Antisocial Personality Disorder is a personality disorder that is said that one out of every twenty five people in America have, commonly called sociopaths these people are characterized by disregard for social norms and callous unconcern for the feelings of others. These people fall in the two extremes of American society, either the scoundrels and the unsuccessful, or the powerful and affluent individuals, but they rarely fall into the “hard working” or middle-class section of society. Sociopaths are have inherent traits including: being manipulative, callousness, deceitfulness, hostility, risk taking, impulsiveness, irresponsibility. They have a very inflated ego, will lie and cheat, simply because they feel no remorse, shame or guilt. Their emotions are shallow, and their decisions logical, and with all these factors weighed in, their roles in society are generally either the guy who can’t get a job or hold one down, or in high positions in leadership, or other affluent jobs. Sociopathy has been regarded as universal and timeless, but interestingly enough, is more prevalent in some cultures than others. In Taiwan studies show that the percentage of people with antisocial personality disorder ranges from .03 percent to 0.14 percent, compared to the United States which has an approximate average of 4 percent (or one in twenty five people). The popular belief proposed by Robert Hare is that the United States is actually allowing, helping, and even valuing some of the traits of sociopathy. Another way this theory was stated was that the guiltless manipulation of other people blends with social expectations to a greater degree than in China or other more group-centered societies. But that begs the question, if we have so many ... ... middle of paper ... ...are few better environments for sociopaths, with false personas, fake emotions, being admired, being publicized, Hollywood is perhaps one of the largest breeding grounds for sociopaths in America. I believe one of the best examples of sociopathy in Hollywood, though not officially diagnosed, would be Charlie Sheen, he shows almost all the symptoms: drug use, domestic abuse, repeated deceit, feeling superior to everyone, failed relationships, aggravations, trouble with the law, Charlie Sheen, while not currently diagnosed as a sociopath, is one of the best examples of sociopaths in America. There’s no cure for Antisocial Personality disorder, it is simply a reality we face in modern American society, and although these people function differently, and sometimes dangerously in society today, they have become a powerful and integrated part of American Society.
The psychopath know the reasons behind acting a certain way and just don't think about the consequences. Even in the DSM-IV clear definitions of a psychopath doe not exist but the closes to diagnose is anti-social personality disorder. Dr. Hare instead developed the Psychopathy Checklist for people to diagnose psychopathy. The first part of the Psychopathy Checklist looks at the emotional and interpersonal traits of the disorder(Hare, 1993). Some of the emotional qualities that the clinician would look for is as followed: glib/superficial, egocentric/grandiose and lack of empathy.
...not function without an element of ruthlessness and a need to win. Could any capitalist be called a sociopath? In my opinion I believe that while this non-fiction novel does enlighten us to some degree on the nature and behaviors of sociopaths, it is not a myopic and in depth study worth putting any faith-based investments into. Also, it fails to answer a major and simple question: what does the future hold for these ‘monsters’? Will the population of sociopaths increase exponentially, until it is they who must destroy us for being the minority? Or are their numbers diminishing due to social awareness about this condition? Is sociopathy purely biological in nature or does this personality disorder also stem from personal experience or otherwise? In short, this book raises more questions that in answers, resulting in a disappointing and unfulfilled search for truth.
Sociopaths are prevalent among society, and some researchers, like Martha Stout, claim that one out of every twenty-five people is a sociopath. However, this statistic is incorrect. This statistic is based on the assumption that sociopaths and psychopaths are the same people—which is untrue. While the sociopathic and psychopathic traits overlap, sociopaths differ in that they are obviously nervous and agitated, unable to create the illusions that psychopaths are so proud of. They live on the fringes of society, uneducated and unable to keep a steady job. Psychopaths, unlike sociopaths, are suave and able to maintain an illusion of conformity and maintain relationships on a superficial level. Both, however, are dominantly male, tend to disregard the rights and social mores of others, and have a tendency display violent and disruptive outbursts without remorse. Unlike psychopaths, who completely lack remorse and the ability to love, sociopaths may attach themselves to certain people, though they still remain contemptuous of the rest of humanity (7).
Ogloff, J. R. (2006). Psychopathy/antisocial personality disorder conundrum. The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists, (40), 519-528.
Peoples ideal definitions of a sociopath often mislead them. A sociopath is classified as a person with a personality disorder manifesting itself in extreme antisocial attitudes and behavior and a lack of conscience.Sociopaths are not as uncommon as most people think Your average neighbor may even have the urge to kill and dismember bodies. This being said, not all sociopaths take the leap to murder and often keep their thoughts to themselves . Sociopaths have completely different personality traits and characteristics than the normal human being. They often have disregard for the rights of others, failure to feel remorse or guilt and even tendency to display violent behavior and emotional outbursts. Even with these obvious characteristics some people keep their sociopathic tendencies hidden in shame or guilt of these feelings, but the people that embrace their sociopathy are some of the most well known American serial killers to this day.
“Psychopathy is a personality disorder characterized by an inability to form human attachment, aggressive narcissism, and antisocial behavior defined by a constellation of affective, interpersonal and behavioral characteristics, most of which society views as pejorative” [1]. Some of these characteristics include irresponsibility, grandiosity, cunning, deceitfulness, selective impulsivity, sexual promiscuity, lack of empathy, etc. People who are psychopathic display not only antisocial behavior but also emotional impairment such as the lack of guilt. They are able to prey on others using their charm, deceit, violence or any other methods that allow them to get what they want. A strong feature of most of the behavior exhibited by individuals with psychopathy is that it is mostly instrumental in nature. They are extremely goal-oriented with interests in acquiring wealth, sexual opportunities and increased status.
