–Meier survival analysis to examine discrete groups
based on SES and psychopathy. Based on the analysis, there was an observable interaction between
psychopathy x SES x ethnicity among European Americans in the prediction of recidivism at low
levels of SES, but unable to predict recidivism at high levels of SES (Walsh & Kosson, 2007).
Furthermore, results also suggest that PCL scores are supportive predictors of violent criminality
among African American males (Walsh & Kosson,

An Investigation Of The Correlation Between Psychopathy...
PSYC121: Introduction to Psychology 1
An Investigation of the Correlation Between Psychopathy Subtypes and Cognitive Empathy
Name: Caitlin Sinclair
ID: 300306538
Tutor: Lynley McLay
Lab Time: Tuesday 3.10–5pm, 404A
Abstract
This investigation aimed to determine whether or not primary psychopathy and diminished cognitive
empathy, and secondary psychopathy and diminished cognitive empathy are correlated. A
correlational design, in which 452 participants from the PSYC121 class were administered
Levenson, Kiehl & Fitzpatrick's (1995) Self–Report Psychopathy Scale (LSRP) and Baron–Cohen,
Wheelwright, & Jolliffe's (1997) Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test (RMET), was employed.
Results indicated a significant negative correlation between primary psychopathy and diminished
cognitive empathy, however secondary psychopathy and diminished cognitive empathy were not
significantly correlated. It was concluded that there is a significant difference between primary and
secondary psychopathy.
An Investigation of the Correlation Between Psychopathy Subtypes and Cognitive Empathy Several
studies have investigated psychopathy subtypes and cognitive empathy (Levenson, Kiehl &
Fitzpatrick, 1995; Ali & Chamorro–Premuzic, 2010; Richell et al., 2003). Psychopathy can be split
into two subtypes, primary and secondary. Both are associated with hostility, impulsivity, and
aggression, however the secondary subtype also presents towards social anxiety, introversion,
moodiness,

Essay on Genetics Are the Main Cause of Psychopathy
"One of the things about these kids is that they don't pay attention to the deep emotions or the deep
concerns of other people. They can just look at it in the face and go "whatever" and move on."
(Malcolm) Whereas some may argue that psychopaths are developed more from their environment,
the characteristic traits and neurological data prove genetics are the main cause of psychopathy.
Psychopathy is a personality disorder characterized by a constellation of interpersonal, affective and
behavioral characteristics. (Harc, 1998) There are many personality traits that accompany those who
are considered to be a psychopath. High levels of aggression or delinquency, and antisocial
behaviors are all seen in youth with personalities correlating ... Show more content on
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Subsequent studies in youth with conduct disorder show that the parents socialization with their
children has less of an affect upon the development of conduct problems, suggesting more genetic
significance in youth who are notably callous. (Dolan). Mental retardation, lower intelligence and
inability to learn basic communication and language skills have been reported in youth considered
psychopathic. Also reported is the severe psychopathy occurring from the youths parents. These
parents have issues such as "extreme maladjustment, chronic alcoholism, and many incarcerations
for criminal acts. (Bezdjian). In order to confirm, tests have been made to assess psychopathic traits
in youth. These tests have been recreated from the adult versions. The psychopathy checklist is a
scale test used for youth ages thirteen to eighteen, it has the same factor structure as the adult PCL–
R test from which it was created and focuses on interpersonal aspects of personality and chronic
antisocial structure. The psychopathy screening device is used for youth ages six to twelve, and is
completed by teachers or parents for validity reasons. The most widely used test is the youth
psychopathic traits inventory, which is a self report of fifty items which focus on core personality
correlations of youth and psychopaths. (Dolan).
Now researchers are focusing more on theories of the neurobiological basis of psychopathy. The two
most

Sociopathy And Psychopathy Essay
Mental disorders are dreadful things that can attack without warning. While some are aware of the
disorders that affect them, others are not, and they can therefore be affected by their disorders to the
point of no return. Sociopathy and psychopathy, which can stem from either environmental factors
or brain abnormalities, are examples of this. While there are misconceptions about the true identities
of these disorders and the differences between them, this paper will attempt to inform the readers of
their distinctions, and just where in the world they are present. This paper will also discuss how to
confront those who are affected, and the factors that are involved in doing so. To first understand the
basic concepts involved with identifying ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
With different media such as books, articles, and databases, this paper's primary goal is to grab one's
attention and inform one on issues relating to personality, mental illness, and conditions such as
sociopathy and psychopathy. As mental disorders become more and more prevalent within the
American population today, it is only necessary to inform oneself on the varying topics being
discussed. To know how the mind works is merely one step into the mystery that is the human body,
and it would be neglectful to approach such a topic without being properly prepared. Sociopathy and
psychopathy are harming conditions, but as previously portrayed, things are much more complex
than they seem. With the presence of new treatments for thousands of conditions increasing by the
day, it is only a matter of time before the human race will be ever closer to understanding others as
well as they do

Psychopathy In The Sales Industry Case Study
In today's competitive market place organisations, it takes even more effort to be trust between the
prospective customer and seller. Most correct handling must be done in selling to the vendor
managed to gain agreement and eventually convincing him to buy from him because the world is
more cautious and reluctant to buy from anyone. Εmployers exploit their staff to have profit in the
company. Of course, this is done in most companies and employers pressuring sellers for more sales
so as earn more money. Sometimes the sellers going off limits to please their bosses but also to get
paid because the seller pays on the basis of their sales.
According to Robert Hare, Ph.D (2017), psychopathy is "intraspecies predators who use charm,
manipulation, intimidation, and violence to control others and to satisfy their own selfish needs." ...
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They are automatically put down a procedure to sell even more than is done so as to be more egoist
and simultaneously psychopaths (Psychopathy in the sales industry Case Study, 2017). Forcing to
buyers to purchase their products. According to my research in The Sociopathic Style (2017) and
Psychopathy in the sales industry Case Study (2017), we can draw the conclusion that psychopathy
firstly achieves all of them with good speech and superficial charm. The original of the psychopaths
is that they are a very good speaker, which makes it easy to contact, with natural, relaxed charm, a
fun conversationalist. They like telling tall tales. Of course, they are not honest. Psychopaths can lie
about something and looking the interlocutor in the eye without forging something wrong. Even
someone "ridicule" the psychopathy they will not going to change their attitude, or to admit their
mistake, let alone show any

