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A “criminal personality?”

A “criminal personality?”. Antisocial Personality Disorder (APD) from DSM-IV 1. Disregard for the rights of others. At least three of the following: behaves in a way that is grounds for arrest, deceitful and manipulative, impulsive, aggressive, irresponsible, lack of remorse

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A “criminal personality?”

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  1. A “criminal personality?” • Antisocial Personality Disorder (APD) from DSM-IV 1. Disregard for the rights of others. At least three of the following: behaves in a way that is grounds for arrest, deceitful and manipulative, impulsive, aggressive, irresponsible, lack of remorse 2. Age 18 or older 3. A history of child conduct disorder 4. Antisocial behavior not a product of schizophrenic episode

  2. The “psychopath” • Hervey Cleckley’s (1982) The Mask of Sanity • Key features: Manipulative, Superficial charm, Above-average intelligence, Absence of psychotic symptoms, Absence of anxiety, Lack of remorse, Failure to learn from experience, Egocentric, Lack of emotional depth • Other Characteristics: Trivial Sex life, Unreliable, Failure to follow a life plan, Untruthful, Suicide attempts rarely genuine, Impulsive, Antisocial behavior

  3. The Lingo • Psychopath (suggest biology/personality) • Sociopath (environment) • Most people now use psychopath, regardless of causes. • Serial Killers? Some are psychopaths • BUT: Some are not, and the vast majority of psychopaths are not serial killers

  4. How do I know a psychopath when I see one? • OLD: Clinical Diagnosis, NOW… • Robert Hare (Canadian Psychologist) • Hare PCL (now PCL-R) • Score characteristics (from Cleckley) on 0-2 scale based on a structured INTERVIEW • Ask some “canned” questions, but looking at how they answer more than what they answer • Draw “cut-off” for psycho status (28-32)

  5. Interesting stuff from the PCL • 10 to 25% of inmates are psychopaths • But, what percent of any cohort? • Rehabilitation Outcomes • Differences in Learning • Individual Differences? • Speech differences • Neurological • Affect/Emotional

  6. Psychopaths do not Benefit From Treatment • Rice, Harris, and Cormier (1992) • Assessed the effectiveness of a therapeutic community program for psychopaths and non • “Violent recidivism rate” • NON-Psychopaths • Treatment = 22%; No treatment = 39% • Psychopaths • Treatment = 77%; No treatment = 55%

  7. Learning Experiments • Psychopaths do not learn as quickly • Played longer in computer card game with declining chances of success

  8. Individual Differences I: Speech • Language / Speech • Logical inconsistencies • Language is superficial; can’t grasp abstract/deep Speech Differences • Williamson (1991): scored audiotaped interviews with offenders for cohesion/coherence • Psychopaths less coherent; get “off track”

  9. Individual Differences II: Emotion • Affection / Emotional • Know “rules of game” but can’t appreciate the emotional significance of situations • Interview with graphic detail • Read others reactions to tap into emotions

  10. Individual Differences III: Biology • Many of the “correlates” discussed in Rowe: • Low cortical arousal • Low nesting heart rate, Skin conductance

  11. Issues in Psychopathy • Difference in “kind” or “quantity?” • Does everyone have a little psychopathy? • Psychopaths that escape detection? • Study in prison (high base rate, access to records) • Primary vs. Secondary? • Can some psychopaths turn emotion on and off?

  12. Policy Implications • Responsivity Issue • Keep out of Rx, especially group therapy • Treatment specifically for psychopaths? • Issues of Responsibility • Quacks testifying on behalf of the state

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