Re: Sociopaths

From: eugeneshapiroisapig (mockingbirdstl_at_aol.com)
Date: 03/26/05 

Date: 26 Mar 2005 09:59:24 -0800

well certainly if you want to go by DSM standards, then you are going
to disagree with me. I would argue with the foundations of what they
are saying. Which is, for instance, that all sociopaths can be classed
as one of three types. This is stiltingly simplistic in my opinion. And
this ease of classification may be useful for idiotic counseling
psychologists and the like, but is it really that interesting?
     The use of the hare checklist is another example of this.
     These schemes are predicated on the idea that you either are or
are not. Whereas I do not think the human brain and mind are so simple
as this. This introduces significant subjective biases. Look at the
checklist, and you will realize that virtually every symptom is an
intensification of traits seen in "normal" people...and this is a major
problem, because the analysis is entirely subjective and based on the
perceptions and notions of the checklist administrator. Moreover the
entire scheme depends on the idea that the different traits are somehow
inter-related and I'm not sure I would totally buy into this
simplification.
     I'm not sure why you made the comment about fantasy life not being
important. Of course we are all judged mostly by our actions. However
if you are at all familiar with research and theory of psychopathy (and
I think that you are), you would know that one of the major theories is
that at least some of these individuals possess either a genetic
mutation or early developmental disability which disrupts the function
of the frontal lobes, leading to shallow effect, overall lack of
inhibition, etc. Therefore, just as in some patients with various
frontal lobe disorders, these individuals are not able to control
impulses and make the differentiation you made above between thought
and appropriateness of action. When these controls are removed (as in
frontal lobe damage) or do not exist (as is theorized in psychopathy)
then the sociopath may go out and *** his best friend's wife, steal
his neighbor's mail, slash tires in a parking space he wanted, etc.,
all in a days work. However, many people who are not classified as
sociopaths have cheated on a wife, stolen things, vandalized, etc.
     Finally, I should like to say that psychology's picture of what
constitutes a sociopath has been narrowly defined mostly according to a
certain population which is convicted criminals. That is to say, people
that have been caught.