The Psychopathy Checklist: Screening Version Of The PCL-R
Overall, it was, in my opinion, a great reading. I was impressed how I have heard the term
psychopathy, but it is startling how complex this personality disorder is. Of course, as the reading
mentioned, oftentimes psychopaths are portrayed as cold–blooded, serial killers, etc. Indubitably,
this might happen in some cases but the complexity it implies to determine if an individual is a
psychopath is far beyond the reach a non–professional psychologist or psychiatrist. Therefore, this is
the most interesting and surprising aspect of the reading and psychopathy itself, how hard it to
identify a psychopath. In addition, the ways it is presented to people, not only by their personality
traits and behavior but their ability to appear as charming ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net
...
This misinterpretation, whether at work, family, or friends may cause several consequences, the
main one affecting that person psychologically and damaging his personality. I personally have not
been in a situation or known someone with such personality, or better say, I didn't notice it because
of I didn't have the knowledge or the information I have obtained after reading this textbook about
psychopathy. From now on, I am sure that I will pay more attention to the personality of the people I
interact with. I think that although it is difficult if I were to be in a situation where someone I know
with such personality, more than tempting to label that person as a psychopath, it would be
intimidating to know or suppose with great certainty that you know a psychopath. Certainly, there
are many psychopaths out there and/or people that would score higher on the PCL–R. Whether it's
in the workplace, the abusive, controlling, threatening, deceitful, and aggressive behavior of
psychopaths are harmful to the family and in a professional relationship. So, this brings me to the
last question whether a psychopath must be kept in prison. I believe that if some individual is
arrested,

Psychopathy Or Antisocial Personality Disorder
Running head: PSYCHOPATHY OR ANTISOCIAL PERSONALITY DISORDER 1.
Psychopathy or Antisocial Personality Disorder
Valeria Frierson
Walden University
Dr. Hampe
PSYCHOPATHY OR ANTISOCIAL PERSONALITY DISORDER 2.
Abstract
This paper will focus on the relevance of assessing psychopathy or antisocial personality disorder.
The importance of the assessment and the adjudication process will also be discussed.
Key words: psychopathy, antisocial personality disorder, violence recidivism.
PSYCHOPATHY OR ANTISOCIAL PERSONALITY DISORDER 3.
According to Pinel (1801) psychopathy is defined as persons with complete cognitive capacity but
these persons experienced spontaneous and antisocial behavior. These persons suffered from mania
without insanity. Pinel (1801) in his description was distinguishing those persons whose unlawful
acts and depraved acts were due to mental deficiencies or psychopathology as opposed to those with
no indication of any mental defects. Psychopathy has a strong connection to violent behavior and
recidivism. Research indicates that persons with high levels of psychopathy are more likely to
continue instrumental violent behavior when compared to those person's with lower levels of
psychopathy Jackson, R. (2008). Mannerisms connected to this behavior are grandiosity and
arrogance which are frequently found in psychopaths . According to a study completed by
Williamson, Hare and Wong (1987), criminals with high PCL–R scores

Psychopathy And The Physiological Etiology Of Psychopathy
Psychopathy is a topic that receives more than its fair share of attention in the media. The very
concept of psychopathy simultaneously fascinates and terrifies people as they attempt to understand
the motivation of people who they deem to be very different than themselves. However, people
rarely stop to consider the physiological differences in individuals with psychopathy, focusing
instead on outward displays of sensational aggression. In order to assess the physiological
components of psychopathy, it is necessary to consider theories on the physiological etiology of
psychopathy, the ways in which the prefrontal cortex and amygdala work together to enhance
psychopathic symptomology, and the ways in which lesions on the prefrontal cortex ... Show more
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Much like the University of Pennsylvania study, results indicated that reduced functioning in parts
of the brain involved in moral decision making and the expression of emotion may help to explain
psychopathy (Glenn et al, 2009; Marsh et al., 2011). Another theory of the physiological etiology of
psychopathy focuses on the role of serotonergic functionality. As serotonin functions to maintain
mood balance, deficits in the functionality of serotonin have the potential to be hugely detrimental.
A study published in Motivation and Emotion analyzed the role of serotonin in high levels of
aggression, a key component of the expression of psychopathy. Researchers also proposed a
connection between high levels of testosterone and low levels serotonin working together to
increase both aggression and impulsivity (Montoya et al., 2012). These findings complement those
in a study conducted by researchers at Radboud University, which consisted of a between groups
comparison between psychopathy and sociopathy in terms of dysfunction in emotional processing,
HPA–axis functioning, and serotonergic profiles, as well as polymorphisms in serotonergic genes
and behavioral endophenotypes (Yildirim & Derksen, 2013). Yildirim and Derksen found that issues

Psychopathy And Sociopathy : A Personality Disorder
In order to protect oneself from a sociopath, one must understand the inner clockwork of one, in
order to both diagnose others, or even self diagnose. Because of the danger of a sociopath and there
chamelion like talent to blend in with the general community, they are very hard to identify, but
knowing how to is crucial to keep oneself safe. Psychopathy and Sociopathy have become
interchangeable, even though the diction of each can greatly affect a sense of concern to a person.
The word psychopath is normally pared with the word killer, making it seem more serious than
sociopath.The definition of sociopath is "a person with a personality disorder manifesting itself in
extreme antisocial attitudes and behavior and a lack of conscience.' where the definition of a
psychopath is a person with a psychopathic personality, which manifests as a moral and antisocial
behavior, lack of ability to love or establish meaningful personal relationships, extreme
egocentricity, failure to learn from experience, etc." These kinds of people are normally viewed as
extremely violent and are mostly in prison, but "Roughly one in 25 Americans is a sociopath,"
according to Harvard psychologist Dr. Martha Stout, author of The Sociopath Next Door. The
thought that someone you see every single day, could be a sociopath is staggering, and once learning
more about it, and why it is caused, you can them know how to react in an appropriate manner.
When thinking of someone you think may be a sociopath,

