Etiology of Psychopaths, Research Paper Example

For a period well over past seventy years mental health professionals, psychologists and society are trying to research the etiology of psychopathic brutality and violence. The researchers consider that more frequently the etiology of psychopaths is a certain personality structure with its genetic, constitutional and social factors. Despite lots of researches this sphere still remains mysterious.

Wolman (1999), a foremost psychologist and expert in the field of psychopath’s nature, pays a great attention to the psychological nature of the psychopaths and the phenomena of fast growing incidence of psychopathic antisocial behavior among children, youth and adults. The author provides an explanation for the factors which are the causes of such antisocial behavior of the psychopaths, who are described as being impetuous, underhand, unconcerned, apathy and lack of compassion individuals. There are different kinds of psychopaths, Wolman (1999) researches. They are perilous and passive psychopaths.

Wolman (1999) considers that the environmental determinants are the possible reasons of the etiology of psychopaths. Parents, relatives, friends and teachers can sometimes be the causes of antisocial and psychopath behavior. Energetic and indulgent parents do not educate their children the necessity of ethics and morality hence their children are not able to determine wrong from right. The way the parents bring up and educate their children is critical. For example, parental refusal can influence their children’s self-assurance and confidence and these children can feel hurt and devastation. The same time cruel parents can bring up and educate children with abnormal behavior. Children can behave inimically and aggressively toward other people (Wolman, 1999, p.58 – 67).

Wolman (1999) indicates that falling of morality and indifference are only few causes of why the psychopaths are becoming widespread in our community and in the whole world. In researches Wolman (1999) proposes efficient and clear decisions to the problem which include changing of cultural and social factors and fundamental modification of mass communication media and education as well. The author emphasizes that the parents should show good example to their children. That includes giving better examples concerning most important senses in their everyday life (Wolman, 1999).

In contrast to Wolman (1999) Dr. Stanton E. Samenow (2004), a clinical psychologist, considers that psychopaths and criminals behavior is the reason the way they think but not their surroundings and society. Somenow (2004) pays great attention to the importance of understanding how the psychopaths and criminals behave, think, and choose the way to behave differently.

The psychopaths and criminals have completely dissimilar view of the world from that of ordinary society. They leap forward their self-enamoured personality starting the date of birth. They do not draw their attention to the behavior of their family, relatives, friends or society. The author doesn’t consider why the criminals and psychopaths are what they are. He emphasizes that they commit a crime not because of unequal parents, disagreeable neighbors, society, television, media and drugs, but because of their mind (Samenow, 2004). Diverse thinking is the cause of the criminals and psychopaths derangement behavior. Samenow (2004) recognized the criminal’s and psychopath’s mind as the most important reason and instrument of committing a crime.

Though the criminals and the psychopaths are various in committing the crime, they are the same in their standpoints of their own individuality and the whole world society, Samenow (2004) notes. The criminals and the psychopaths select the crime and the way to turn down the society before the community repudiates the criminals and psychopaths. Not everyone drug addicted person is a criminal and psychopaths, but nearly all criminals and psychopaths are drug addicted, Samenow (2004) considers.

Samenow (2004) underlines that the only way for the criminals and psychopaths to change themselves is to change their thinking model. Different programs and rehabilitation cannot be effective for helping the psychopaths and criminals. It is a backward step in helping them. To rehabilitate is to recover the preceding capabilities and state which the criminals and the psychopaths do not have (Samenow, 2004).

Another meaning of the etiology of psychopaths has an expert on psychopathy Dr. Robert D. Hare (1999). He considers that the psychopaths are born, not created and that “psychopathy results from early brain damage or dysfunction, especially in the front of the brain” (Hare, 1999, p. 169). The psychopaths’ functions of the brain vary with the person of sound mind, but this doesn’t signify that they are mental patient (Hare, 1999). The author supposes that not much can be done to affect the psychopaths. Hare (1999) emphasizes that being not like other people, doesn’t mean that the person has a mental disorder and consequently must not certainly have the same pessimistic prediction. At the same time Hare (1999) considers that though the psychopaths get fully qualified help this doesn’t signify that they are mentally sick.

