Ed Gein. Norman Bates (from Psycho), Leatherface (from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre), and Buffalo Bill (from Silence of the Lambs) are three of the most iconic fictional horror characters of all time – and they're all loosely based on one man: Ed Gein.
According to the team, Ted Bundy, Clyde Barrow, Bernie Madoff, pilot Chuck Yeager and two fictional men – James Bond and Sherlock Holmes – have all previously been described psychopaths.
Ted Bundy is one of those names that is practically synonymous with “serial killer” and “psychopath.” He was known to be very sly and charming, which was the shiny veneer he used to lure his many victims.
History. Figure 1: Philippe Pinel (1745-1826) was first to describe patients with psychopathic traits.
Although severe psychopathy affects just about 1% of people, some research suggests that close to 30% of us have some level of psychopathic traits.
Is psychopathy something people are born with? It's Complicated. No one is born with psychopathy (or any other psychological disorder). However, some children are born at high risk for developing psychopathy due to inherited (genetic) factors.
The most prolific modern serial killer is arguably Dr. Harold Shipman, with 218 probable murders and possibly as many as 250 (see "Medical professionals", below).
The term sociopathy was popularized from 1929/30 by the American psychologist George E. Partridge and was originally intended as an alternative term to indicate that the defining feature was a pervasive failure to adhere to societal norms in a way that could harm others.
According to several studies, roughly 1% of the men in the United States are probably psychopaths, and they most likely exhibited signs at a very young age. Those signs are key – there is no known cure for full-blown psychopathy.
Those with histrionic, narcissistic, obsessive-compulsive, schizotypal, passive-aggressive, self-defeating, antisocial, paranoid, borderline, avoidant, dependent, and sadistic personality traits also were attracted to psychopaths.
Yes, research shows there are “good” psychopaths. Many people in positively heroic professions have strong psychopathic traits.
What is considered “excessive” is somewhat subjective, but considering that between a quarter and a third of murderers appear to be clinical psychopaths, despite the latter making up about 1% of the population, it does not seem too much of a stretch to say that murderers tend to be psychopathic.
lack of empathy, guilt, conscience, or remorse. shallow experiences of feelings or emotions. impulsivity, and a weak ability to defer gratification and control behavior.
While Hollywood often portrays psychopaths as serial killers, not all psychopaths are that evil. Many of them exhibit psychopathic traits to a much lesser degree. In fact, you've likely encountered a few psychopaths in real life. Psychopaths are actually quite common in the corporate world.
Sociopaths—people who are actually diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder—have many narcissistic characteristics, but this psychological disorder is typically much more dangerous.
Psychopaths are incredibly rewards-focused
But according to this research, a psychopath's brain is actually wired to seek rewards at almost any cost. That's because a psychopath's brain can release up to four times as much dopamine in response to a reward as a non-psychopath's.
Psychopaths can suffer emotional pain for a variety of reasons. As with anyone else, psychopaths have a deep wish to be loved and cared for. This desire remains frequently unfulfilled, however, because it is obviously not easy for another person to get close to someone with such repellent personality characteristics.
Research has demonstrated that some individuals are genetically vulnerable to developing psychopathy and display atypical brain responses to other people's distress and social affiliative cues.
1. Jack the Ripper. Jack the Ripper is by far the most infamous serial killer of all time. There are many serial killers who have a higher count of victims than him but what makes him unique is the fact that very little is known about him.
But both Hitler and Stalin were outdone by Mao Zedong. From 1958 to 1962, his Great Leap Forward policy led to the deaths of up to 45 million people—easily making it the biggest episode of mass murder ever recorded.
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.
Overall, psychopathy was primarily clustered in the Northeast, with Maine as the most psychopathic state, and in urban areas. On the other hand, people in rural areas showed to be less psychopathic. In general, psychopathy lies on a spectrum.
Relationships with psychopaths are never smooth sailing. If they are particularly narcissistic, they're not happy unless they're the center of attention all the time, meaning they can be obsessive and controlling.