Psychopathic Behavior
Davis Rison
University of Central Oklahoma

Abstract
In this literature review, there will a full description of what exactly is a psychopath (including historical examples), typical characteristics of a psychopath, and if a psychopath can be saved from this disease. In addition, the relation between serial killers and psychopathic behavior will be discussed. Information from books, articles, and even movies will give a background and a clear picture for the subject. The disadvantages as well as the advantages to being a psychopath will also be highlighted and give reasons to why. Finally, the treatment options for psychopaths will be discussed, along with historical examples of past psychopathic treatment and their effectiveness. The purpose of this literature review is to give the reader a better idea of a psychopath, and maybe help them find out of there is one in their life.

Characteristics of a Psychopath There are many different traits that give a psychopath their name. It is common for people to use the word “psycho” to describe an individual who is psychotic. In reality, a psychopath is much different than that. Lacking any type of remorse or guilt, pathological egocentricity, impulsiveness, superficial charm, unreliability, and incapacity to love are just a few examples out of many that make up a psychopath. “Looking out for number one” is a popular phrase to describe a psychopath due to their impeccable selfishness and audacity to use anyone in their life to make personal gains, usually at the cost of others. In the book, “Without Conscience” by Robert Hare, PhD., he gives incredible insight by describing a psychopath as, “an image of a self-centered, callous, and remorseless person profoundly lacking in empathy and the ability to form warm emotional relationships with others, a person who functions without the restraints of conscience.” What is truly remarkable about psychopaths is their ability to “blend in” with society and fool their peers into thinking they are actually good people. In the aftermath of a psychopath being caught doing something unethical, phrases such as, “I thought he was a good guy” or “I didn’t think he was capable of doing such things”, would be a common response from the people the psychopath were associated with. It is estimated that there are nearly 2 million psychopaths in North American alone, so it is a fair assumption that each and every person living in the United States has known or known of a psychopath in their life, which is why it is important to know and understand these characteristics.
The Causes of Pyschopathic Behavior The reasons for psychopathic behavior are a widely debated topic. In most cases, the psychopathic individual had a rough childhood usually plagued with a bad home life, social rejection, or little to no supervision by their superiors. The MacDonald Triad is a set of three different traits that potentially psychopathic persons exhibit starting in early childhood. Obsession with fire-setting, cruelty to animals, and consistent bedwetting are the three traits highlighted in the triad, and evidence of at least two of the three in children under the age of 15 are a sign that the child could grow up to with a predisposition to violence, which can result in serial homicides. J. M. Macdonald, the creator of the Macdonald triad, explains that the reason children show these characteristics could have something to do with genetics, but could also be linked to parental neglect, brutality, or abuse. Although most psychopaths had some variation of unpleasantness in their childhood, there are some cases in which the child had loving and supportive parents but still exhibit psychopathic behavior as adults. There has been a link to parents giving their children everything and “spoiling” them and the child turning out to display psychopathic behavior later in life. Because the child got everything they wanted growing up, they