Psychopath attorneys

[premiermaw]

Psychological studies have shown that individuals who take pleasure in inflicting harm on animals are more likely to do so to humans. One of the known warning signs of certain psychopathologies, including antisocial personality disorder, also known as psychopathic personality disorder, is a history of torturing pets and small animals, a behavior known as zoosadism.

They say people who've the fixed star Orion on their charts display zoosadism.

[A. Dawn]

Well, if you are *really* serious about figuring out a killer's mind you've to look beyond psychopathic personalities and explore the dissociative ego states ... Fugues, amnesias, sleep-walking, sleep talking, multiple personality; and other altered state phenomena were thought to be among the manifestations of persons who employed dissociation as a repressive defense. The general notion was that a few persons, well enough developed to merit the general diagnosis of neurotic, employed dissociative mechanisms in the service of fending off unwanted or unacceptable ideas and impulses. Dissociation was formulated as a "vertical" splitting of the personality; that is, a temporal or contextual separation or walling off of one or several aspects or constellations of personality from other aspects.  Vertical splitting was thought to contrast with the more widespread concept of repressive "horizontal" splitting, that is, a separation of so-called conscious from unconscious personality manifestations or constellations.

Psychiatric Annals devoted its January, 1984 issue to a series of updated reports from prominent researchers and clinicians in this area. Donald Schafer in June, 1984 has reported on his impressions from a long-term multiple personality study group which he heads. Since that time a mushrooming literature suggests a marked increase in the frequency of multiple personality diagnosis. Most authors in one way or another attribute this increased frequency to increased sensitivity on the part of members of the therapeutic community. The effects of media information on the clinical population seem to be, "it is okay to be a multiple, there are others like me."  But some observers question even if multiple personalities exist or if the idea represents some sort of ruse people use to get off the hook for things they do. Legal implications regarding personal responsibility for activities sometimes cloud clinical issues.

The vast majority of reported cases are women (9 out of 10 or at least 4 out of 5). The chief etiological hypothesis is exposure to overwhelming experiences in early childhood, usually of a violent, intrusive sexual nature. The supposed early traumas are often reported as some form of incest perpetrated by an older male, though mothers or other women are frequently named as co- or passive collaborators. More recently multiples have claimed memories of satanic ritual abuse or abductions by space aliens. Frequent homosexual themes are said to appear in male multiple personalities and are presumed etiologically related to the maleness of the molester. No other significant etiological hypotheses tend to be cited in the literature though direct trauma or abuse often cannot be confirmed and corroborating evidence of satanic cults and alien abduction is lacking. The possibility continues to arise that, since the therapist expects to hear of early abuse, the person produces it — certainly a possibility that has been noted often enough in other kinds of therapeutic research. In the earlier literature persons with multiple personalities are generally spoken of as being exceptionally intelligent with IQ's often estimated to exceed 130, though that factor is not emphasized so much recently. High intelligence has sometimes been postulated as a key factor which kept the person from becoming seriously psychotic (Schafer, 1984).

The central dynamic universally cited is that at the moment of severe stress part of the personality defensively splits off. Altered states are said to emerge for the "purpose" of avoiding traumatic (sexual or violent) overstimulation. The effect of the split in terms of pervasiveness is said to range on a continuum from most of the person's conscious life to only occasional dissociations under conditions of severe stress in an otherwise intact personality.  Schafer (1984) states, "a personality comes into existence when the personality already in existence can no longer tolerate the world. That new personality may then be brought back in parallel emotional situations." Researchers are not altogether clear on the nature of subsequent additional splits — whether later traumas which are different in character tend to produce altered personality states compatible with the type or source of the new trauma or whether splitting simply becomes adopted as a style with later splits representing attempts to cope with other aspects of one's personality. In using the concept "defense" as a cause for splitting, researchers neglect to differentiate between "defense" meaning fending off real intrusions, and "defense" as used in the more traditional sense meaning fending off unconscious wish/fear contents or psychic conflicts of various types. The diagnostic and therapeutic approach most often described is based upon the assumption that there was, in fact, traumatic abuse and that therapeutic benefit comes through encouraging repeated abreactions related to the supposed traumas.