Psychopathy Etiology
Can the Etiology of Psychopathy Lead to Earlier Detection and Reduced Crime Rates? The field of
forensic psychology is ever–changing as is the world around us. There is a persistent need to
evaluate rules and procedures to keep up with the societal needs. A major area that is evolving
within forensic psychology is the health care field and the usable technology. This new and
advancing technology is allowing for the diagnosis of some very specific mental disorders,
including the intriguing diagnosis of psychopathy. Until recently, very little research has provided
conclusive evidence in makes a psychopath, a psychopath. Questions have been surfaced regarding
the possibility of detecting psychopaths and preventing their trail of destruction ... Show more
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The amygdala of psychopaths have has been found to be hypoactive during fear conditioning
(Birbaumer et al., 2005), moral decision–making (Glenn, Raine, & Schug, 2009), and social
cooperation (Rilling et al., 2007). As expected, studies have also found the amygdala to be
hypoactive in response to fearful faces or other affect–related activity (e.g. Carré et al., 2013; Kiehl
et al., 2001). Nevertheless, Müller et al. (2003) found that psychopaths had increased activation in
the amygdala (in addition to increased prefrontal activation) when viewing negative content (e.g.
pictures of threatening animals, wounded people) which they interpreted as reflecting abnormal
prefrontal – amygdala communication." (Umbach et al., 2015,

The Association Between Primary And Secondary Psychopathy...
This study used a correlation design to investigate the association between primary and secondary
psychopathy and cognitive empathy. 452 first year psychology students completed Levenson, Kiehl
and Fitzpatrick's (1995) Levenson self–report Psychopathy scale (LSRP) and Baron–Cohen,
Wheelwright, Hill, Raste and Plumb's (2001) Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test (RMET). A
significant negative correlation was found between primary psychopathy and empathy while the
correlation for secondary psychopathy and empathy was insignificant. From this it can be concluded
that primary psychopaths are worse at empathising than secondary psychopaths.
Association between Primary and Secondary Psychopathy and Cognitive Empathy
Psychopathy is a disorder which can be split into two subtypes, primary and secondary. Primary
psychopathy is typified by callous, manipulative, selfish and untruthful behaviour (Karpman, 1948,
as cited in Levenson, Kiehl & Fitzpatrick, 1995). Secondary psychopathy is associated with anxiety,
introversion, low self–esteem and moodiness (Blackburn & Fawcett, 1999 as cited by Ali &
Chamorro–Premuzic, 2010). Cognitive empathy is described as the being able to understand and
infer emotions of others (Joliffee & Farrington, 2004 as cited by Ali & Chamorro–Premuzic).
Understanding the association between Psychopathy and Empathy is an area of interest as it
provides insight on how to effectively rehabilitate psychopaths; if they are showing the

Characteristics Of Psychopathy And Antisocial Disorder
Characteristics of Psychopathy vs Antisocial Disorder
Dennis Metz
University of South Florida
Characteristics of Psychopathy vs Antisocial Disorder
Psychopathy is defined as a disorder of personality and antisocial disorder is primarily behaviorally
based. Interestingly these disorders are considered co–morbid, because they can be present
simultaneously within in patient but are not the same (Werner, Few, & Bucholz, 2015). This paper
will discuss the literature for psychopathy and antisocial disorder, any relevant theories, and areas in
need of further research.
Psychopathy is defined as the suffering of the mind (Juni, 2014). Psychopathy diagnoses of people
who do not understand why their actions are unacceptable do not ... Show more content on
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One individual with psychopathic personality disorder is not necessarily antisocial, and an
individual with antisocial disorder does not always meet the diagnostic criteria of psychopathy (Juni,
2014). It is estimated the general population suffering from antisocial disorder range between 1%–
4% and .2%–3.3% for people who had a situation within the past twelve months (Werner, Few, &
Bucholz, 2015). These results are based on patients who are participants of communities, or clinical
populations and are supplemented from criminal populations when necessary. The patients were all
diagnosed before the age of fifteen. Gender also plays a role because men are three to five times
more likely to be diagnosed with either antisocial disorder or psychopathy disorder including 6% of
men, and 2% of women (Werner, Few, & Bucholz, 2015). Even forensic data shows a higher
prevalence between male psychopathy and antisocial disorders than their female counterparts.
The Psychodynamic Diagnostic Manual (PDM) stresses the underlying psychodynamic aspects
which does not focus on the antisocial behavior as much as a preoccupation with interpersonal
power (Juni, 2014). This statement makes clear distinction between psychopathy and antisocial
disorder because psychopaths are more concerned with power than antisocial behaviors around
others.
The criteria related to antisocial behavior patterns include low social intelligence and power impulse
control (Juni, 2014).

Psychopathy: Personality Disorder
Psychopathy is a personality disorder define by a distinctive cluster of traits and deviant behaviors.
These personality traits become diagnosed once they are starting to show inflexibility, maladaptive,
and persistence. They also cause significant impairment and subjective distress. Psychopaths show a
high amount of antisocial behavior and abusiveness to people such as others, family, and themselves
which causes them to commit crimes. Though lacking empathy and show of superficial feelings,
they often tend to be anybody. Ted B. most famous quote was "We serial killers are your sons, we
are your husbands, we are everywhere." Mr.Helfgott defines the personality disorder as a
characterization to describe those individuals who were not able

Psychopathy In One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest
Within the streamlined boundaries of today's society, many find amenity in discussing their unrest
with those who can lessen it or resolve it completely. Similarly, when the burden is too great, those
with apprehensions about their mental state are welcomed into psychiatric facilities designed to
rehabilitate their patients to their full potential. Psychopathy is defined by a select grouping of
symptoms while the classification of psychopaths has changed substantially over the last 60 years,
largely by Dr. Robert Hare. Randle McMurphy, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest's protagonist
displays a combination of psychopathic tendencies and inclinations of those not needing psychiatric
care. Within the 1960s definition of a psychopathic individual ... Show more content on
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He is fully empathetic to Ellis when he notices "a full–grown man sloshin' around in his own water"
(Kesey 21) and invites him to clean himself up. Equally, when Randle sees a nurse is "looking so
scared and big eyed at him" he "sticks his head in the station door ... and gives her a friendly grin to
get acquainted on" (Kesey 73). He clearly detects fear in the nurse's face and tries to make himself
look less menacing, something many psychopaths cannot do due to the underdeveloped connections
in the brain's emotional systems (Hirstein). Considering this, Randle also "saw how uneasy we were
and tried to work us into a better mood" (Kesey 201) when he came to the realization that his
interaction with the gas station attendants he had lied to about being serial killers from an institution
made the rest of his companions uncomfortable. Notably, twice within the novel McMurphy
apologizes after feeling remorse for what he's said or done to others – for having an outburst and
yelling at Harding, now concerned he's upset him and having Chief involved in the shower fight that
eventually got them both committed to the disturbed ward. The protagonist finds himself in
situations where he generally cares for others as well, such as when he gave Bromden gum after the
night aid had stolen his pieces and he couldn't afford any more or when he, in a likewise manner,
told Chief "not to hurry, he had till six–thirty in the morning to listen" (Kesey 186) if he wanted to
practice speaking again after spending his years as a selective mute. His interest in the narrator and
his well being is largely empathetic and is an example of how he regards Chief highly. Finally,
Randle displays outbursts of emotion that are very unlikely of a psychopath such as "a cornered–
animal fear and hate and surrender" (Kesey 275) in the time before he

