Psychology of Criminal Behavior Exam #2 Study GuideThe Successful Psychopath- Successful Psychopath: One who embodies the essential personality characteristics of psychopathy, but who refrains from serious antisocial behavioro Cleckley cases – businessman, psychiatristo The Senator – case file- Conceptualization of noncriminal psychopathyo Noncriminal psychopathy as a subclinical manifestation of the disorder Core idea: Noncriminal psychopaths represent less extreme examples of psychopathy Implicit causal view: Noncriminal expression of the disorder entails the same underlying cause as criminal psychopathy, but at a reduced level of severity Cleckley characterized more successful cases as “incomplete manifestations” of the disordero Noncriminal psychopathy as a moderated expression of the full disorder Core idea: Noncriminal psychopaths possess the same underlying causal mechanism, to an equally severe degree, but they also possess separate compensatory characteristics that modify (moderate) its expression The key difference between criminal and noncriminal manifestations (phenotypes) consists of moderating factors that shape the behavioral expression of the underlying constitutional vulnerability (genotype)o Noncriminal psychopathy from a dual-process perspective Core idea: Differing causal mechanisms give rise to the affective-interpersonal features of psychopathy versus the antisocial deviance component Because differing causal mechanisms underlie the two components of psychopathy, individuals may possess one or the other, or in some cases, both- Assessment of noncriminal psychopathyo Some studies have used the PCL-R, or a 12-item screening version, in communitysamples Ex) Employment agenciesWhat is Psychopathy?- Psychopathy as callous, predatory criminal devianceo Karpman, McCord’s, Robs, DSM-III/IV, Hare PCL-R, Frick APSD- Psychopathy as “masked” psychological disturbanceo Cleckley, Lykken, DSM-I/II, LilienfeldPsychopathy in Criminal & Delinquent Samples- McCord & McCord (1964)o Described psychopathy as a distinctively malignant form of criminal deviancyo “The psychopath is an asocial, aggressive, highly impulsive person, who feels little or no guilt, and is unable to form lasting bonds of affection with other humanbeings”o Core features of the disorder: Antipathy toward others (lovelessness) Absence of remorse (guiltlessness)1Psychology of Criminal Behavior Exam #2 Study Guide2Psychology of Criminal Behavior Exam #2 Study GuidePCL-R/APSD Operationalization: Issues- Not suitable for use with non-offender samples- Neglects positive adjustment features emphasized by Cleckleyo Ex) Lack of anxiety/nervousness (“primary” psychopath)- Fails to accommodate phenomenon of non-criminal (“successful”) psychopathyPsychopathy in Non-Criminal Samples- Cleckley (1976) – Psychiatric inpatientso Described psychopathy as a paradoxical condition in which severe behavioral pathology and good adjustment seemed to go hand in hando “The surface of the psychopath… shows up as equal to or better than normal and gives no hint at all of a disorder within… the observer is confronted with a convincing mask of sanity…”o Clinical features identified by Cleckley: Positive Adjustment: Social charm & good intelligence; no delusions or irrational thinking; no anxiety or depressive symptoms; not suicidal Reckless/Uninhibited Behavior: Impulsive antiosocial action; failure to learn from experience, irresponsibility; promiscuous sexual relations; absence of any life plan Callous-Unemotional Traits: Lack of remorse; lack of strong emotions; inability to love; absence of loyalty; lying & manipulationUse of Self-Report Questionnaires to Assess Psychopathy in Noncriminal Participants3Psychology of Criminal Behavior Exam #2 Study Guide- Psychopathic Personality Inventory (PPI)o 187 item questionnaire for measuring psychopathy in non-prison sampleso 8 scales: sum scale scores to yield a total psychopathy scoreo 2 uncorrelated factors underlying the PPI scales (Benning, 2003) PPI-1: Dominant, non-anxious, fearless PPI-2: Impulsive, aggressive, rebellious, blames others4Psychology of Criminal Behavior Exam #2 Study Guide- PPI Factors: Sample Itemso PPI-1 (Boldness) Dominance (Social Potency)- “I’m not intimidated by anyone”Stress Immunity- “I can remain calm in situations that would make many other people panic”Fearlessness- “If I were a firefighter, I think I might actually enjoy the excitement of trying to rescue someone from the top floor of a burning building”o PPI-2 (Externalizing) Impulsivity (Nonplanfulness)- “I generally prefer to act first and think later” Aggressiveness (Machiavellian Egocentricity)- “I become very angry if I do not receive special favors or privileges I feel I deserve” Rebelliousness (Nonconformity)- “I’ve always considered myself to be something of a rebel” Alienation (Blame Externalization)- “A lot of people in my life have tried to stab me in the back”Benning (2003) found that the two PPI factors showed differing relations with measures ofadjustment & maladjustmentPPI-1 PPI-2* More adult symptoms of antisocial personality (APD)* Higher education* More child & adult symptoms of APD* More alcohol & drug use* Lower education5Psychology of Criminal Behavior Exam #2 Study Guide* Higher career status & income* Higher verbal intelligence* Lower career status & income* Lower verbal intelligenceBold = Measures of adjustmentRegular = Measures of maladjustmentCorrelates of PPI-1 and PPI-2 scores in 3 other samplesBold = Measures of adjustmentRegular = Measures of maladjustmentSSS = Sensation Seeking Scale- PPI Operationalization: Issueso 2 PPI factors are uncorrelated – inconsistent with the idea of psychopathy as a unitary syndromeo PPI-1 reflects adjustment as much as deviancy – inconsistent with the notion of psychopathy as essentially pathological- Other self-report psychopathy measures:o Hare’s Self-Report Psychopathy Scale (SRP – 40 items)o Levenson’s Primary & Secondary Psychopathy Scale (LPSP – 20 items)o Triarchic Psychopathy Measure (TriPM – 58 items)o Can estimate scores on the two PPI factors from scores on various normal personality inventoriesTriarchic Conceptualization of Psychopathy- Triarchy: Governance of a territory by three rulers- Triarchic Model: Conceives of psychopathy as embodying 3 distinct phenotypic components: Boldness,