[A. Dawn]

Serial murderers may well have a multiple personality structure, and an overwhelming urge to kill, which becomes unbearable and takes them over. Serial murderers, who have been interviewed, have stated that in the midst of committing murders, they felt as if their personalities had been taken over, whereby they became like witnesses to the murders they committed. An individual with multiple personality disorder has learned to deal with emotional stress by repressing traumatic memories and emotions into his unconscious mind. He'll have used defense mechanisms to create an area in it (a dissociated energy system) in which he could repress negative emotions (such as hatred, anger, and murderous urges), attitudes, and potential behavior patterns. This creates a continuous build up of these emotions, which gained strength over time as negative emotions, etc., were continuously repressed into it. It eventually developed a structure, identity, and purpose of its own. When it was needed for protection and survival, it made itself known as a hostile protector, striking back at the child's identified enemy. His Ego (basic personality) is amnesic when it makes its presence known.

If this alternate personality is about to go too far, a rescuer personality may be created to calmly deal with these negative situations, which means that three personalities are then sharing the same body. At first, these alternate personalities have a protective function towards the Ego, but after a while they may develop interests and activities of their own that the Ego knows nothing about. The defense mechanism of denial is used to ignore this reality. When specific emotions are aroused, they're triggered. Activities get done, and the Ego doesn't remember how this happened. Both serial murderers Ted Bundy and Dennis Nilsen have each referred to their alternate personality in a singular sense. Also, they've acknowledged being aware of it. In an individual with MPD, the Ego is unaware of an alternate personality that is manifesting itself. Norris (1988) states that Ted Bundy knew that he didn't have a split personality, because he knew what he was doing and where he was. He also knew that what was inside of him was a part of him. Also, there's no mention of any other helper personalities. There's only the recognition of one other personality.

Sean Hill states in, "Nurture-Born Killers: The Motivation and Personality Development of the Serial Killer," that a serial killer's mind is characterized by sociopathic features (Abrahamsen,1973), and that there are traits that are commonly found in sociopaths that overlap with traits that are commonly found in serial murderers. He states that the difference between the two may lie in the tension-reduction cycle in the methods that are chosen to reduce tension. He further states that the Nihilistic killer derives pleasure from killing, and that these motivational dynamics are characterized by patterns that correspond to the adult serial murderer, who kills many victims over a period of time for no apparent motive other than that of satisfaction and the release of tension (Hill, 1994). Hill goes on to state that Liebert (1985) suggested that a serial murderer is the product of very primitive emotions, and that violent and impulsive sexual behavior is the organizing force behind his personality. In the serial murderer, the pleasure principle takes the dominant role in personality development, and hate and revenge become fused, which causes the serial murderer to see the world in psychopathic colors (Hill, 1994).

Travis Hirschi's, "Social Bond Theory," (A Social Control Theory) focuses on how individuals bond to society. An individual develops social consciousness depending on the quality of his attachments to others (his interest in others). According to this theory, if the individual's attachment to society is weak, he/she may defy the moral codes of his/her society. Research has demonstrated support for aspects of, "Social Bond Theory." The FBI had agents conduct interviews on a subsample of 36 sexual serial murderers who were selected for gaining insight into the development of profiling strategies. It was discovered that their early attachments to significant others showed a general lack of bonding with them, which characterized how they related to bonding with others later in life. The men in the study experienced low social attachments, and they felt detached from family members and peers. Also, they didn't experience the forms of bonding through which people develop empathy towards others. As a child, a serial murderer used fantasy to escape from a negative family environment. In the fantasy, he entered into a world that he was in control of. One in which he acted out abuse against others, rather than being the target of it. These fantasies gave him feelings of perceived control, and they came to be his primary source of emotional arousal. These fantasies later structured his multicidal activities, as a kind of architecture, in which he could experience an environment that he could fulfill his multicidal motivations in. When these factors are combined with aspects of bonding theory, a structuring process develops that informs later multicidal behavioral patterns. These factors are significant, but they're only a part of the puzzle in the etiology of a serial murderer.