Psychopathy Research
According to Harris et al, psychopathy is best described as "a lifelong persistent condition
characterized, in males at least, by aggression beginning in early childhood, impulsivity, resistance
to punishment, general lack of emotional attachment or concern for others, dishonesty and
selfishness in social interactions" (Walker).
Accounting for a small portion of the population, psychopaths have distinguished characteristics.
They can be charming and likeable, yet at the same time be egotistical, short–tempered and
impulsive. The most significant trait that exists in psychopaths is their lack of guilt, empathy, or
emotion in general. For instance, after committing crimes, they will remain indifferent and lack
remorse (Hare; Bower). The cause ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
According to Wiebe, "Psychopathy does seem to be heritable, and appears to have its basis at least
in part in "biological" factors linked to basic emotional systems, so that the mature psychopath never
develops a complete set of pro–social emotions like empathy, guilt, and the ability to truly care
about and for others" (Hunter). Scientists regard psychopathy with a genetic disorder that affects the
brain, or more specifically the amygdala. The amygdala is a structure in the brain that senses and
danger (Bower). Scientists have determined that there is no such thing as a specific "crime gene",
however, they have been able to discover a genes that has a correlation with violence and antisocial
behavior that most psychopaths have in common. This gene is known as MAO–A (Walker). MOA–
A has been associated with amygdala response and increased amygdala responses can make a person
more hostile

Psychopathy And Social Learning Theory And The Copycat Effect
The two topics I found interesting are both found in Chapters 4 of Adler, Mueller, and Laufer. The
topics that will be discussed in this essay are "psychopathy" and "social learning theory and the
copycat effect". These two topics have me intrigued to learn more about. In Adler, Mueller, and
Laufer it left me questioning why these people commit such crimes and what motives or patterns
might be linked to copy others. I also found interesting how "psychopathy is viewed as a serious
illness even though patients may not appear to be ill" (Adler, Mueller, and Laufer 2013 pg. 103). I
want to do my search on these topics to learn a little more about them.
First Interesting Topic (Psychopathy):
Peer–Reviewed Article Sources
In Chapter 4, we talked about mental disorders and how it was difficult for psychiatrists to figure out
criteria that would help them decide which offenders are mentally ill, which is also known as
psychopathy (Adler, Mueller, and Laufer 2013, pg. 103). Hare & McPherson (1984) states that
"crimes and behavior of psychopaths are more violent and aggressive than are those of other
criminal". We learned that it is difficult to get reasons that would help determine which offenders are
mentally ill. Adler, Mueller, Laufer (2013) stated that, "Some psychologists consider psychopathy to
be an artificial label for an antisocial personality" (pg. 104). As we learned many criminals are
labeled and it seems interesting to see that psychopaths are very hard to label. In

Analysis Of Antipersonality Disorder And Psychopathy
ANALYSIS OF ANTIPERSONALITY DISORDER AND PSYCHOPATHY
Psychopathy is a common term used to "describe a grouping of personality traits that include such
things as impulsive behavior, lack of regard for others, lack of a normal range of emotional
responsiveness and frequent deception or manipulation of others" (Elements Behavioral Health).
Antisocial Personality Disorder and psychopathy are used interchangeably to describe the
psychological and personality disorder that causes one to disregard human life. While the American
Psychiatric Association uses the terms interchangeably, many believe these two disorders to be
similar, yet separate disorders. Many people do agree however that most psychopaths are afflicted
with antisocial personality disorder. One major concept to know is that most psychopaths are
antisocial personalities, but not all antisocial personalities are psychopaths (much like how a square
is a rectangle but a rectangle is not square). For the sake of avoiding confusion, the following
research will focus on the aspect that most psychopaths are antisocial personalities in order to
examine characters from the blockbuster hit, Silence of the Lambs.
DEMOGRAPHIC OF ANTIPERSONALITY DISORDER/PSYCHOPATHY Psychopathy occurs in
one percent of the population, while persons with exclusively antisocial personality disorder make
up only four percent of the population (O'Connor). Antisocial personality disorder occurs in males
more frequently than females and a "large

Chikatilo's Psychopathy
Psychopathy
Along with his sexual sadism and BPD, Chikatilo was very likely a psychopath. Just like Chikatilo,
81% of psychopathic rapists are opportunistic (as cited in Pozzulo et al, 2015, p. 312). Chikatilo
waited around bus stops and train stations looking for people who were easy targets. A place where
people were traveling so it may take longer for others to notice these individuals missing. These
hunting grounds were full of opportunity to watch prey unnoticed and find ideal targets. When he
found an ideal target he would manipulate them, with offerings such as candy, money or comfort to
entice them into walking with him (Hickey, 2003, p. 71). Manipulation such as this is a behavioural
characteristic of many psychopaths (Pozzulo et al, ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
307). Chikatilo certainly played his part in racking up the number of crimes attributed to people with
psychopathy. Convicted of 52 murders, admitting to 53 murders, and with the possibility of having
committed many more, Chikatilo was no doubt an individual who had more crimes than one would
think possible for just one individual. One of the reasons that Chikatilo was able to accumulate such
a high and disturbing number is because he had no regard for the possibility or capture or
punishment. If psychopaths are engaged behaviour that they find rewarding, they will dismiss any
information that might put a stop to their behaviour (p. 319). This is known as response modulation
deficit theory (p.

