Adapted Psychopaths: Empathy And Subclinical Manifestations

Recent research by the American Psychological Association indicates that some psychopaths adapted to society display empathy. That is, those who have been called psychopaths and are not engaged in criminal activity can manifest abilities that are highly adaptive in the general population.

We will therefore leave the controversy that the term “psychopath” still generates in a large part of psychologists and we will focus on the coexistence of absolutely opposite traits in these individuals. And it is that research in the field of psychopathy is divided into two fields.

One maintains that, by default, psychopathy cannot include any form of adaptive traits. Meanwhile, the other side argues that adaptive traits can be found, to some extent, in psychopathic individuals.

Various instruments have been developed to investigate psychopathic traits based on these two views and there is much discrepancy between the results. Of all the studies carried out, the most comprehensive was that of Guillaume Durand called The Effects of Psychopathic Traits on Fear of Pain, Anxiety and Stress . An innovative point of view that explains to us how adapted psychopaths in society manage their emotions.

Adapted psychopaths: expanding and improving their definition

Researchers in the study The Effects of Psychopathic Traits on Fear of Pain, Anxiety and Stress subjected 529 participants to a series of psychological tests. They measured psychopathy, fear of pain, anxiety, and stress.

They used a test that looks for two different types of psychopathy: domination and impulsive antisociality. The former is associated with boldness and bravery, while the latter is associated with selfishness, blaming others, and impulsiveness.

The researchers found that people who scored high on the Domination measure tended to have less fear of pain, anxiety, and stress. In contrast, those who scored high on the Impulsive Antisociality measure showed higher levels of anxiety and stress.

Study results

The study suggests that the definition of psychopathy given by the media (private mass murderer of any form of morality) is quite far from the truth. Although these people obviously exist, there are others who have more adaptive than maladaptive traits, which makes them perfectly functional in society.

The results on psychopathic traits and the relationship with fear, stress and anxiety can be very different depending on the model used (with or without adaptive traits). A diagnosis of psychopathy is often made using a test known as the Hare Revised Psychopathy Checklist . However, this test focuses on maladaptive behaviors and traits.

The great importance of including adaptive and maladaptive traits in the study of psychopathy

The focus of this study was to examine the discrepancy in the results in the field of psychopathy, where the adaptive traits of the questionnaire were negatively correlated with fear of pain, anxiety and stress, while the opposite was found with the maladaptive traits. .

To solve this problem, Guillaume Durand created the Adaptive Psychopathic Traits Questionnaire (Durand, 2017; Journal of Personality Assessment), which exclusively assesses adaptive psychopathic traits. The use of this instrument in individuals considered highly psychopathic will allow researchers to clearly distinguish adapted psychopathic individuals from maladjusted ones.

Adapted psychopaths: what has been studied about their empathy

Empathy, while serving altruism, is also a tool for the Machiavellian mind, which needs good “information” to evaluate and potentially take advantage of others.

Psychopathy can serve the common good. For example, in performance-demanding situations, such as those faced by first responders, healthcare workers, soldiers, and others in high-risk situations. There the emotions can fade and open to a cold and simplified calculation.

Mihailides, Galligan, and Bates (2017) call this “adaptive psychopathy,” which describes the “quarantine vector” within which empathic information marries useful psychopathic mental processes. For example, to deal with threats that conflict with one’s values ​​and beliefs.

Empathy occurs in two ways: on the cognitive level and on the affective level. They are independent of each other, but they also tend to work together. Cognitive empathy is the ability to see things from another person’s point of view. Affective is the ability to vibrate with the emotions of others. Cognitive empathy is stronger in narcissism, while affective empathy appears weaker.

Adapted psychopaths: some of their traits, they serve in society

The traits that adapted psychopaths transmit carry with them an evolutionary advantage. Otherwise they wouldn’t be as common as they are.

People who can display psychopathic thinking sometimes have an advantage. They can be critical to the survival of the community, providing an inhibition-free, more aggressive contingent capable of concentrating and getting the job done. It is an extremely delicate balance.

Adapted psychopaths have a greater ability to make sense of the motivation of others. They need to help make decisions while retaining the ability to choose when to participate and when not to participate. Different groups of individuals together can provide checks and balances to maintain a dynamically adapted community.

Greater empathy coupled with dark traits can preserve the quality of the relationship. That is, the questionable traits of adapted psychopaths are sometimes not taken into account because they show some degree of empathy. If they did not present it, they would not be welcomed into the group.