[harrisons]

Well, if you are *really* serious about figuring out a killer's mind you've to look beyond psychopathic personalities and explore the dissociative ego states ...

So that's what this "killing" stuff is all about - figuring out the killer's mind, how it works and so on - are you guys writing some kind of paper or is some kind of more elaborate work you've doing? A novel, maybe, like Catherine Tramel of Basic Instinct?

[mayo]

Psychological studies have shown that individuals who take pleasure in inflicting harm on animals are more likely to do so to humans. One of the known warning signs of certain psychopathologies, including antisocial personality disorder, also known as psychopathic personality disorder, is a history of torturing pets and small animals, a behavior known as zoosadism.

They say people who've the fixed star Orion on their charts display zoosadism.

There's no fixed star called "Orion" - traditional astrology uses a small number of stars. Most modern astrologers lean to a very small orb (1 degree - one finger's width). They allow a larger orb especially for the 4 Royal Stars, Aldebaran, Regulus, Antares and Fomalhaut, plus Sirius and Spica. Caput Algol is also allowed a larger orb, because it is such a powerful influence for evil.

[we are watching you]

There's no fixed star called "Orion" - traditional astrology uses a small number of stars. Most modern astrologers lean to a very small orb (1 degree - one finger's width). They allow a larger orb especially for the 4 Royal Stars, Aldebaran, Regulus, Antares and Fomalhaut, plus Sirius and Spica. Caput Algol is also allowed a larger orb, because it is such a powerful influence for evil.

Interesting - could you expand a bit?

[doubtie]

Psychological studies have shown that individuals who take pleasure in inflicting harm on animals are more likely to do so to humans. One of the known warning signs of certain psychopathologies, including antisocial personality disorder, also known as psychopathic personality disorder, is a history of torturing pets and small animals, a behavior known as zoosadism.

They say people who've the fixed star Orion on their charts display zoosadism.

There's no fixed star called "Orion" - traditional astrology uses a small number of stars. Most modern astrologers lean to a very small orb (1 degree - one finger's width). They allow a larger orb especially for the 4 Royal Stars, Aldebaran, Regulus, Antares and Fomalhaut, plus Sirius and Spica. Caput Algol is also allowed a larger orb, because it is such a powerful influence for evil.

Orion is a constellation often referred to as The Hunter; it is a prominent constellation, one of the largest and perhaps the best-known and most conspicuous in the sky. Its brilliant stars are found on the celestial equator and are visible throughout the world.

[paymen]

Well, if you are *really* serious about figuring out a killer's mind you've to look beyond psychopathic personalities and explore the dissociative ego states ...

So that's what this "killing" stuff is all about - figuring out the killer's mind, how it works and so on - are you guys writing some kind of paper or is some kind of more elaborate work you've doing? A novel, maybe, like Catherine Tramel of Basic Instinct?

A dissertation, maybe?

[a g a p e]

There's evidence that the business climate has become even more hospitable to psychopaths in recent years. In pioneering long-term studies of psychopaths in the workplace, New York industrial psychologist Paul Babiak focused on a half-dozen unnamed companies: One was a fast-growing high-tech firm, and the others were large multinationals undergoing dramatic organizational changes -- severe downsizing, restructuring, mergers and acquisitions, and joint ventures. That's just the sort of corporate tumult that has increasingly characterized the U.S. business landscape in the last couple of decades. And just as wars can produce exciting opportunities for murderous psychopaths to shine (think of Serbia's Slobodan Milosevic and Radovan Karadzic), Babiak found that these organizational shake-ups created a welcoming environment for the corporate killer. "The psychopath has no difficulty dealing with the consequences of rapid change; in fact, he or she thrives on it," Babiak claims. "Organizational chaos provides both the necessary stimulation for psychopathic thrill seeking and sufficient cover for psychopathic manipulation and abusive behavior."

