The reduced empathetic response is considered to be the most common psychopathic trait and can be observed through a willingness to engage in anti-social behaviour, a disregard for the impacts of their actions on other people, and a decreased physiological response to emotional stimuli (3). Psychopathy is characterised by various personality traits and behaviours, especially a lack of empathy, impulsivity, pathological lying, manipulative behaviour, and high intelligence (1). Interestingly enough, psychopathy affects between 15 and 25% of the prison population worldwide, thus implying an association between mental illness and criminality (3). However, psychopathy is more common than typically believed – as it is estimated to affect 1% of the global population and is observed to be more prevalent in men than women. While psychopathy does have environmental factors, it also has a strong genetic component – but interestingly, individuals can be genetically predisposed to having psychopathy, yet the disorder remains dormant unless exacerbated by external factors. Additionally, psychopathy tends to be confused with sociopathy – but in an interview with the psychologist Ramani Durvasula, PhD, she says “the key difference: a psychopath is born, and a sociopath is made.” (2). The word ‘psychopath’ can often be used as a throw-away term to describe someone violent and cruel, but this a minimised view on the disorder.
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