Psychopathy may be an adaptation, not a mental illness, study says

[Donna Andersen]

Meta-analysis suggests psychopathy may be an adaptation, rather than a mental disorder

https://www.psypost.org/2022/03/meta-analysis-suggests-psychopathy-may-be-an-adaptation-rather-than-a-mental-disorder-62723

[emilie18]

Maybe I am missing something here but it sounds like these researchers were trying – and failing – to find a link to inter uterine anomalies and stressors and psychopathic tendencies, but when that didn’t play out trying to make that proof that disordered people are just adapting to their environment? Um – that is more than confusing to me… if that is true – that this disorder is only an adaption and not an illness – why do so many people raised is identical environments (ie: siblings) NOT “adapt”. It just sounds like a rather far reach to me.

[sept4]

I haven’t read the linked article but as to Emilie’s point about siblings. My sociopath ex has a normal sister. She is kind and loving and helpful and honest. Just a normal good person. No idea why he came out as a dark triad evil sociopath and she is just normal.

[Donna Andersen]

Researchers generally believe that throughout evolution, the human race developed social cooperation as a survival strategy.

Some researchers think psychopathy – which is characterized by power and control rather than cooperation – is an alternate evolutionary strategy. This study seems to be attempting to provide evidence for that, although I’m not sure how well it is accomplishing it.

But I do agree with the idea that psychopathy is not a mental illness. It is a disorder that defines who the person is.

Illness means that a person was once healthy and then got sick. Usually, psychopaths are never healthy – because of their genetic predisposition for the condition, they begin manipulation and antisocial behavior at a young age and never stop.

The genetic risk also explains why some people in a family can be disordered and others aren’t. Some people just got the bad genes.

[Author]

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