Psychopathy & Serial Killers

Flashcards covering the definitions, legal categories, ethical dilemmas, and neurobiological aspects of psychopathy based on official lecture notes.

Modus Operandi (MO)

The specific method used by the UNSUB (unknown subject) to commit a crime, which may be modified over time as the criminal gains experience.

Signature

Stable and unique behaviors that serve a criminal’s emotional and psychological needs, acting as a personal 'calling card' for gratification.

First-Degree Murder

A killing that is intentional, planned (scheme in advance), and deliberate (not impulsive).

Second-Degree Murder

An intentional killing that is neither planned nor deliberate and does not occur during specified listed crimes.

Manslaughter

Any culpable homicide that is unintentional and unplanned, caused by an unlawful act or criminal negligence without intent to kill.

Utilitarian Ethical Decision

A moral framework focused on 'maximizing goodness' where the right action is the one that helps the greatest number of people.

e.g. The trolley problem

Deontological Ethical Decision

A principles-based moral framework where certain actions, such as killing, are considered inherently wrong regardless of the outcome.

Psychopathic Inferiority

A term introduced by Julius Koch in 1888 to describe mental dysfunctions resulting from organic brain disease in a morally non-judgemental way.

The Mask of Sanity

A 1941 book by Hervey Cleckley that describes psychopathy as a deep-rooted pathology hidden by an outward appearance of sociability and good mental health.

Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD)

A DSM-5 Cluster B disorder defined by a pervasive pattern of disregard for and violation of the rights of others occurring since age 15.

Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R)

A clinical and forensic tool developed to identify the degree of a person’s psychopathic tendencies, with scores ranging from $0$ to $40$.

Shallow Affect

A modern descriptive symptom of psychopathy characterized by a diminished ability to react emotionally.

Psychosis

A mental disorder involving delusions and hallucinations, such as schizophrenia, which is distinct from the personality traits of psychopathy.

Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex (vmPFC)

The brain region located at the bottom of the frontal cortex responsible for processing risk, inhibiting emotional responses, and the cognitive evaluation of morality.

MAO-A Gene

A gene located on the X chromosome that, when combined with specific brain damage and environmental factors, is associated with violence in males.

Glibness

A core interpersonal trait of psychopathy characterized by superficial charm.

Comorbidity

The simultaneous presence of two conditions in a patient, such as the high co-occurrence of ASPD and psychopathy.

Functional Connectivity

The communication link between the right amygdala and the vmPFC, which is found to be reduced in those with psychopathy.

Instrumental Aggression

A type of calculated aggression often associated with psychopathy, as opposed to the impulsive aggression frequently seen in ASPD.

Social Predator

A term used to describe psychopaths who divide the world into predators and prey, often targeting vulnerable or marginalized individuals.