1.

Introduction

- Video

2. Unmasking the Psychopath Front Page

3. Objectives

At the end of the lecture, the class will be able

A. To objectively define Psychopathy in the Psychological Perspective

B. To identify the different traits and characteristics of a Psychopath using the Hare Psychopathy
Checklist- R

C. To empower students so that they may protect themselves from the negative traits of
psychopaths (e.g. manipulation and deceit)

3. Frequently Asked Questions

A. Who is a psychopath?

B. What is Psychopathy in the light of Psychoanalysis? (Causes)

C. Are all psychopaths violent and dangerous?

D. Is it possible to live among them?

E. How rampant is Psychopathy in the Philippines? And Why?

F. How do I protect myself from them?

4. Meet and Greet

A. Ted Bundy

Pros:

 Graduate with Honors of Psychology in University of Washington

 Law Student of Utah’s College of Law
 Worked alongside a police officer in Seattle's Suicide Hotline crisis center
 Intelligent, Charming, Cunning
 Involved in politics
 Received hundreds of love letters, fan mails, and marriage proposals from women
(Biography Editors, 2016)

Cons:

 Indicted for murder, kidnapping, rape

  Serial Killer Pattern: attractive students with long, dark hair and often raped
his victims before beating them to death
 Necrophilia: Have sex with corpse or dead bodies
 Confessed to 36 murders
 But suspected to have killed 100 & more
(Liam, 2015)

History:

Family History – Mentally Unstable Grandmother (Severe Depression)

- Abusive Grandfather
- Intensely secretive mother
- Grew up believing that her mother is her sister

At a young age

- Interests in knives and animal cruelty

- Voyeurism and has obsession with masturbating

(Crime Feed Staff, 2015)

B. Beth Thomas

Upon adoption (1 year and 7 months)…

- Seemed to be timid, intelligent, and sweet children as described by their foster parents
Upon growing up…
- started hurting animals; specifically, squeezing birds to death
- Stabbing dogs with needles
- Hurting/beating/abusing her brother Jonathan to the point of hospitalization
- Has plans of killing brother and parents without remorse
- Started “touching” herself at a young age and fondling his grandfather
- Tearing her room apart
- Cuts her classmate with shards of glass
- Vocal in saying her intentions of killing her family
- Diagnosed with RED (ReactiveAttachment Disorder)
(HBO, 1989),
History
- Mother died when she was 1 year old
- Left in the care of their sadistic father
- Sexually abused Beth at a very young age
- Was then rescued by Child Services
- This was further reinforced when Beth started having nightmares of a man “doing
awful things on top of her”
- During her therapy, her drawings also showed
 - “man who was falling on her and hurting her with a part of himself.”
(Children of Rage – Beth Thomas and Mary Flora Bell, 2010)

5. Definition of Terms & Etiology

Personality – personalis, personare meaning “mask” (College Notes)

Psychopastiche (German) which means “the suffering soul” (Huges, 2007)
Psychopathy - a diagnosis (DSM V) assigned to individuals who
habitually violate the rights of others without the feelings of guilt,
conscisnce, or remorse (American Psychiatric Association, 2013).

Master of Masking
– most important characteristic of a psychopath
- Easily blend in with the rest of the society Hare (2015)

6. Statistics
Only compromise 1 percent of the general population

25 percent of the prison population (Choi, 2009).

More prevalent in males (31.0%) than their female (11.0%) counterparts.

(Philipps, 2012).

97% of psychopaths versus 74% of non-psychopaths are receiving at

least one conviction for violent crime (Hare, 1981)

(Choi, 2009) (Choi, 2009) (Hare, 1981)

7. Psychoanalysis (Theoretical Framework)

In 1928, Sigmund Freud wrote that there are two traits that are
crucial to the expression of a psychopath; boundless egoism and a
strong destructive urge.

