We know only too well that by far the majority of psychopaths are men. Or at least we think we know that. Could it be that the criteria used to identify psychopaths are biased towards men? After all Hare began his work in male prison.
Think about it. While behaving and being the way the PCL-R without doubt earns one the label psychopath, this is simply a list of symptoms. It says nothing about the underlying dynamics. If psychopathy is life centered on the principle of power (as opposed to love) and if it is therefore characterised by what Liane Leedom nicely calls ‘warped empathy‘, then wouldn’t you expect there to be more or less the same number of woman as men psychopaths? And wouldn’t you expect them to come across differently?
I am beginning to wonder whether there may be two broad types of psychopathy – a ‘male’-type and a ‘female’-type. I place these in quotes because, when I think about it, men with might be thought of as ‘female’ psychopathy come to mind and we all know about women with ‘male’ psychopathy. And yet, at the risk of being un-PC, I want to maintain these descriptors for now so that the difference I think I see doesn’t disappear.
A ‘female’ psychopath would not necessarily commit crimianl/antisocial acts like her male counterpart, but she woud be as power-driven, as toxically narcissistic as a ‘male’ psychopath. The control, the manipulation, the dishonesty, the selfishness, the callousness – all these would be present, but we might not recognise them for what they are because of 1. media portrayal and 2. medical diagnosis of psychopaths. The difference would come in the gendered style of their behaviour.
In my clinical work I have come across this phenomenon. For example, a woman I now consider to be of the ‘female’-type of psychopath didn’t come close to committing a crime and yet the way she mothered her daughter, my patient, came close to destroying the child’s mind. This seems to me to be a perversion of motherhood eqivalent to the perversion of fatherhood we read about on this website.
Do readers have any comments? I’m particularly interested in any examples you might have of how ‘female’ psychopathy – if such a thing does exist – manifests itself?
Angel the Book is about life! and how to live it in accordance w/ God
Do you feel or think you are really going to figure out evil in it ?
Just to desern evil is good enough for me , to try to define it is looking for trouble! for me!
It’s quite simple read marcus arelious what is it in it’s self? Greed! Sin!
From the Chronicals of DR. Zues it’s elemental ; Greed/disobedience to the Law breeds anger/hate/discrimination/discontent/law lessness/chaos!
It is all there for anyone to read (Handbook for Life ) THE BIBLE LOVE JJ
Charlie, I mean Indi – I was just thinking that to put the Bible into categories that made sense to us on LF … would be interesting to see what scriptures go with what incidences a blogger was writing about.
Actually, I was thinking out loud … and you? Were you thinking out loud to tell me the above? LOL.
Hugs Indie, hugs.
If I only Had a Brain?
These are spots in the feasts of your charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear:clouds they are, without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withers- without fruit, twice dead plucked up by the roots;
Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.
Doesn’t the psychopath just fill this bill? It is from the book of Jude and it is talking about the fallen angels who left their first estate with God to follow satan…and it describes people in the end times who possess or are possessed of the demonic. I think this 1 1/2 page book in the bible describes it to the utmost. Blessings, Breach
inthebreach57: Intense. Absolutely intense.
Thanks for sharing.
Wini,
You were talking to Indigo in an above post about which incidences people have had that you would match with scripture and that one popped into my mind as it has a lot over the years. And reading peoples suffering here in their stories I have thought of this scripture several times. I agree it is intense and you know what I feel really makes this stand out? You don’t have to be a believer in G-d to get the full impact of every word. Just being in this world people are going to see or experience this.
That chapter of Jude; right before Revelation is one and a half pages that is just astounding…and those two verses were the mild ones!
Quest,
Yes they will do a pile on when they see you weak and you will see there are a lot more P’s out there than you ever imagined. It’s shocking. The things they will say to you and what they think they can get away with doing to you because they are missing the moral compass, but your pain excites them. It is a bully mentality. Even in grade school and high school you will see children single out a sensitive child (they sense it, smell it perhaps) and they will ride that kid to the death or until they drop down to the base level with them and then they move on to the next kid.
My son got a note sent home today because an Islamic Arabic girl cursed him out in Arabic on the playground. Mind you these are 4th graders. He told me the look in her eyes was creepy and scary when she was cursing him in her native tongue. He told her Muslims hate our people, country and Christians and they bombed our country and killed innocent people. He had to write a note of apology to the girl tonight because she complained to the teacher and teacher said there is zero tolerance for racism. I made him write the apology note but I emailed his teacher and told her it is also racist for the girl to be cursing people out on the playground and using a language no one understands to “set her own rules.” Her cursing him out in Arabic is every bit as racist as his remarks. Both were wrong. I told my son to please avoid this girl. Don’t hate but stay away from her and do not respond to her in the future. My son just came out of Christian School and is in Public School for the first time. Why am I not surprised that his first negative encounter was from a Muslim? Demonic attack…right on schedule and boringly predictible. I just hope the teacher doesn’t have an attitude about him now for his 9 year old politically incorrect opinion. My step sister has two daughters who are half black. My husband is Jewish so we aren’t exactly running the ridges with our white capes and hats on here. Geez!
inthebreach57: Let me tell you a true life story that has happened many times while I was a child.
