psychopathy
/sai'kɔpəθi/
Definition
- Noun:
- A severe mental disorder characterized by persistent antisocial behavior, impaired empathy and remorse, and bold, disinhibited, and egotistical traits: Psychopathy is a clinical construct describing a pattern of profound emotional and interpersonal deficits, often associated with manipulative and deceitful behavior, a lack of guilt, and a failure to conform to social norms.
- (Historical/General) Any disease of the mind; a psychological state requiring psychiatric intervention: In broader or older usage, psychopathy can refer to any mental illness or serious psychological disturbance.
Usage and Examples
- Noun:
- The forensic psychologist assessed the inmate for signs of psychopathy.
- His complete lack of remorse was a key indicator of psychopathy.
- (Historical) Early 20th-century texts might use "psychopathy" to refer broadly to mental disorders.
Advanced Usage and Notes
- Clinical vs. Colloquial Use: In modern clinical psychology and psychiatry, "psychopathy" is a specific and severe personality construct, often assessed with tools like the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R). It is not a formal diagnosis in the DSM-5 but is closely related to Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD). Colloquially, it is often misused to describe extreme cruelty or evil.
- "Psychopathy" vs. "Sociopathy": While sometimes used interchangeably in popular culture, in professional contexts, "sociopathy" often emphasizes social and environmental factors in the development of antisocial behavior, whereas "psychopathy" is viewed as more innate or constitutional.
Variants and Related Words
- Psychopath (n): A person who has psychopathy.
- The film's villain was portrayed as a cunning psychopath.
- Psychopathic (adj): Having or showing the characteristics of psychopathy.
- He was diagnosed with a psychopathic personality disorder.
- Psychopathology (n): The scientific study of mental disorders; the manifestations and nature of mental illness.
- Her research focuses on developmental psychopathology.
Synonyms
- Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD): (A related but not identical clinical diagnosis).
- Moral insanity: (An outdated historical term).
- Sociopathy: (A related term with overlapping features).
Related Phrases and Idioms
- (To have) a psychopathic streak: To display some characteristics typical of psychopathy, such as ruthlessness or a lack of empathy.
- The CEO was feared for his psychopathic streak in business dealings.
- Cold-blooded psychopathy: Emphasizing the emotional detachment and calculated nature of the condition.
- The murders were acts of cold-blooded psychopathy.
Noun
-
any disease of the mind; the psychological state of someone who has emotional or behavioral problems serious enough to require psychiatric intervention
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