Social Learning And Environmental Determinants Of Psychopathy
Social Learning and Environmental Determinants of Psychopathy
Psychopathy is a disorder caused by biological, environmental, and psychological factors that result
in both interpersonal/affective deficits and social deviance/antisocial behaviors. It can be broken
down into primary psychopathy and secondary psychopathy. Primary psychopathy mainly
encompasses the interpersonal/affective components of psychopathy, such as superficial charm, lack
of empathy, remorse or guilt, and manipulative tactics. These aspects of psychopathy are typically
life–long and caused by biological deficits. Secondary psychopathy involves the social
deviance/antisocial behaviors components of psychopathy, such as impulsive behavior, aggression,
lack of responsibility, and need for excitement. These aspects are typically more attributable to the
environmental determinants of psychopathy. Psychopathy, unlike Antisocial Personality Disorder,
includes both conduct and personality components.
There are several different determinants that can impact psychopathy, including childhood abuse or
trauma, parental bonding and attachment styles, and community or peer influences. These
environmental determinants interact with biological determinants in a process known as biological
embedding. All of these factors play a role in epigenetics, which is the altering of a gene's function
without altering the gene's structure or sequence. Understanding the contributing factors of
psychopathy is both relevant and

Primary And Secondary Psychopathy And Cognitive Empathy
Psyc 121: Introduction to Psychology 1
Is Primary and Secondary Psychopathy Strongly Related to Cognitive Empathy?
Name: Savannah Davies
ID: 300334814
Tutor: Ruth Glynn
Lab Time: Friday 9–10:50am, EA 404B
Abstract
This study investigated the possible relationships between primary and secondary psychopathy and
cognitive empathy.
Is Primary and Secondary Psychopathy Strongly Related to Cognitive Empathy?
Described as a social disorder, psychopathy is a field that has been extensively researched and we
have discovered that it consists of two distinctive subtypes; primary and secondary. There are some
similarities between these two subtypes however a distinction can be made through a subject's
characteristics and traits. Both primary psychopathy (PP) and secondary psychopathy (SP) are
associated with impulsivity, aggression, social isolation due to a lack of convergence with the social
'norm', superficial charm and poor behavioural control but primary psychopaths are more often
characterised as callous, manipulative, extremely selfish with a diminished capacity for remorse and
routinely untruthful, where secondary psychopaths are more introverted, socially anxious with low
self–esteem (Blackburn & Fawcett, 1999). Empathy is essentially the capacity or ability to
understand and share another person's mental experience. Cognitive empathy, is often referred to as
Theory of Mind (ToM) and is conceptualised as the ability to understand and infer the emotions and

Summary: Diminished Culpability For Psychopathy
Trent Fujii
April 27, 2015
Mental Health Law
Professor Preis
Diminished Culpability for Psychopathy: The Misunderstood Mental Illness
The media's focus on the highly publicized trials of notorious mass murders, such as Ted Bundy,
Jeffrey Dahmer, and Ted Kaczynski has spurred society's fascination with psychopaths. Hollywood's
consistent production of films portraying psychopaths, like Silence of the Lambs and American
Psycho, is illustrative of the public's removed curiosity with the mad. Psychopathy, a misunderstood
behavioral disorder, traverses the fine line between the mentally ill and the evil. Unfortunately, the
perceptions established through popular media prejudice our overall ideologies on the mentally ill,
specifically those suffering ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
In fact, the Diagnostic Statistical Manual (DSM–V), the central diagnostic tool utilized by
psychologists, does not recognize psychopathy as a legitimate mental illness. Rather than receiving
a formal diagnosis of psychopathy, an individual exhibiting psychopathic tendencies would instead
receive a diagnosis of antisocial personality disorder (APD). Since the DSM–V is not an option for
assessing psychopathy, clinicians must alternatively rely on the Hare Psychopathy Checklist–
Revised (PCL–R). During sentencing, the PCL–R can be introduced as an aggravating factor in
arguing for more severe punishment because the presence of psychopathy is strongly correlated with
high recidivism rates, yet the belief that psychopaths are inherently more dangerous is empirically
unfounded. Based on the research by John Edens and his colleagues at the Southern Methodist
University, they concluded the use of the PCL–R is more prejudicial than probative in capital
punishment cases. In their study, sixty percent of jurors supported a death sentence when expert
testimony using the PCL–R described the defendant as psychopathic as opposed to only thirty–eight
percent when the defendant was described as psychotic or thirty percent when not mentally
disordered. The problem with using the PCL–R in

Psychopathy and Antisocial Personality Disorder Essay
Introduction The purpose of this study is to compare and contrast the constructs of psychopathy and
antisocial personality disorder. The aim is to highlight whether the terms psychopathy and antisocial
personality disorder reflect the same construct or whether they differ. Furthermore,
recommendations for treatment of criminal behavior will be explored. For the purposes of this
evaluation some definitions need to be highlighted: Criminal offence is an act that breaks a law,
which relates how to behave in society. The harm caused by the act is seen to be against society as a
whole, not just a specific person. Sometimes it refers to the specific law that was broken (Herring,
2009). Crime is the breach of rules or law for which some authority ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
Furthermore, psychopathy was considered during the twentieth century, the most widely used term
to describe antisocial behavior (Reed, 1996). In the 1980s, the committee who devised the
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for the American Psychiatric Association recommended the term
antisocial personality syndrome to be changed to antisocial personality disorder (Ellis & Walsh,
2000). Antisocial Personality Disorder Hare & McPherson (1984), were successful in pushing the
idea that there is a significant correspondence between violent and persistent delinquent and
criminal histories and antisocial personality disorder diagnosis. Acute persistent child conduct
disorder behavior symptoms, also known as conduct disorder, have been directly linked to serious
criminality and antisocial personality disorder (Ellis & Walsh, 2000). Although criminality and
antisocial personality disorder ought not be equated, they should be seen as closely linked
behavioral phenomena (Ellis & Walsh, 2000). Vitella (1996) believes that individuals with
childhood conduct disorder have a higher than normal probability of being both criminal and
diagnosed antisocial personality disorder in adolescence and adulthood, and persons with serious
criminal records have a higher probability of being diagnosed psychopathic than those with little or
no criminal history. Nevertheless, Ellis & Walsh (2000) in caution pointed out that these