And you can make a compelling case that the New Economy, with its rule-breaking and roller-coaster results, is just dandy for folks with psychopathic traits too. A slow-moving old-economy corporation would be too boring for a psychopath, who needs constant stimulation. Its rigid structures and processes and predictable ways might stymie his unethical scheming. But a charge-ahead New Economy maverick -- an Enron, for instance -- would seem the ideal place for this kind of operator. But how can we recognize psychopathic types? Hare has revised his Psychopathy Checklist (known as the PCL-R, or simply "the Hare") to make it easier to identify so-called subcriminal or corporate psychopaths. He has broken down the 20 personality characteristics into two subsets, or "factors." Corporate psychopaths score high on Factor 1, the "selfish, callous, and remorseless use of others" category. It includes eight traits: glibness and superficial charm; grandiose sense of self-worth; pathological lying; conning and manipulativeness; lack of remorse or guilt; shallow affect (i.e., a coldness covered up by dramatic emotional displays that are actually playacting); callousness and lack of empathy; and the failure to accept responsibility for one's own actions. Sound like anyone you know? (Corporate psychopaths score only low to moderate on Factor 2, which pinpoints "chronically unstable, antisocial, and socially deviant lifestyle," the hallmarks of people who wind up in jail for rougher crimes than creative accounting.)

This view is supported by research by psychologists Belinda Board and Katarina Fritzon at the University of Surrey, who interviewed and gave personality tests to 39 high-level British executives and compared their profiles with those of criminals and psychiatric patients. The executives were even more likely to be superficially charming, egocentric, insincere, and manipulative, and just as likely to be grandiose, exploitative, and lacking in empathy. Board and Fritzon concluded that the businesspeople they studied might be called "successful psychopaths." In contrast, the criminals -- the "unsuccessful psychopaths" -- were more impulsive and physically aggressive. The Factor 1 psychopathic traits seem like the playbook of many corporate power brokers through the decades. Manipulative? Louis B. Mayer was said to be a better actor than any of the stars he employed at MGM, able to turn on the tears at will to evoke sympathy during salary negotiations with his actors. Callous? Henry Ford hired thugs to crush union organizers, deployed machine guns at his plants, and stockpiled tear gas. He cheated on his wife with his teenage personal assistant and then had the younger woman marry his chauffeur as a cover. Lacking empathy? Hotel magnate Leona Helmsley shouted profanities at and summarily fired hundreds of employees allegedly for trivialities, like a maid missing a piece of lint. Remorseless? Soon after Martin Davis ascended to the top position at Gulf & Western, a visitor asked why half the offices were empty on the top floor of the company's Manhattan skyscraper. "Those were my enemies," Davis said. "I got rid of them." Deceitful? Oil baron Armand Hammer laundered money to pay for Soviet espionage. Grandiosity? Thy name is Trump.

In the most recent wave of scandals, Enron's Fastow displayed many of the corporate psychopath's traits. He pressured his bosses for a promotion to CFO even though he had a shaky grasp of the position's basic responsibilities, such as accounting and treasury operations. Suffering delusions of grandeur after just a little time on the job, Fastow ordered Enron's PR people to lobby CFO magazine to make him its CFO of the Year. But Fastow's master manipulation was a scheme to loot Enron. He set up separate partnerships, secretly run by himself, to engage in deals with Enron. The deals quickly made tens of millions of dollars for Fastow -- and prettified Enron's financials in the short run by taking unwanted assets off its books. But they left Enron with time bombs that would ultimately cause the company's total implosion -- and lose shareholders billions. When Enron's scandals were exposed, Fastow pleaded guilty to securities fraud and agreed to pay back nearly $24 million and serve 10 years in prison.

