Psychopathy is widely recognized as a risk factor for violent behavior, but many psychopathic individuals refrain from antisocial or criminal acts. Understanding what leads these psychopaths to be ‘successful’ has been a mystery. A new study conducted by researchers at Virginia Commonwealth University sheds light on the mechanisms underlying the formation of this ‘successful’ phenotype.
A new study conducted by researchers at Virginia Commonwealth University sheds light on the mechanisms underlying the formation of this «successful» phenotype.
«Psychopathic individuals are very prone to engaging in antisocial behaviors but what our findings suggest is that some may actually be better able to inhibit these impulses than others,» said lead author Emily Lasko, a doctoral candidate in the Department of Psychology in the College of Humanities and Sciences. «Although we don’t know exactly what precipitates this increase in conscientious impulse control over time, we do know that this does occur for individuals high in certain psychopathy traits who have been relatively more ‘successful’ than their peers.»
The study, «What Makes a ‘Successful’ Psychopath? Longitudinal Trajectories of Offenders’ Antisocial Behavior and Impulse Control as a Function of Psychopathy,» will be published in a forthcoming issue of the journal Personality Disorders: Theory, Research, and Treatment.
When describing certain psychopathic individuals as «successful» versus «unsuccessful,» the researchers are referring to life trajectories or outcomes. A «successful» psychopath, for example, might be a CEO or lawyer high in psychopathic traits, whereas an «unsuccessful» psychopath might have those same traits but is incarcerated.
The study tests a compensatory model of «successful» psychopathy, which theorizes that relatively «successful» psychopathic individuals develop greater conscientious traits that serve to inhibit their heightened antisocial impulses.
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Materials provided by Virginia Commonwealth University. Original written by Brian McNeill. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.