Essay Psychopathy: Personality Disorder
Psychopathy
"Psychopathy is a personality disorder characterized by an inability to form human attachment,
aggressive narcissism, and antisocial behavior defined by a constellation of affective, interpersonal
and behavioral characteristics, most of which society views as pejorative" [1]. Some of these
characteristics include irresponsibility, grandiosity, cunning, deceitfulness, selective impulsivity,
sexual promiscuity, lack of empathy, etc. People who are psychopathic display not only antisocial
behavior but also emotional impairment such as the lack of guilt. They are able to prey on others
using their charm, deceit, violence or any other methods that allow them to get what they want. A
strong feature of most of the behavior ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Due to its primary role in processing memory and emotional reactions, over the last decade and a
half psychologists have been linking the amygdala to psychopathy. It is involved in aversive
conditioning and instrumental learning and is thus involved in all the processes that, when impaired,
produce the same functional impairments displayed by psychopaths. Two famous studies conducted
by Tiihonen and Kiehl respectively have confirmed this. Tiihonen used a volumetric MRI to test and
confirm the positive correlation between low amygdaloid volume and a high degree of psychopathy
in violent criminals (measured by the Hare checklist–revised) while Kiehl used a functional MRI to
prove reduced amygdala response during an emotional memory task in individuals who scored high
on the Hare checklist–revised. However, both these studies along with numerous others were
conducted using violent offenders as subjects rather than individuals with psychopathy. Although
many psychopaths do exhibit violent tendencies, not all violent offenders are necessarily
psychopaths. A study conducted by Raine is one of the few that did focus only on individuals
exhibiting psychopathy. In his study Raine was able to show reduced prefrontal grey matter in his
test subjects. Unfortunately though, he was unable to differentiate between grey matter in different
regions of the prefrontal cortex. It is however clear that there is one region of the frontal cortex that
could be

The Early Signs Of Psychopathy
Running head: A CHILD PSYCHOPATH
A Child Psychopath
Alexandra Elizabeth Dolan
Peru State College and York High School
Abstract This paper explores research conducted within the Psychology classroom.
A Child Psychopath 1. What Are the Early Signs of Psychopathy?
2. What Motives in Early Childhood Can Cause Children to Commit Malicious Crimes?
3. Can Children Grow Out of Psychopathic Tendencies?
What Are the Early Signs of Psychopathy?
Although it is difficult to imagine a child being psychopathic, it is crucial that we are able to
recognize psychopathic behaviors in children. Mental health professionals say they could easily
detect early psychopathic tendencies in childhood, but do not want to actually label the child a
psychopath yet (Stenson, 2009). According to Duncan, it is difficult to imagine a child doing such
things because everyone automatically expects them to fit into the Innocent/ The Child archetype
(Schill, 2012).
It is basic knowledge that children tend to act out all the time, but when is the behavior of children
passed the line of normalcy and crossed the line into psychopathy? It is normal for a child to be
occasionally aggressive, but a child being constantly aggressive could possibly be a sign of
psychopathy (Stenson, 2009) According to Keysers, The feeling of empathy is what makes the

Psychopathy And Psychopathy
Psychopathy is a term to describe a personality disorder, from a non–specified cluster, obtained by
individuals who posses certain characteristics that are defined as chronically amoral and antisocial
behavior with lack of emotion or feelings of remorse. While not all criminals are "psychopaths" and
not all people diagnosed with psychopathy, this paper will be primarily focused on those who posses
psychopathy and have committed criminal acts of great proportion. Some crimes that involve
offenders who posses psychopathy are serial killings and mass murders such as school shootings,
mass shootings, and mass suicides such as those committed by cults.
Psychology of Psychopathy The term "psychopath" brings forth images, of a cold and heartless,
"crazy person", into people's minds when they hear the term. However people classified as
psychopaths posses distinguishing characteristics that set them aside from those who are "mentally
healthy". A very minimal percentage of people are diagnosed with psychopathy. According to the
article, "Psychopathy and Culpability", less than fifteen percent of incarcerated criminals meet the
criteria for psychopathy (Fox, 3). However, the few individuals who are diagnosed with
psychopathy whether they are criminals or not, meet the criteria of a checklist known as the PCL
(Psychopathy Checklist). The PCL has since been updated to a second edition know as the PCL–R
(Fox, 4). The PCL–R is a test, which uses a checklist of characteristics that uses

The Relationship Between Primary And Secondary Psychopathy...
PSYC 121: Introduction to Psychology 1
The Relationship Between Primary & Secondary
Psychopathy and Cognitive Empathy
Rinette van Kradenburg
300334373
Tutor's Name: Johanna Herrmann
Wednesday, 1:10 – 3:00pm, EA404B
Abstract
When asked what to define a Psychopath people will often respond with descriptions such as
"remorseless"or "lacking in empathy". However due to the results of studies from the past 20 years
there may now be reason to believe that this is not always true. This study investigates the
relationship between Primary and Secondary Psychopathy and Cognitive Empathy.
The Levenson Self Report Psychopathy Scale and the "Reading the Mind in the Eyes" Test were
used to work out the Primary & Secondary Psychopathy and Cognitive Empathy scores of 452
students studying Psychology at Victoria University of Wellington. Scores were put into a
correlational design and it was found that Primary Psychopathy and Cognitive Empathy have a
significantly negative correlation. This meant that there was a relationship between Primary
Psychopathy and Cognitive Empathy.
The Relationship Between Primary & Secondary
Psychopathy and Cognitive Empathy Alot of research has been done to understand the relationship
between Primary(PP) & Secondary Psychopathy(SP) and Cognitive Empathy(ToM). Psychopathy
has been divided into two subgroups: PP and SP. This distinction was made by Karpman(1948, cited
in Levenson, Kiehl and Fitzpatrick, 1995) . PP's are

Psychopathy Research Paper
The jurisdiction of psychopathy is a terrifying disorder. Sufferers often develop antisocial behavior,
marked by maladaptive personality traits. For centuries, many causes behind this disorder have been
speculated, but the etiology remains inconclusive. There are three mainstream etiologies presented
today, however they consist of biological, environmental, and social factors which may be equal in
support. If the rise of psychopathy develops from biosocial conditions, is there an effective
treatment and therefore cure for an adult psychopath? There is vast and varied literature which
attempts to explain every detail about this confounding disorder.
Today there are two concepts associated with psychopathy: sociopathy and antisocial personality