In conclusion, Anti Social Personality Disorder (ASPD) is a rare personality disorder that is tough to handle. With no true answer of what the cause is one tends to wonder how someone can develop this condition. Signs and symptoms can develop young but cannot be actually diagnosed as ASPD until 18 years of age. Aggression, compulsive lying, devious and manipulating behavior are just a few signs of what to look for. With no direct medications to treat the disorder and therapies that are not guaranteed to work it is hard to have a grasp on how to help those who are diagnosed. Hopefully, within time Anti Social Personality Disorder can be further studied and more evidence can be brought to light to help those with this life altering disorder.
Anti-Social Personality Disorder is a classified personality disorder in which a person, sometimes referred to as a “psychopath”, has a lack of empathy, an increased chance of acting violently towards others, and a complete disregard for authority and punishment. Prevalent features and symptoms include: shallow emotions, irresponsibility, mistrust of others, reckless thrill-seeking, disrespect for the law, prone to lash out with physical violence, harmful impulsiveness, arrogance, manipulative, greedy, lack of kindness or compassion, disrespect for others, and dishonesty (Psychology Today, n.d.). A main factor of this disorder is the inability to process, interpret, and display emotion, even fear. An example is that most criminals with this disorder respond drastically different to their sentencing than normal. They seem relaxed and unable to process it on an emotional level. They are also fully aware of what they are doing, and have no sense of distorted reality, or remorse which classifies them as sane people. They also have neurotransmitter deficiencies in the brain, such as reduced serotonin and dopamine (Freedman & Verdun-Jones, 2010). The overall population of people having this disorder is a small amount, about 3% and higher in prisons and abuse clinics which is around 70%. Also, because of their constant involvement in violence, most people diagnosed with this disorder die by violent means such as suicide and homicide (Internet Mental Health, n.d.).
Overall, anyone can be a sociopath as long as they display at least three of the seven traits described and exhibit them since the time they were fifteen. Some can be very productive member of society, others however, as proved, cannot and will wreak havoc on society and their victims. Even though they can be violent and manipulative, the way their mind works is fascinating. The ability to pass a lie detector test is baffling due to them not exhibiting signs of stress. It is clear that there is a distinction between antisocial personality disorder and sociopaths. They are very much related and intertwined with each other. It is also clear that people whom are sociopaths think in a very different way compared to the way a normal mind works and that is what makes them so fascinating.
The goal of this paper is to effectively explain the adverse effects of antisocial personality disorder. This paper will increase understanding of the psychological mindset of those who commit crimes and how it relates to their personality. I have selected two sources on the subject of antisocial personality disorders that will effectively explain an individual’s actions when suffering from this disorder. Finally, we will discuss possible treatments for this disorder. According to Merriam Webster dictionary, an antisocial personality disorder or APD is a personality disorder that is characterized by antisocial behavior exhibiting pervasive disregard for and violation of the rights, feelings, and safety of others starting in childhood or the early teenage years and continuing into adulthood.
The sense of entitlement that comes with sociopathy is astonishing to those who abide by the social laws and conventions of our culture. Where does the entitlement come from? It stems from an underlying sense of rage. Sociopaths feel deeply angry and resentful underneath their often-charming exterior, and this rage fuels their sense that they have the right to act out in whichever way they happen to choose at the time. Everything is up for grabs with sociopaths and nothing is off limits. (Meyers)
By 1929/30 an American psychologist coined the term sociopathy which meant ‘a pervasive failure to adhere to societal norms which could lead to the harm of others’.
Before proceeding on what antisocial personality disorder is, along with its debatable biological causes, it is important to understand the criteria for a personality disorder. According to the manual used to diagnose psychological disorders, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, describes personality disorders are ongoing mental illnesses that continue to dramatically affect an individuals’ life. The disorder involves feelings, i...
Individuals with antisocial personality disorder frequently lack empathy and tend to be callous, cynical, and contemptuous of the feelings, rights, and sufferings of others. They may have an inflated and arrogant self-appraisal (e.g., feel that ordinary work is beneath them or lack a realistic concern about their current problems or their future) and may be excessively opinionated, self-assured, or cocky. They may display a glib, superficial charm and can be quite voluble and verbally facile. NEED TO PUT THIS IN YOUR OWN WORDS WHILE STILL CITING IT; OR, YOU NEED A BALANCE OF EVIDENCE AND YOUR OWN SUMMARY WITH A
For this reader response I decided to read “World Gone Mad” by Derrick Jensen. This reading was about society and it’s sociopathic, and psychopathic tendencies. I agree with the author's point of view almost completely. In his writing he mentions how the government and the people who are in charge of society share a lot of the same traits of socio/psychopaths. He did this by siting in his work the definitions of the Sociopaths, and psychopaths with examples of them as a stereotypes and in the world of the government. For example, he starts off his work talking about how the “go green” commercials and movements make him upset because of how the world currently is, and how they have ways of “fixing it”. The way that they are fixing it though, is just like putting a rug over how we are destroying the world.