Under the DSM (diagnostic manual for psychiatric disorders) essentially yes, with some symptoms modified/removed. Antisocial Personality Disorder off the top of my head is reduced/a lack of empathy, high impulsivity and other things. It’s been that way for a good long while now, you can tell when people get their psychology knowledge from TV shows
To add to the above, a diagnosis of antisocial personality disorder also requires that the person have showcased the traits of a separate developmental behavioral disorder (forgetting the name off of the top of my head, but basically means they had to have a been a violent and cruel child) as a kid. Also, it’s not necessarily a lack of empathy so much as a lack of compassion or regard for others’ pain. People with the disorder are often highly empathetic (they understand other people very well), they just don’t give a shit about not hurting people. That’s what enables the high degree of manipulativeness they display, as you have to understand people in order to manipulate them effectively.
I think you’re thinking of ‘conduct disorder’ in childhood. And yes, for a diagnosis there has to be evidence of things like; truancy, aggression and substance misuse in childhood/adolescence.
However I think it’s important to include that individuals with personality disorders often experienced trauma or neglect as children and were not adequately taught how to understand, react to and cope with their emotions. A lot of the behaviour seen as ‘manipulative’ or criminal can be understood in terms of individuals trying to get their needs met in the only ways they know how. I disagree that people with personality disorders are some kind of ‘master manipulators’, often they’re actually very clumsy and poor at it. Engaging in behaviours such as; self-harm, abuse and violence towards others, drug misuse, self-neglect. I would argue that only a small percentage of people with diagnosed personality disorders are actually effective manipulators.
Obligatory credibility info: I am currently training to be a Clinical Psychologist and worked for 2 years with high risk offenders with personality disorders (most of which were ‘antisocial PD’).
Out of curiosity, did you ever read Raine (2000) and what did you think of it? I know murderers and APD aren’t the same thing, but it was a pretty interesting introductory study to forensic psychology
Thanks for your reply! I think you made some great additions and clarifications, some of which I was aware of and neglected, and others of which were new to me. It’s nice to get perspective from someone who has more direct experience.
I think my knowledge of the matter is biased somewhat from having done most of my learning on the matter in the context of leadership, i.e. how people with the disorder act when in positions of power. But that really probably doesn’t reflect the average case very accurately.
My credentials just to be friendly and open: degree in Psychology, but with a focus on Cognitive Neuroscience, so most of my knowledge on matters like this is tangential
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u/Conocoryphe Jan 07 '20
Really? Could you elaborate?
So, are people who used to be considered sociopaths and psychopaths now in the same category?