Psychopathy and Crime Essay
Psychopathy is a disease of the mind, in which the psychological state of someone has emotional or
behavioral problems serious enough to require psychiatric evaluation. Psychopaths have no concern
for the feelings of others and a complete disregard of any sense of social obligation. Psychopaths are
characterized by lack of empathy, poor impulse control and manipulative behaviors. They use
charm, manipulation, intimidation, and the use of severe to mild violence to satisfy their own needs.
Psychopathy is derived from two Greek words: psych, meaning soul, and pathos, meaning suffering.
They were once used to explain any form of mental illness. Psychopathy was recognized in the early
1800's at which time Pinel explained the condition ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Psychopaths can seem just like you or me, but when you are not around them this is when their
mental disorder kicks in. Psychopaths that have been put in jail committed three times as many
crimes per year then non–psychopaths. 97% of convicted psychopathic criminals cause at least one
violent crime compared to 74% of non–psychopaths. Psychopaths are shown to be more violence
throughout their entire life compared to a regular people. Psychopaths tend to have a greater chance
of failing on parole and mandatory supervision and have a faster rate of failing then non–
psychopaths. Psychopathy predicts recidivism on conditional release as well as or better than do
actuarial risk instruments. Psychopaths recidivate at a rate of three to four times higher than that of
non–psychopaths.
Doctors use a simple test to predict psychopathy called a Psychopathy Checklist–Revised or known
as the PCL–R test. This is a checklist that has twenty items on it that included: glibness or
superficial charm, grandiose sense of self–worth, need for stimulation/proneness to boredom,
pathological lying, conning or manipulative, lack of remorse or guilt, shallow affect, callous and
lack of empathy, parasitic lifestyle, poor behavioral controls, promiscuous sexual behavior, early
behavioral problems, lack of realistic, long–term goals, impulsivity, irresponsibility, failure to accept

Relationship Between Secondary And Secondary Psychopathy
Psyc121: Introduction to Psychology
Is the Relationship Between Primary and Secondary Psychopathy Related to Cognitive Empathy
Rebecca Donald
300339504
Tutors name: Tim Granley
Wednesday 11–12.50, EA404B
Is the Relationship Between Primary and Secondary Psychopathy Related to Cognitive Empathy
Throughout our study we investigated the relationship between secondary and primary psychopathy
and cognitive empathy. Psychopathy is a mental disorder which can cause an individual to have
behavior seen not normal to society. It causes the individual to be antisocial towards others, and they
can become egocentric (Richell, Mitchell, Newman, Leonard, Baron–Cohen, & Blair, 2003).
Primary psychopathy and secondary psychopathy both show the traits of being impulsive, angry and
very antagonistic however secondary psychopathy also shows the individual to have social anxiety,
doubt themselves and to have swings in their emotions often which is unseen in primary
psychopaths (Ali & Chamorro–Premuzic, 2010). Cognitive empathy is someone's ability to be able
to relate to another individuals emotions and their mental state (Ali & Chamorro–Premuzic, 2010).
Cognitive empathy and psychopathy are related as someone who is a psychopath has few emotions
and therefore will not show empathy, we are investigating to what extent psychopaths show a lack
of cognitive empathy. We are conducting this experiment to see if our results are similar or different
to previous studies. Previous

Antisocial Personality Disorder And Psychopathy
What is Antisocial Personality Disorder?
Antisocial Personality Disorder is a disorder that is characterized by a long–standing pattern of
disregard for other people's rights, often crossing the line and violating those rights. A person with
Antisocial Personality Disorder often feels little or no empathy toward other people, and doesn't see
the problem in bending or breaking the law for their own needs or wants. The disorder usually
begins in childhood or as a teen and continues into adulthood. Individuals with Antisocial
Personality Disorder frequently lack empathy and tend to be heartless, distrustful, and
condescending of the feelings, rights, and sufferings of others. They are also known to be egotistical.
(Bressert, Retrieved on ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Deceitfulness, as indicated by repeated lying, use of aliases, or conning others for personal profit or
pleasure. Impulsivity or failure to plan ahead. Irritability and aggressiveness, as indicated by
repeated physical fights or assaults. Reckless disregard for safety of self or others. Consistent
irresponsibility, as indicated by repeated failure to sustain consistent work behavior or honor
financial obligations. Lack of remorse, as indicated by being indifferent to or rationalizing having
hurt, mistreated, or stolen from another. There should also be signs of a conduct disorder in the
individual as a child, whether or not it was ever diagnosed by a professional. Only adults 18 years or
older can be diagnosed with this disorder. (Bressert, Retrieved on February 24, 2016, from) .
Another diagnostic tool is The Hare Psychopathy Checklist. Originally designed to evaluate people
accused or convicted of crimes, the check list consists of a 20 symptoms. When the checklist is
executed, the total score shows how closely the individual matches the score of a typical
psychopath. Each of the twenty items is given a score of 0, 1, or 2. A typical psychopath

Criminal Psychopathy Essay
There has been a myriad of research into psychopathy as it relates to the ordinary, violent criminal,
yet little research exists into psychopathy of the non–violent, corporate criminal. We will examine
whether there are truly differences in the psychopathy of these offenders in comparison to the
average street level criminal, or whether the distinctions purely driven by our own need to justify the
actions of well–educated, seemingly respectable members of society. We will examine the nature of
corporate crime, the classification and identification of psychopathy, and how it applies to corporate
criminals, uncovering the differences between their psychopathy and that of the ordinary criminal.
What is corporate crime?
Corporate crime is defined ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Despite these differences, Hare surmises that "there are certainly more people in the business world
who would score high in the psychopathic dimension than in the general population. You'll find
them in any organization where, by the nature of one's position, you have power and control over
other people and the opportunity to get something." (Deutschman, 2005). In fact, it is opportunity
which is seen as one of the three key factors for corporate fraud in what is known as the fraud
triangle, comprising also of pressure and rationalization (Wells, 2011).
Cleckley noted that psychopaths had the ability to blend in, appearing sincere and charming, yet this
was merely a mask as the psychopath is unable to feel genuine empathy and emotion (Cleckley,
1964). It is this ability, along with their higher levels of education that could allow white collar
psychopaths to climb the corporate ladder, becoming successful leaders, and carrying out crimes
over long periods of

Psychopathy: A Personality Disorder
Psychopathy has been identified to be a personality disorder mainly consisting of individuals having
lack of empathy, guilt and manipulation of other people, (Perez,2012). This disorder has been
strongly associated with violent and antisocial behaviour. The main cause of psychopathy has been
seen to biological, this essay will attempt to discuss psychopathy is biological as well as discuss
counter arguments as well.
Biologically the amygdala has been seen to play a vital role as abnormal working of the amygdala
has been related to psychopathy (Birbaumer et al,2005, Raine &Yang 2006) citied Schultz et al,
(2016). Research by (Blair,2003, Blair,2007, Viding,2004 &Kiehl 2006) has suggested that the
amygdala and the orbitofrontal cortex dysfunction

