Getting into the mind of a psychopath

[brewer]

Absolutely not empty emotionless robots. They experience excitement a lot for starters.

Psychopaths are pleasure seekers. Regret for themselves perhaps, but not shame or remorse. Low or non-existent anxiety... high excitement.

Sociopaths have no remorse or shame either, they have regret... but their anxiety is very high as well as their excitement, and they're more prone to rage and less calculating. That's the way I see it.

Talk to one that has been incarcerated or institutionalized. They express shame and remorse but it is only for them selves, none for society.  

On a side note, anybody have any thoughts on the Macdonald triad as a predictor?

Any other thoughts on genetic vs environment?

[Excited Penguin]

I'm a psychopath. Anyone have any questions?

[Edwardo Piet]

Absolutely not empty emotionless robots. They experience excitement a lot for starters.

Psychopaths are pleasure seekers. Regret for themselves perhaps, but not shame or remorse. Low or non-existent anxiety... high excitement.

Sociopaths have no remorse or shame either, they have regret... but their anxiety is very high as well as their excitement, and they're more prone to rage and less calculating. That's the way I see it.

Talk to one that has been incarcerated or institutionalized. They express shame and remorse but it is only for them selves, none for society.

Well it could possibly be shame but remorse tends to be for others by definition.  

Any other thoughts on genetic vs environment?

Have you read that psychopathy is more genetic and sociopathy is more environment?

[Shell B]

I highly doubt you're a psychopath, but you've certainly been accused of it! I swear there used to be a funny laughing emoticon that I can't find now. Balls.

[ApeNotKillApe]

Genetics would determine reaction with the environment to some extent surely.

[brewer]

Talk to one that has been incarcerated or institutionalized. They express shame and remorse but it is only for them selves, none for society.

Well it could possibly be shame but remorse tends to be for others by definition.  

Any other thoughts on genetic vs environment?

Have you read that psychopathy is more genetic and sociopathy is more environment?

A bit. Got any references you can recommend?

[Excited Penguin]

I highly doubt you're a psychopath, but you've certainly been accused of it! I swear there used to be a funny laughing emoticon that I can't find now. Balls.

There's a psychopath hiding in everyone of us, tho.

[Whateverist]

I highly doubt you're a psychopath, but you've certainly been accused of it! I swear there used to be a funny laughing emoticon that I can't find now. Balls.

There's a psychopath hiding in everyone of us, tho.

So you're saying mental health is like a box of cracker jacks?  You never know which prize you're gonna get.

[Edwardo Piet]

Well it could possibly be shame but remorse tends to be for others by definition.  


Have you read that psychopathy is more genetic and sociopathy is more environment?

A bit. Got any references you can recommend?

It was a Robert Hare book I read some of in Waterstones... I forget which one. Damn. I think it may have been a re-issue of an older book, I'm not sure.

But just the internet in general and Wikipedia. Many sources seem to agree that Psychopaths are born psychopaths but sociopaths are made that way through upbringing.

Another thing is, Robert Hare the lead researcher in psychopathy said in the book I read very clearly that psychopathy and sociopathy is very different... psychopathy is a serious genetic disorder where people are born without empathy that has been well established by psychiatrists who study such pathologies, whereas he says very clearly that sociopathy is merely another name for Anti Social Personality Disorder and is the business of psychologists rather than psychiatrists.

Sociopathy is an informal term that refers to a pattern of antisocial behavior and attitudes. In the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), sociopathy is most closely represented as Antisocial Personality Disorder.

The terms “psychopath” and “sociopath” are often used interchangeably, but in correct parlance a “sociopath” refers to a person with antisocial tendencies that are ascribed to social or environmental factors, whereas psychopathic traits are more innate, though a chaotic or violent upbringing may tip the scales for those already predisposed to behave psychopathically.

[LastPoet]

I highly doubt you're a psychopath, but you've certainly been accused of it! I swear there used to be a funny laughing emoticon that I can't find now. Balls.

Its :.hilarious: without the dot after the first colon