Although both biological and environmental factors play a role in the development of psychopathy and sociopathy, it is generally agreed that psychopathy is chiefly a genetic or inherited condition, notably related to the underdevelopment of parts of the brain responsible for emotional regulation and impulse control.
A common question is: “What causes psychopathy?” As is true for other developmental disorders, there is no single cause of psychopathy. Research indicates that psychopathy results from a complex combination of genetic and environmental (non-genetic) factors.
Some studies suggest that psychopathic traits begin in early age and they are partly heritable and evident in childhood. Recent genetic research suggests modest to high heritability of psychopathic traits. Psychopathy is a lifelong problem, with many symptoms displayed in youth.
Although sociopathy and psychopathy cannot be diagnosed until someone is 18, one of the hallmarks of both conditions is that they usually begin in childhood or early adolescence. Usually, the symptoms appear before the age of 15, and sometimes they are present early in childhood.
The reasons behind the disorder are not fully understood. The current belief is that psychopathy generally comes from genetic factors, such as parts of the brain not developing fully, while sociopathy results from an interruption in personality development by abuse or trauma in childhood.
Researchers believe that nearly 1 percent of children exhibit these traits, about as many as have autism or bipolar disorder. Until recently, the condition was seldom mentioned. Only in 2013 did the American Psychiatric Association include callous and unemotional traits in its diagnostic manual, DSM-5.
Several means of identifying subtypes have been proposed in the literature, and potential subgroups have been identified. Clinical observations at ASH have suggested 4 possible subtypes of psychopathy: narcissistic, borderline, sadistic, and antisocial.
Psychopathy is characterized by diagnostic features such as superficial charm, high intelligence, poor judgment and failure to learn from experience, pathological egocentricity and incapacity for love, lack of remorse or shame, impulsivity, grandiose sense of self-worth, pathological lying, manipulative behavior, poor ...
Psychopathic personality traits are transmitted from father-to-offspring due to genetic reasons.
Existing research evidence suggests that exposure to trauma through various abuse in childhood may play a relevant role in the development of psychopathic traits.
Most research shows that men are three to five times more likely to become psychopaths than women. However, some experts believe that the gender disparity isn't actually this large, and note that signs of a psychopath female are different and harder to detect.
Warning signs
While children are not labeled psychopaths, the markers that predict a high probability a child will develop a psychopathic personality include many of the same characteristics: lack of guilt; lack of empathy; lack of concern about performance; and shallow or insincere emotions.
Yes, research shows there are “good” psychopaths. Many people in positively heroic professions have strong psychopathic traits.
Famous psychopaths have included: Theodore (Ted) Bundy, Clyde Barrow, Bernie Madoff, Chuck Yeager, James Bond and Sherlock Holmes. The authors presented their work in a Personality Disorders: Theory, Research and Treatment paper.
Manipulative, dishonest and lacking in empathy – the traits that describe a psychopath aren't particularly pleasant. But the idea that they are also fiendishly clever – as often portrayed in films and TV – isn't quite true. In fact, in general, psychopaths seem to have below-average intelligence.
There is no "cure" for psychopaths, and they will never be able to change. If they are in prison, psychopaths can be managed with reward-based treatment. But this is simply a means of control, rather than a cure.
Most people mellow out with age, but in the case of psychopaths and those suffering from similar antisocial personality disorders such as sociopaths, bad behavior tends to get worse, according to new research from New Zealand's University of Otago.
Psychopaths are at least periodically aware of the effects of their behavior on others and can be genuinely saddened by their inability to control it. The lives of most psychopaths are devoid of a stable social network or warm, close bonds.
Can Psychopaths Fall In Love? The answer is yes. Although it might be difficult to show these emotions, they can feel something resembling affection or even strong romantic passion.
To put the matter simplistically, psychopaths are born, and sociopaths are made. Both psychopathy and sociopathy, and APD generally, share features with narcissistic personality disorder (NPD), the condition exhibited by persons commonly called narcissists.
One analysis by researchers in 2005 also contrasted core characteristics of women and men with psychopathy. They suggested that women often exhibited traits like debilitating impulsiveness (such as a lack of planning), thrill-seeking in interpersonal relationships, and verbal aggression.
And, just like in these people — although one can never be fully cured — perhaps with the right treatment, psychopaths can learn to lead normal lives, one day at a time.
Summary: Contrary to popular belief, those suffering from psychopathy are able to experience emotions, but they do have a blunted emotional response if their attention is directed toward something else.
Psychopaths are considered to have a severe form of antisocial personality disorder.