A Correlation Between Primary Psychopathy And Cognitive...
PSYC 121: Introduction to Psychology 1
Is There a Correlation Between Primary Psychopathy, Secondary Psychopathy and Cognitive
Empathy?
Aisha Atherton
300335111
Tutor's Name: Nick Allan
Tuesday, 5.10–7pm, EA404A
Abstract
The point of this investigation was to determine if there is a relationship between the two subtypes
of psychopathy and cognitive empathy. A correlation design was employed, in which Levenson,
Kiehl and Fitzpatrick's (1994) Levenson Self–Report Psychopathy Scale and Baron–Cohel, et al's
(2002) Reading the Mind in the Eyes tests were given to 452 Victoria University Psychology
students. Calculations were made, and resulted in the results to being a significant, negative
correlation between primary psychopathy and cognitive empathy, but no significant correlation
between secondary psychopathy and cognitive empathy. This concludes that not all psychopathy is
correlated with cognitive empathy, but there is a relationship.
Is There a Correlation Between Primary Psychopathy, Secondary Psychopathy and Cognitive
Empathy?
Many studies have been conducted to determine if there is a correlation between Cognitive Empathy
and the two subtypes of Psychopathy (e.g. Ali & Chamorro–Premuzic, 2010; Levenson, Kiehl, &
Fitzpatrick, 1994; Baron–Cohen, et al., 2002). Cognitive empathy is defined as the capability to
understand the emotions of another (Ali & Chamorro–Premuzic, 2010). Psychopathy is defined as
an individual who shows traits of

Psychopathy, Sociopathy And Anti Social Personality Disorder
Are Psychopathy, Sociopathy and Anti–Social Personality Disorder the same?
Psychopathy, sociopathy, and anti–social personality disorder, also known as ASPD, are three very
similar disorders; so much so that it is a common question if they are the same disorder or not. All
three of them are defined as people who have anti–social behaviours. All of these disorders are very
common in people who disregard both the law and social norms, have no shame or guilt, and are
occasionally violent; such as criminals. Psychopathy, sociopathy and ASPD, are essentially the same
disorder, as they all fall under the same category of an anti–social disorder, and are based on
symptoms, definitions, and crime records.
Psychopathy is defined as "a mental disorder in which an individual manifests amoral and antisocial
behaviour, lack of ability to love or establish meaningful personal relationships, extreme
egocentricity and failure to learn from experience" (Dictionary.com). (Expand?) There have been
many tests to find out if treatment can be implemented to help with the violent and criminal
thoughts and feelings. So far, according to Grant T. Harris and Marnie E. Rice in their article entitled
'Treatment of Psychopathy: A Review of Empirical Findings', there is "no evidence that any
treatments yet applied to psychopaths have been shown to be effective in reducing violence or
crime." They go on to explain that some treatments that have proven to be successful for other types
of offenders,

Psychopathy In Shakespeare's Othello
Psychopathy in Othello
People generally imagine psychopaths as insane murders with odd habits. However, psychopaths
can appear as completely normal people; they can act like anyone else, which makes them hard to
identify. One of the ways to identify a psychopath is observing their tendency to manipulate and
deceive other people for their own gain. Psychopaths are also always hungry for power and control,
and will sacrifice others to satisfy that hunger. Lastly, one of the biggest characteristics of a
psychopath is that they cannot empathize with other people. In William Shakespeare's play Othello,
Iago is a psychopath because he demonstrates psychopathic characteristics such as: planned
deception, hunger for power, and lack of empathy. ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Iago demonstrates his love for power when he explains to Roderigo why he hates the Moor. He
believes that Othello has cheated him out of a deserved position. He explains to Roderigo, "Three
great ones of the city,/ In personal suit to make me his lieutenant,/ Off–capped to him; and, by the
faith of man,/ I know my price; I am worth no worse a place" (I, i, 7–10) Iago cannot stand being
deprived of a powerful position. That feeling alone is enough to make him hate Othello, the person
he is supposed to follow. He also develops hate for Cassio just because of his lieutenant rank,
though Cassio did Iago no harm. Iago's extreme and unnatural hatred for Othello and Cassio clearly
shows how much Iago cares about the lieutenant position. Iago, like a psychopath, is obsessed with
power. Interestingly, Iago also desires power and control subconsciously, as revealed in his true
nature, which he shows when he is alone with his wife, Emilia. Emilia has just stolen Desdemona's
handkerchief to give to Iago. She presents him the handkerchief when he is alone. However, Iago
shows extreme disrespect to Emilia, his own wife. He says to her, "You have a thing for me? It is a
common/ thing–/ ... To have a foolish wife." (III, iii, 300–302) Iago is a cruel man who insults even
his own wife by calling her a foolish prostitute. By making his wife seem inferior, Iago makes
himself

Psychopathy Vs Sociopathy
In the United States there are approximately 1,075,000 psychopathic males in prison or on parole
out of 1,150,000 males that meet the criteria for psychopathy (Kiehl and Hoffman). Psychopaths and
sociopaths tend to commit more crimes than mentally sound people because of their lack of empathy
but with the right treatment they can begin to understand right from wrong. Both psychopathy and
sociopathy are defined as antisocial personality disorders that produce a lack of empathy in the
victims (Porter). The topics of psychopathy and sociopathy have numerous causes which negatively
affect the victim, his or her family and the society in which they live; however, treatment for
psychopathy and sociopathy can be a positive force for the future of ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
Psychotherapy has been shown to be the most effective treatment option for psychopathy and
sociopathy. In a study from 2013, psychotherapy was 35% more effective than other known
treatment methods (Salekin et al. 7). This suggests that psychotherapy is the best option for
treatment. Psychotherapy helps to minimize the symptoms of psychopathy and sociopathy. After 2
months of psychotherapy a man started to have less violent outbursts (Porter). This example
suggests that psychotherapy can enable the victim to push back against their symptoms. The victim
will have to continue getting treatment until age 40. The treatment method of psychotherapy is to
talk through situations and feelings with a psychiatrist, this treatment should continue until around
the age of 40 as this is about the age the expression of the illness stops (Salekin et al. 6). The victims
will have to seek help in order to control their symptoms, if they do it will be a long journey for both
the victim and the family. Psychopathy and sociopathy cannot be cured with our current knowledge
of them but those impacted can seek out treatment to lessen the

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