Weird things psychopaths do
Monday, July 22, 2024.
Psychopaths enjoy an undeserved reputation as evil geniuses.
In reality, they aren't all that smart, though they can be surprisingly subtle, especially when they’re female.
Their willingness to lie and manipulate to get what they want is chilling, yet intriguing.
In this blog, I’ll review a dozen psychological studies on psychopathy, revealing their personality traits, dark secrets, and why some psychopaths can be relatively successful.
Female psychopaths
Female psychopaths are more common than we thought, but they often go unnoticed because their methods are subtler than those of their male counterparts. Women typically use psychological manipulation rather than physical violence.
They might use seductive behavior to gain money or social advantage and employ a wider range of techniques to impress others.
Dr. Boddy notes, "Female psychopaths use words, rather than violence, to achieve their aims" (Boddy, 2011).
Intelligence Overrated: Psychopaths Aren’t Geniuses
We’ve seen too many Bond movies. Contrary to American pop culture, psychopaths generally score below average on intelligence tests.
They often do poorly in school, more interested in sensation-seeking activities like drug use.
Their confidence in social situations and superficial charm can give the illusion of intelligence, but it’s mostly a facade (Boddy, 2011).
High-Functioning Psychopaths: Master Maskers
Not all psychopaths have below-average IQs. Some with higher IQs can effectively mask their true personalities, enabling them to fake their way into powerful positions.
These high-functioning psychopaths and sociopaths exhibit little regard for others' emotions and are proficient liars, but their interpersonal skills and education help them reach higher societal echelons.
The Lying Game: Psychopaths Are Natural Liars
Psychopaths are inherently good at lying, learning it faster than the rest of us. In studies comparing people with high and low psychopathic traits, those with higher traits learned to lie more quickly.
Dr. Tatia Lee remarks, "The stark contrast in lying performance is remarkable after training sessions."
Disagreeable and Irresponsible: The Classic Traits
Psychopaths often exhibit two key personality traits: disagreeableness and low conscientiousness. They are disorganized, careless, and irresponsible, with a tendency to be unfriendly and inconsiderate of others' feelings.
Success Factors: Conscientious Psychopaths
Psychopaths who are also conscientious can be more successful in life. These folks control their impulses better and are more organized, which helps them achieve higher positions like CEOs or lawyers.
Emily Lasko explains, "Some psychopathic individuals can inhibit their antisocial behaviors better than others."
The Unchanging Psychopath
Unlike narcissists, psychopaths rarely change their ways, even into old age. They continue to lie, manipulate, and be emotionally abusive. Professor Martin Sellbom states, "Psychopathic traits remain the same past age 50, and some even worsen."
Brain Differences: The 10% Larger Striatum
Psychopaths have a striatum that is 10% larger than that of non-psychopaths. This brain region is involved in processing rewards and impulsive behavior, contributing to their increased need for stimulation (Buckholtz et al., 2010).
Reward Sensitivity: Four Times the Pleasure
Psychopaths experience four times the dopamine release in response to rewards compared to normal people. This hyper-reactive dopamine system may underlie their problematic behaviors, including crime and substance abuse (Buckholtz et al., 2010).
Early Signs: Psychopathic Traits in Children
Some boys exhibit psychopathic tendencies early on, showing less desire to fit in with their peers' laughter. Brain scans reveal a lower response to others' laughter, indicating a reduced emotional connection (Viding et al., 2012).
Roots of Criminal Psychopathy: Harsh Upbringings
Criminal psychopaths often come from backgrounds of either extreme neglect or authoritarian parenting. All have histories of severe abuse.
Dr. Aina Gullhaugen explains, "Their later ruthlessness is an inappropriate attempt to address childhood damage" (Gullhaugen & Nottestad, 2012).
The Self-Controlled Psychopath
Some psychopaths manage to control their antisocial urges and live seemingly normal lives.
These 'successful' psychopaths have more gray matter in brain regions critical for self-control, allowing them to channel their impulses in socially acceptable ways.
Emily Lasko adds, "Enhanced self-regulation abilities help some psychopathic individuals achieve success" (Lasko et al., 2018).
Be Well, Stay Kind, and Godspeed.
References:
Boddy, C. R. (2011). The Corporate Psychopaths Theory of the Global Financial Crisis. Journal of Business Ethics, 102(2), 255-259.
Buckholtz, J. W., et al. (2010). Dopaminergic network differences in human impulsivity. Science, 329(5991), 532-534.
Gullhaugen, A., & Nottestad, J. A. (2012). Looking for the Hannibal behind the Cannibal: Current status of case research. International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, 56(7), 1031-1050.
Viding, E., et al. (2012). Reduced activation in right temporo-parietal junction during empathic response in adolescents with callous-unemotional traits. Brain, 135(1), 250-263.
Lasko, E., et al. (2018). Psychopathy and the ability to delay gratification: The mediating role of conscientiousness. Journal of Personality, 86(6), 1011-1023.