And a common denominator to both traits is the absence of love

and lack of emotional appreciation (Freud, 1928, p.178)

“House of a Psychopath”

Foundations/Built On: lack of attachment, underarousal, and

minimal anxiety. (Meloy, 2007)

A. Theory of Attachment

- Biological in origin = innate

- Survival of an infant = maintaining closeness to the

mother/caretaker

- Sucking and Crying = mainting the infant’s physiological balance

by obtaining warmth, touch, and food

- Strong affectional in both children and adult

(Robertson and Bowlby, 1952)

- healthy characteristic that can be observed through loving and

dependable parents.
- feelings of security or secured attachment is built on the child
and adult.

(Cassidy and Shaver, 1999)

On the other hand, pathology or the lack of attachment may result to being

- fearful, preoccupied, disorganized, and dismissive (Meloy,

2002)

Thus: Psychopathy can also be characterized by chronic emotional detachment

from others
Dettachment = Maladaptive behaviors such as apathy, self-absorption,
preoccupation with nonhuman objects, and lack of expression in emotion
(Bowlby, 1969)

Related Studies:

Data gathered from Juvenile Thieves by Bowlby (1944)

Asserts that affectionless psychopathy was caused by constant

maternal/caretaker rejection

(Go back to Ted Bundy and Beth)

Data gathered from children in Bellevue hospital by Bender (1947)

Emotional deprivation during infancy is one of the casual factors of

psychopathic behavior disorders in children

Data gathered from a large group of Danish adult males by Brennan, and
Mednick (1997)

Strong correlation between birth complications and maternal rejection during

the first year of life with early onsets of patterns of violent behavior

Data gathered from antisocial children, adolescents, adults Gacono and

Meloy (1994)

Rorschach measure of attachment was less frequent than in normal samples.

Note: Antisocial in layman’s term; loner not sociable; not wanting the company of
others

However, scientific, medical, psychological definition of Antisocial

Behavior : impulsivity, an inability to live by the rules, customs, and laws of
the society, in constant trouble with authorities (DSM-V)

B. Theory of Underarousal

- prevalent autonomic underarousal especially with punishment

- Biological in nature
- Measured by peripheral autonomic hyporeactivity to unfavorable events

- Wave (theta) EEG activity, low resting heart rate, and poor skin conductance.

- Lie detector Test

- skin conductance or galvanic skin response.

(Winnicott, 1965)

Hence, habitual criminals are “chronically cortically underaroused” (Raine, 1993)

- Low levels of cortical arousal (Hormone released when stressed)

- children and adolescents who display “callous- unemotional” traits
- Does not display normal reaction in disgust

(Frick, Cornell, Barry, Bodin and Dane, 2003)

Children exhibiting thrill-seeking and fearlessness, show deficits in responding to

negative stimuli (Frick et al., 2003),

Adjust more easily to distress in others, and demonstrate lower autonomic reactivity to
negative emotional stimuli (Blair, 1999).

- Maybe early signs of psychopathy but correlation still needs to be

proven (Viding, Blair, Moffitt and Plomin, 2004).

C. Theory of Minimal Anxiety

Anxiety the unpleasant feeling that signals the brain and the body that danger

is forthcoming from within or without (Freud, 1926)

Child’s development, anxiety materializes through safety and survival

(Maslow)

Infant sees a stranger’s face for the first time and the child will react with rapt

attention and curiosity, especially while one held in the arms of her parent.

And if the child is handed too quickly to the stranger, the child will

demonstrate signs of stress.

 Has feelings of safety and security as the child feels protected from predators

Anxiety is minimal or absent in psychopathy Lykken (1957).

Strong negative relationship between “callous-unemotional” traits and anxiety

(Frick, Lilienfeld, Ellis, Loney and Silverthorn, 1999)

8. Profile of a Psychopath

The Hare Psychopathy Checklist - psychological assessment tool used to assess

the presence of psychopathy in individuals. Consist of a 20-item inventory of
different perceived personality traits and recorded behaviors