"Chainsaw" Al Dunlap might score impressively on the corporate Psychopathy Checklist too. What do you say about a guy who didn't attend his own parents' funerals? He allegedly threatened his first wife with guns and knives. She charged that he left her with no food and no access to their money while he was away for days. His divorce was granted on grounds of "extreme cruelty." That's the characteristic that endeared him to Wall Street, which applauded when he fired 11,000 workers at Scott Paper, then another 6,000 (half the labor force) at Sunbeam. Chainsaw hurled a chair at his human-resources chief, the very man who approved the handgun and bulletproof vest on his expense report. Dunlap needed the protection because so many people despised him. His plant closings kept up his reputation for ruthlessness but made no sense economically, and Sunbeam's financial gains were really the result of Dunlap's alleged book cooking. When he was finally exposed and booted, Dunlap had the nerve to demand severance pay and insist that the board reprice his stock options. Talk about failure to accept responsibility for one's own actions.

[CoQ10]

Anti-social personality disorder (what the original poster was talking about, assumedly, with their references to sociopathy) is a relatively common disorder that is often correlated with higher than average intelligence and a strongly competitive nature.  It seems intuitive for the law to attract individuals diagnosable with ASP.  What bugs me is the implication that sociopathy is bad.



I'm not kidding.  If the traits that are comorbid with sociopathy lead to sociopaths being better attorneys, and if our society wants good attorneys, then that seems like a good impetus for the ABA to start recruiting anti-social individuals.  Heck, they practically do already.  I'm a firm believer in Michel Foucault's outlook that diagnoses are only valuable in the context of understanding maladaptive behavior.  As soon as you start making judgments about an individual's fitness from the fact that they're diagnosable - not from any specific actions the individual has undertaken - the diagnosis itself has become maladaptive from a societal standpoint.

-Ty

The Antisocial Personality Disorder is a controversial mental health diagnoses. The psychopath refuses to conform to social norms and obey the law. He often inflicts pain and damage on his victims. But does that make this pattern of conduct a mental illness? The psychopath has no conscience or empathy. But is this necessarily pathological? Culture-bound diagnoses are often abused as tools of social control. They allow the establishment, ruling elites, and groups with vested interests to label and restrain dissidents and troublemakers. Such diagnoses are frequently employed by totalitarian states to harness or even eliminate eccentrics, criminals, and deviants.

Psychopathy is frequently co-morbid with other psychological disorders (particularly narcissistic personality disorder). Many psychologists believe that psychopathy falls on a spectrum of pathological narcissism, ranging from narcissistic personality disorder on the low end, malignant narcissism in the middle, and psychopathy on the high end.

Like narcissists, psychopaths lack empathy and regard other people as mere instruments of gratification and utility or as objects to be manipulated. Psychopaths and narcissists have no problem to grasp ideas and to formulate choices, needs, preferences, courses of action, and priorities. But they are shocked when other people do the very same. Most people accept that others have rights and obligations. The psychopath rejects this quid pro quo. As far as he is concerned, only might is right. People have no rights and he, the psychopath, has no obligations that derive from the "social contract." The psychopath holds himself to be above conventional morality and the law. The psychopath cannot delay gratification. He wants everything and wants it now. His whims, urges, catering to his needs, and the satisfaction of his drives take precedence over the needs, preferences, and emotions of even his nearest and dearest.

Consequently, psychopaths feel no remorse when they hurt or defraud others. They don't possess even the most rudimentary conscience. They rationalize their (often criminal) behavior and intellectualize it. Psychopaths fall prey to their own primitive defense mechanisms (such as narcissism, splitting, and projection). The psychopath firmly believes that the world is a hostile, merciless place, prone to the survival of the fittest and that people are either "all good" or "all evil". The psychopath projects his own vulnerabilities, weaknesses, and shortcomings unto others and force them to behave the way he expects them to (this defense mechanism is known as "projective identification"). Like narcissists, psychopaths are abusively exploitative and incapable of true love or intimacy.