The author’s research of the etiology of psychopaths is based on the clinical part of psychopathy that involves curing, cognizance and interplay with the psychopaths. Hare (1999) underlines that the psychopaths are self-absorbed, impetuous and are “unlikely to spend much time weighting the pros and cons of a course of action or considering the possible consequences” (p. 58). The psychopaths are lack of confidence, emotions and self-possession, but, at the same time they always know how to behave before and during the crime. The main goal of the psychopaths while committing a crime is “to achieve immediate satisfaction, pleasure or relief” (Hare, 1999, p. 58).

Hare (1999) considers that there is no ways to help and treat the psychopaths to change their personality. Furthermore, medical treatment attempt are improbable to be resulting because the psychopaths are pleased with their own personality and have a faith that their communication with other people is quite well-grounded and useful. For the parents and friends of the psychopaths it is important to consult the physician rather than not feeling fault and responsibility because of the psychopath’s behavior. Hare (1999) confirms that while working with the psychopaths it is important to join their diffusive concernment indicating their unsocial behavior do not a part of their own commitment.

Blair, Mitchell, and Blair (2005) find psychopathy as “a disfunction in specific forms of emotional processing” (Blair, Mitchell, & Blair, 2005, p. 12). The brain and the emotions are the etiology of psychopaths.

The authors consider that the psychopathy is the reason of genetic and biologically caused disorder which strikes mental and emotional state of the personality. They research whether an anomaly in the psychopaths brain is the main reason of disorder. This research can help during early exposure of the etiology of the psychopaths. Blair, Mitchell, and Blair (2005) consider that mental disorder in the psychopaths’ brain is the cause of the psychopaths incapacity to feel sensation, excitement and fright. Their research of the etiology of psychopaths is based on the scientific data of the psychopaths and individuals with antisocial behavior, quantity of psychopathic personalities in the community, and their behavior.

As well as Hare (1999) Blair, Mitchell, and Blair (2005) agrees that there is a big difference between the individuals with antisocial behavior and the psychopaths underlining that most of the individuals with antisocial behavior aren’t psychopathic. The authors are trying to show that the psychopaths are not someone who “embodies the word” (Blair, Mitchell, & Blair, 2005, p. 1).

Dr. Martin Kantor (2006), famous psychiatrist, considers that psychopathy is a prevailing problem of modern society. He provides a comprehensive analysis of the etiology, individual structure, and strategies for helping to manage this problem.

The author believes that the psychopaths “are not poorly but selectively conditionable” (Kantor, 2006, p. 138). The symptom “covers individuals ranging from extreme criminals … to people who fill their cars up with gas and then speed off without paying” (Kantor, 2006, p. 6). The author supposes that “the symptoms of psychopathy do not appear to be the product of – that is, a way to handle – anxiety and guilt” (Kantor, 2006, p. 6).

Kantor (2006) underlines that the psychopaths commit crime because they are looking for excitement and fun in order not to feel boredom. Before or while committing crime, the impulses of the psychopaths can become so powerful that they are not able to control them. They want to receive what they desire, not thinking about how the society can react this (Kantor, 2006). The author believes that “unsuccessful psychopaths” (Kanter, 2006, p. 145) are more intuitive oriented and impetuous, than the “psychopaths who are successful” (Kanter, 2006, p. 145) who thoroughly plan the crime for getting satisfaction and excitement.

Kantor (2006) as well as Wolman (1999) considers that parents with their attitude to children can sometimes be the cause of antisocial and psychopath behavior (Kantor, 2006, p.140-142).

Nowadays, the etiology of psychopaths is still a mystery, dispute and important field of medicine and psychology. The psychopaths are considered the monsters of today’s community. The main goal of the experts on psychopathy, psychiatrist, and clinical psychologists is to continue searching the disorder in the psychopath’s physical and mental state and looking for the ways to show the society that the psychopaths need their help and understanding.

References

Blair, J., Mitchell, D. R., & Blair, K. (2005). The psychopath: emotion and the brain. Oxford, UK: Blackwell Publishing.

Hare, R. D. (1999). Without conscience. New York, NY: The Guilford Press.

Kantor, M. (2006). The psychopathy of everyday life: how antisocial disorder affects all of us. Westport, USA: Praeger Publishers.

Samenow, S. E. (2004). Inside the criminal mind. New York, NY: Crown Publishers.

Wolman, B. B. (1999). Antisocial behavior: personality disorders from hostility to homicide. Amherst, NY: Prometheus Books.