1. GLIB and SUPERFICIAL CHARM —

2. GRANDIOSE SELF-WORTH —

3. NEED FOR STIMULATION or PRONENESS TO BOREDOM

2. PATHOLOGICAL LYING

3. CONNING AND MANIPULATIVENESS

4. LACK OF REMORSE OR GUILT

5. SHALLOW AFFECT

6. CALLOUSNESS and LACK OF EMPATHY

7. PARASITIC LIFESTYLE

8. POOR BEHAVIORAL CONTROLS

9. PROMISCUOUS SEXUAL BEHAVIOR —

10. EARLY BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS —prior to age

11. LACK OF REALISTIC, LONG-TERM GOALS

12. IMPULSIVITY

13. IRRESPONSIBILITY

14. FAILURE TO ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR OWN ACTIONS

15. MANY SHORT-TERM MARITAL RELATIONSHIPS

16. JUVENILE DELINQUENCY

17. REVOCATION OF CONDITION RELEASE

18. CRIMINAL VERSATILITY

 *Scoring for the Robert Hare

9. DSM V

Psychopathy in DSM V (Antisocial Personality Disorder)

Belongs to the category of personality disorders. Specifically it is coined as the

APD (Antisocial Personality Disorder) in a DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual
of Mental Disorders, fifth edition.

Symptoms & Criteria for Antisocial Personality Disorder

According to the DSM-5, there are four diagnostic criterion, of which

Criterion A has seven sub-features.

A. Disregard for and violation of others rights since age 15, as indicated

by one of the seven sub features:

1. Failure to obey laws and norms by engaging in behavior which results in

criminal arrest, or would warrant criminal arrest

2. Lying, deception, and manipulation, for profit tor self-amusement,

 3. Impulsive behavior

4. Irritability and aggression, manifested as frequently assaults others, or

engages in fighting

5. Blatantly disregards safety of self and others,

6. A pattern of irresponsibility and

7. Lack of remorse for actions (American Psychiatric Association, 2013)

Other diagnostic Criterion includes…

B. The person is at least age 18,

C. Conduct disorder was present by history before age 15

D. and the antisocial behavior does not occur in the context of schizophrenia or
bipolar disorder (American Psychiatric Association, 2013)

Onset

Antisocial Personality Disorder cannot be diagnosed earlier than the age of 18.

Hence, the appropriate diagnosis before said age: Conduct Disorder (American

Psychiatric Association, 2013)

Risk Factors

A. Biological/Genetic: First degree biological relative with APD,

and being a male, (American Psychiatric Association, 2013).

 Physiological and anatomical discrepancies: frontal /parietal

areas, as well as the cerebellum,

= Chronic low arousal, high impulsivity, lack of conscience,

callousness, and decision-making problems

(Tang, Jiang, Liao, Wang, & Luo, 2013).

B. Environmental: internalizing messages from antisocial peers,

Abuse, or parents are at work in Antisocial Personality Disorder.

Comorbidity
Antisocial Personality Disorder is a possible comorbid with substance

abuse disorder, and other personality disorders (American Psychiatric

Association, 2013).

Treatment of Antisocial Personality Disorder

By Law:

Be contained by the criminal justice system

Incapacitation (incarceration) or supervision and monitoring (parole,

probation, or house arrest, or informal monitoring by local law enforcement to

contain their harmful behaviors to others to the greatest extent possible

(American Psychiatric Association, 2013)

By Therapy:

Specialized form of CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) called CSC

(Cognitive Self Change)

 It seems to be one of the only methods which has proven an even

marginal success at modifying the behavior of violent offenders, both antisocial

and otherwise (Barbour, 2013; Powell, & Sadler, n.d.).

Impact on Functioning
Face imprisonment as a result of their criminal actions, early death from

violence or accidents, or loss of assets or property from reckless and impulsive

spending or civil forfeiture of assets (American Psychiatric Association, 2013).

Divorce, separation, unemployment, financial dependency on state relief

sources, homelessness, anxiety, depression, and suicide rates (Goldstein,

Dawson, Smith, & Grant, 2012).

Antisocials also has great possibility to harm their society, including

family, associates, neighbors, and complete strangers, through financial

exploitation, theft, emotional abuse, assault, sexual assault, and homicide.

10. Psychopath in Workplace

Psychopath at workplace

Psychopaths and character traits connected with success in business.

Almost (successful) psychopaths who thrive in the corporate world are

proficient and consistent manipulators and influencers who are less

succeptible to overt rule and law breaking than true psychopaths.

