Psychopathy Lecture Notes

Flashcards summarizing key vocabulary and concepts related to psychopathy as covered in the lecture notes.

Psychopathy

A constellation of personality traits characterized by callousness, boldness, and disinhibition.

Callousness

Disregard for the suffering of others.

Disinhibition

Low impulse control, often leading to impulsive actions.

Criminal Violence

Acts of violence that are committed by individuals, which may be associated with psychopathy.

Sociopath

A non-scientific term for individuals engaging in antisocial behavior, often stemming from trauma.

Antisocial Personality Disorder

A mental health disorder marked by patterns of behavior that violate societal norms.

Prevalence of Psychopathy

Severe psychopathy affects approximately 1% of the adult population.

Heritability of Psychopathy

Genetics account for 50% of psychopathic traits, interacting with environmental factors.

Psychopathy Checklist Revised (PCL-R)

A common tool developed to assess the degree of psychopathy in individuals.

Factors of Psychopathy

Interpersonal/Affective and Social Deviance factors identified in the PCL-R.

Primary Psychopathy

Characterized by a deficit in the capacity to experience anxiety or fear.

Secondary Psychopathy

Expressed through an antisocial and unstable lifestyle, often due to environmental influences.

Psychopathic Traits

Includes glib charm, grandiosity, pathological lying, lack of remorse, and shallow emotions.

Therapeutic Communities

Treatment settings aimed at changing behavior through social interaction and therapy.

Recidivism

The tendency of a convicted criminal to reoffend.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

A treatment approach that focuses on changing patterns of thinking and behavior.

Meta-Analysis

A statistical analysis that combines the results of multiple scientific studies.

Methodological Flaws

Issues affecting the validity of research findings, such as small sample sizes or lack of control groups.

Tailored Treatment

Customized therapeutic approaches designed to meet individual needs of patients.

Empathy Training

Therapeutic efforts aimed at teaching psychopathic individuals to understand others' emotions.

Heterogeneous Group

A diverse population with varying characteristics, particularly concerning psychopathic offenders.