The brains of psychopaths are different. What does that mean for laws, crime, sentencing and treatment?
Read Psychopaths: Born evil or with a diseased brain? on BBC.co.uk.
Link supplied by a Lovefraud reader.
Reader Interactions
Comments
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Ox Drover
http://www.lovefraud.com/blog/2011/08/05/book-review-the-science-of-evil/
Sky, here is the link to the book review, I really DO think this is one of THE best books on empathy, or lack of it. Great research, good information.
marcyII
The way my ex got his enjoyment was to be evil to me. to be mean and cruel. that was his game he enjoyed playing. To inflict pain and cruelty on me that was what his definition of a good time was.
darwinsmom
My ex spath had a glee-little devil’s face. I knew when he was up to be a pester demon to someone else. One time he even showed glee in his eyes as he planned to do something to his dad (shame him in front of me), before he actually did it. It was because of hte glee in his eyes that I instantly realized what he was about to do, and a few seconds later he did it, then removing the glee from his eyes again and with a neutral face lie “oh sorry, I’m so clumsy. It was an accident.” But the glee in his eyes betrayed it had been planned. It was no accident.
I told my therapist about this incident, and before I could mention it, she herself asked wondered aloud for confirmation on him having gleeful eyes over it.
Hare’s list does not mention glee or enjoyment, because those are emotions. The list doesn’t mention envy and anger either. It’s a list of behaviour elements.
But oh my, my ex spath derived the greatest private, personal enjoyment over doing wrong.
The problem for the glee and enjoyment is that you need to witness it at the moment they are doing the harm, and they must not be aware they’re being watched. If I saw it, I usually saw it when he was either drunk or other drug influence, because he then had less control over his face to appear ‘good’/’angelic’/’neutral’. But he was totally sober when he shamed his father in front of me. He was too angry with his father to be aware I was watching him. But I could read the plan and intention of what he was about to do right from his eyes, shining brightly with inner enjoyment. But as soon as it happened, he masked his face.
I don’t see a reason why spaths would betray this private enjoyment to psychologists in prison.
tobehappy
Hello Everyone. It’s been awhile since I have visited this site. Think of everyone often. I got my house back from the bank. They finally refinanced me after 3 yrs. Miracle.
Oxy, I have a question. I happen to think of you and maybe you can help.
Our 7 month old kitten ran out of the front door the other night. She ran across to the lake and evidently fell into the lake. A car stopped, (hero) and redirected traffic. Darla (our black kitten with yellow eyes) was laying in the road hurt. She was hit by a car.
We took her to ER and got her out of shock. She has a cracked pelvis, which can heal they say. But her right front paw has a cracked humerus. We have her home on pain meds. My 17 yr old made a sling to keep the paw from dangling. She is eating, drinking and urinating. Good sign. We have her in a laundry basket with blankets.
We are all sad here and devastated. My girls have even missed school, esp the youngest. SHe is still in shock.
Do you have any advice? We are hoping the bones fuse together and she can thrive, even if she can’t walk ever again. I can’t stop crying,esp when I am alone.
This is awful.
MoonDancer
Hello Tobehappy – I think your kitten will be just fine with lot’s of tlc, talk with your vet about the broken humerous, I had a cat one time with three leg’s and she lived a long good life. So sorry for your sadness,,,I lost one of my wiener dogs a few months ago and I still miss him..
good news about your home…~!
callmeathena
Oxy, I ordered the book that you mentioned to Sky about the origins of evil. I am looking forward to reading it.
The concept of a spath experiencing GLEE when they hurt somebody is new to me. I hadn’t explored it before.
I am processing this now.
I do remember when my spath was wanting to tell me that he was going to get remarried to his ex-wife. He was gleeful about that. His behavior was clearly abnormal and excited. He wanted to stage the scene, tell me, watch the drama. He wanted me to be in pain and to react. But I didn’t even let him tell me about it – I suspected what he was going to say and do, and I didn’t give him the stage, I refused to engage
in any dialogue with him.
He also cheated on me, and there was a “tell”. He asked me for my business card, to give to a “friend” who needed a job. He thought I should hire this “friend”. The said he gave my business card to this friend, but…THEN he kept texting me about this friend, saying she had a “hot little yoga body”.
I knew right then, and I stopped the conversation right then.
He was enjoying taunting me.
So I do see some signs of GLEE.
There were other times however where his cruelty to me was more about INDIFFERENCE to me as a human being.
There were other times where his indifference was due to his SELFISHNESS – he was engulfed in something WAY more interesting, and so I was ignored.
DawnG
My ex expressed glee when he verbally abused his co-workers and friends, and a few random women with whom he was not romantically entangled. His abuse of me was done with indifference, at least when I was around. He might have cackled maniacally about it as soon as I left, who knows?
tobehappy
Thank you Hens! SOSOSO SORRY about your dog! Animals are truly our best friends.
I am feeling so much guilt about letting her out of the house. That night, she ran out under my feet and I thought she was only going to hang out on the porch. She usually doesn’t cross the street to the lake. I feel so sad still. Her pelvis will heal but the humurous bone is the worry now. Its her front leg. We are so lucky she is even alive. Cars fly down my street all day like its Raceway park. Its a main road winding around a huge lake. God I feel so badly!
I’m glad I’m no longer with the X. He didn’t like animals or show any affection for them. He would have gone off on me about how I shouldn’t have pets being a single mom…blah blah blah.
I didn’t mean to take up space here but I know that people on here are compassionate and I need moral support right now.
So, thank you! HUGS
Ox Drover
2BHappy, I am sorry about your little kitty’s accident if the vet didnt’ notice the broken leg, it may need to be set in a splint for it to heal right, so I would take her back for that. The pelvis will heal but she will be really SORE for 4-6 weeks, the first 2-3 beiing the worst. it will be hard for her to dig in her sand box so she may not cover things up well. ((((Kitty)))))) and ((((2B & Kids))))
darwinsmom
Oxy, sorry to hear about your dog. It’s always so hard to see that loving darling who’s been with you through so many moments in your life, while they are so innocent and dependent on you. It’s like for a long while they are still there as a memory, turning around the corner and following you around.
2bhappy, so sorry about your kitten. The poor kitty in pain. It’s so hard to see them suffer. It breaks your heart. But with care she’ll make it. And yes, even if she loses a paw, she is so young she can learn to walk on three legs fine. Let’s just hope her paw will set and heal too! It is amazing how with good care they can be so resilient. Give her lots of hugs and kisses for me to help her heal as quickly as can be. And a big hug from me to you too.