More specifically, almost psychopaths seem to have “particular

proficiency for seeking out and developing relationships with people of

high authority and influencing them.”

Research by two psychologists in University of Surrey, England (2005)

Comparison between the personality profiles of high-level British

executives ("senior business managers") with randomly selected psychiatric

patients and criminal psychiatric patients at Broadmoor Special Hospital,

a high-security hospital in the United Kingdom and home to some of Britain's

most notorious criminals.

The test that was administered is Minnesota Multiphasic Personality

Inventory scales for DSM-III Personality Disorders (MMPI-PD), a true/false

self-report inventory in which the respondent is asked to regard statements

which reflects eleven different personality disorders: histrionic, narcissistic,

antisocial, borderline, dependent, obsessive-compulsive, passive-aggressive,

paranoid, schizotypal, schizoid, and avoidant.

 Results:

Three out of the eleven personality disorders were more common in the senior

business managers than in the criminal psychiatric patients.

Histrionic personality disorder (superficial charm, insincerity, manipulation),

narcissistic personality disorder (grandiosity, lack of empathy), and obsessive-

compulsive personality disorder (perfectionism, excessive devotion to work,

rigidity, dictatorial tendencies) scales.

On the other hand, criminal psychiatric patients outscored the senior business

managers on the other eight personality disorders tested for (antisocial,

borderline, dependent, passive-aggressive, paranoid, schizotypal, schizoid, and

avoidant),

Conversely, the senior business managers has less tendancy to express

physical aggression, impulsivity, and antisocial and paranoid tendencies.

Display minimal psychopathic characteristics. Hence, one may only

have what it takes to charm their way into jobs and the conniving, ruthless,

and narcissistic personas necessary to climb their way to the top of the

business good chain-- even if it means stepping on others to get there.

More importantly, these high-performing executives are not likely

to be serial killers or rapists.

They possess psychopathic behaviors that stimulates their drive to rise in

the organization.

However, they might consider their workmates as prey who fall into their pit

and are likely to think of them as backstabbers or bullies, while others may

admire them for having what it takes to succeed in a dog-eat-dog/cutthroat

world.

(Ronson, 2011)

( Schouten & Silver, 2012)

IV. Dealing with Psychopaths in the Workplace

1. Do not take their behavior personally

Psychopaths behave the way they do because they lack the ability to be

reasonable and rational. So, remember, when they are shouting at you,

manipulating or upsetting you, it has got nothing to do with ‘you’. When you

realise they would be doing this to whoever happened to be in front of them at

the time, it will help you to remain emotionally detached and it will be less

upsetting.

2. Build your resilience.

Resilience is the ability to bounce back from difficult situations. It means

being flexible and adaptable to change and uncomfortable circumstances. The

more often you can set yourself little challenges which cause you to move

outside of your comfort zone, the better. This will mean that you will become

desensitised to being outside of your comfort zone, so when a psychopathic

boss throws a challenge at you, you will be used to feeling out of your normal

comfort zone and you’ll be able to adapt and respond quickly.

3. Ask them to be specific with their examples

Psychopaths manipulate, lie and change their story a lot. So when they say

"You don't have a clue what you’re doing" or "You’re an idiot" ask them to give

a specific example of what they mean or an example of how they would prefer

you to act.

4. Let psychopaths focus on facts (which they find difficult to do)

Communicating with psychopaths in this way causes them to attempt to

become rational… and you will have peace of mind, knowing that you behaved

in a reasonable way toward someone who has psychological and emotional

challenges.

(Austin-Talbot, 2015)
IMPLICATION:

1. Importance of childhood and love in the family

Holy Bible states; “people reap what they have sown”. Thus, we can develop a

better future by molding children through the instruments of God; love, care

and peace.

2. Importance of Early intervention and treatment

3. Importance of protecting ourselves from modern psychopaths

lingers at the corporate world or in short in the workplace. This just means

that weak personalities may easily fall victim to their charming and

manipulative personalities.

Knowledge= Power

3. Importance of awareness In the society at large

Always put into consideration the idea of “rational thinking”. As they

say, psychopaths may outrun the weaker personalities through their dominant

characteristics, but we can always outsmart them by empowering ourselves.