First, let me explain that I am not average height for a female. I am taller than most and was the same way as a child. Being taller, most people naturally would assumed I was older than my shorter classmates.
Being tall also made me a target for new kids coming in to our school to take their frustrations out on me. I assume they thought, if they got the big kid (physically or mentally, the rest of the pack will naturally buckle under and then they could control the environment.
Being peace loving all my life, naturally I wouldn’t care to physically fight another … but, I could use my wit and intelligence as a weapon to ward off an attack. Which of course, I always did. I would turn an ugly situation into a ridiculous situation … and some how make that enemy into a friend. I just naturally would shake hands and welcome the new kid into the group … which I think most conflicts with children really are. Jealousy of not being in with the crowd.
That was grade school … now here’s an example of H.S.
I transferred from a Catholic School into a public school my 2nd year of H.S. (yes, I wanted to wear jeans to school and not a uniform … LOL).
Anyway, any new kid would do the same attack on me. Get the big kid and the rest would naturally fall.
Each week it was rumored that I was to rumble with the new kid.
Each week, my friends would start incredible intimidating rumors in the rumor mill.
Each week it was one new kid picking on me.
What did I do? Of course, I talked all the anger out of the fighting scenario. First, I would ask the person attempting to fight me “I need to get one answer out of you first before you throw the first punch”? They of course, curious would ask … what’s is your question”? I’d say, “well, I want to know if your parents rent your home or own your home”? They’d always look at me with this inquisitive, perplexed look on their face … and say “what difference does that make”? I’d say “it makes a big difference whether your parents rent or own their own home”? Still confused they’d ask me why in the world would that question come up right before a fight? I said, well, first I want you to be the first one to throw a punch so all these witnesses will be able to testify who started the fight … then after we fight and I kick your ass … I want to know what I get out of it … because your parents are responsible for you … and you are their child, I want to know what I can sue them for in court”? So, again … do your parents rent or own your home?
Of course, I never threw a punch in my life … but, my quick actions, and peaceful nature, always resolved a conflict.
Days later I was called into the principal’s office. His assistant came out to meet with me in his outer hallway. She asked that I sit and wait for the principal that was finishing business … and he’d be with me in a few minutes. So, I sat there in the outer office of the principal… of course, assuming I was going to be expelled because staff believed I did have these fights on campus.
As I sat there, one of the teachers would walk by and say “Hi Wini, how are you today”. I’d look up at the teacher and shyly say “I’m fine”. Good, good, I’m glad you are OK today … then they’d walk by and go into a room down the hall.
I’d sit there, waiting … and another teacher would happen to walk in. Hi, Wini, is the principal in his office? I’d look up and say, yes he is, I’m waiting for him? The teacher said, “oh, then I guess your next to see him … I’ll come back later” … have a good day Wini.
So, I’m sitting there and sitting there … and in comes one teacher after another. I’m thinking, ghee … I’m going to get reamed and all these teachers are all over the place … in sight, on campus … they are going to know within minutes … what the principal does to me. My luck … it must be a teachers conference after school … and look at me … stuck in the middle of this big mess.
Finally the principals Assistant came out and said “Wini, Mr. So and So is ready to see you now”. I got up and she walked me into the principals office. I had my head down as I walked into his office. The principal said “Hi Wini … and then a big applause came from his room … I looked up and all the teachers were in his office applauding for me. They came over to me, shaking my hand … as I could hear some of them ask me “how did I do it … how did I avoid all those rumbles I was suppose to be in … and how did I make these enemies into friends and that their is no fighting what so ever on campus this year … the first time in the history of the school”.
Of course, my head was spinning and I was embarrassed that the entire faculty new of the events that were to transpire … and they were all shaking my hand and asking me one question after another.
Bottom line … even in grade school and High School … I knew, I just knew that most people who did evil were insecure, afraid … and they just wanted to be accepted and fit in…. and of course, loved.
So, I wouldn’t worry about your son and that little girl … I’m sure in a few years after they already have been friends for years … he’ll be escorting her to their first prom… and they will be posing for photos, all dressed up for their night, in your home, as well as her parents …
Peace.
Wini,
I just love that! It was so sensible and clever. I applaud you also! Yes, I am hoping they will work it out. Some kids do and others just never click. As long as there is peace and it does not escalate. He is the new kid and at a disadvantage of not having a support of friends base yet. I just don’t want it to go south on him.
inthebreach57: Kids are more resilient than adults. They believe and see the good in everyone. So much more wiser, if you think about it, than how adult life has made us more cautious.
Even when children see evil, they shrug it off and still understand that the other kid wants to be accepted by the group and loved and simply have a place among their peers.
Peace. I have faith in children, they are the way!