Understanding The Psychopath: Separating Fact
From Fiction
Author: David Webb

Mention the word psychopath and I think it's fair to say that
most people think of serial killers both real and fictional. As
with criminal profiling, this is a topic area within forensic
psychology where it is often difficult to separate fact from
fiction. The aim of this article, therefore, is to do just
that.

In order to understand the true nature of psychopathy, first
and foremost, you need to be aware that psychopathy is a
personality disorder, the diagnosis of which is usually based
on detailed interviews with both the individual being assessed
and their family.

However, the concept of personality disorder is extremely
controversial, so much so, there are those that argue that
personality disorder is nothing more than a term used by the
medical profession to describe people they don't like.

What's the problem?

With most mental health problems, psychological testing can be
employed to provide clear criteria as a basis for a diagnosis,
there are, however, no such tests for personality disorder per
se, so any diagnosis is by definition unreliable and lacking in
validity.

The situation in the UK is particularly confusing because
although the 1983 Mental Health Act differentiates between
'psychopathic disorder' and 'mental illness, it classifies both
under the broader term of 'mental disorder.' At best,
personality disorder sits uncomfortably within the traditional
medical model of psychiatric classification, and more often
than not resides outside it.

The most obvious consequence of this is that no medical
treatment for underlying personality disturbance exists. This
effectively means that personality disordered offenders cannot
be accommodated within an appropriate health or
penal/correctional setting.

A main aim of discussing personality disorder was to make it
very clear from the start that the the psychopath is not
mentally ill in the traditional sense of the word.

A common, yet understandable mistake is to assume that the
terms psychopathy and psychotic are interrelated, they are not.


A psychotic individual is essentially out of touch with
reality, she or he is likely to be delusional and experience
hallucinations, and is, therefore, behaviourally speaking,
completely unaware of what they are doing and why they are
doing it.

Psychopathic behaviour on the other hand is rational, it
represents an informed choice, a premeditated strategy to act
in way that serves as an effective means to an end. As Robert
Hare states (1993) in his seminal book, without conscience

'Psychopaths are social predators who charm, manipulate, and
ruthlessly plow their way through life, leaving a broad trail
of broken hearts, shattered expectations, and empty wallets.
Completely lacking in conscience and in feelings for others,
they selfishly take what they want and do as they please,
violating social norms and expectations without the slightest
sense of guilt or regret'.

Because of the possible confusion with the term psychotic, some
writers prefer to employ the term sociopath, although like
profiling, the preferred label more likely reflects the
theoretical preference of the author. For instance, Hare is
explicit in his use of the term because he feels that it
encapsulates his belief that the condition is a result of
psychological, biological and genetic factors.

Psychopathy Checklist

I mentioned earlier that there isn't a rigorously tested and
valid measure of personality disorder, however, a psychological
test for psychopathy does exist, developed by Hare, it has
become the standard instrument of choice for researchers and
clinicians in the field.

The checklist examines key characteristics on a number of
levels, for instance on an emotional/interpersonal level, the
psychopath will reveal himself as glib & superficial,
egocentric & grandiose, lacking in remorse, guilt and empathy,
will be deceitful and manipulative and have shallow emotions

What Hare's research tells us more than anything is that the
popular notion of the obviously insane serial killing
psychopath has disguised the fact that most psychopaths
actually operate within (or at least on the fringes) of the
law, exist in large numbers and pervade every facet of society.


Sometimes reality can be much more frightening that fiction!

If you'd like to find out more about psychopaths, criminal
profiling or forensic psychology in general, you can do so by
visiting www.all-about-forensic-psychology.com


About The Author: Since 2000, David Webb has been involved in
collaborative research with teams of forensic scientists in the
UK, US and Canada. He has produced two websites based on his
teaching and research experience.
http://www.all-about-forensic-science.com and
http://www.all-about-forensic-psychology.com