There are different typologies of psychopaths according to studies carried out by various authors. The most decisive and important are those carried out by Schneider, Blackburn, Millon and Lykken. In this Psychology-Online article we will delve into the characteristics of each classification made by the different authors since it is very important to understand how they act to better understand psychopathy and, therefore, treat it with scientific rigor. Let’s see the 26 types of psychopaths and their characteristics.
Types of psychopaths according to Schneider
Kurt Schneider was a German psychiatrist who developed a classification that corresponds to 10 different typologies of psychopaths that appeared published in his book “Psychopathic Personalities” in 1943. The classification is based on their personalities.
- Hyperthymic
- Depressives
- Unsure of themselves
- Fans
- In need of estimation
- Labile in spirit
- Explosives
- Heartless
- Abolic
- Asthenic
1. Hyperthymic psychopaths
This group of psychopaths is characterized by having a fundamentally happy mood, and they are also active and very optimistic people. They lack firmness and depth, they are reckless, easy to influence and unfaithful. They easily commit crimes.
2. Depressive psychopaths
This group is characterized by having a depressive and reserved predisposition. Self-reproaches and doubts predominate, they are calm. The author subdivides depressive psychopaths into
- Melancholic
- Grumpy
- With paranoid traits
3. Insecure psychopaths
Group characterized by its insecurity, motivated by internal shyness, especially on a physical and social level. Externally they show confident and arrogant. They usually suffer from pangs of conscience. The author subdivides self-insecure psychopaths into two types:
4. Fanatical psychopaths
They are characterized by an active and expansive personality. They will not hesitate to commit crimes and commit acts contrary to social order. Schneider distinguishes several kinds of fans, depending on their purposes:
- Personal (they fight for their right, real or supposed)
- Idealists (they hold demonstrations in favor of their program)
- Silent
- Eccentrics
- Fantasizers
5. Psychopaths in need of esteem
They are subjects who want to appear more than they are, they need to be noticed. Eccentrics.
6. Psychopaths with labile moods
They change their mood abruptly, irritable and depressed mood. Impulsive reactions that end up causing an escape or alcoholic excesses. In the following article you will find more information about the .
7. Explosive psychopaths
These types of psychopaths have an excitable and irritable personality, they become angry and angry very easily.
8. Heartless psychopaths
Subjects with emotional dullness, that is, they lack certain basic feelings such as compassion, shame, conscience or sense of honor. Schneider emphasizes that a special trait of the heartless is incorrigibility.
9. Abulic psychopaths
This type of psychopaths are characterized by a lack of will and an inability to resist. Suggestible.
10. Asthenic psychopaths
Nervous, characterized by their cowardice and their concern for themselves and not for what may happen around them. The author shows that asthenic psychopaths are found in both sexes and even in children. He considers them psychologically insufficient: poor performance capacity, inability to concentrate and decreased memory. Furthermore, they fail somatically: they do not pay attention to discomfort or small difficulties.
Types of psychopaths according to Blackburn
Blackburn carried out an interpersonal approach through which he classified the types of psychopaths into four categories:
- Primary psychopaths
- Secondary psychopaths
- Controlled psychopaths
- Inhibited psychopaths
11. Primary psychopaths
Psychopaths in this category are impulsive, aggressive, hostile, extraverted, confident in themselves, with a low average anxiety. In this group the , , and .
12. Secondary psychopaths
Secondary psychopaths are characterized by being hostile, impulsive, aggressive, socially anxious, socially isolated, moody, with low self-esteem. Within this typology are antisocial, avoidant, , dependent and .
13. Controlled psychopaths
Psychopaths of this type usually appear defensive, controlled, sociable and not anxious. This group has lower scores for personality disorders.
14. Inhibited psychopaths
In this group of psychopaths we find those who are shy, isolated, controlled, moderately anxious, with low self-esteem. Here there are schizoids, and , but they show low scores in antisociality.
Types of psychopaths according to Millon
Millon was an American psychologist who stood out considerably for his studies on personality. He developed a classification based on nine types of psychopaths making it clear that none of them is exclusive of the other, the profile of the subject can be composed of more than one typology. Its classification is as follows:
- Unprincipled psychopath
- sneaky psychopath
- Risk-taking psychopath
- Greedy psychopath
- weak psychopath
- explosive psychopath
- rough psychopath
- Malevolent psychopath
- Tyrannical psychopath
15. Psychopath lacking principles
Associated with narcissistic personalities. They usually manage to successfully stay within the limits of what is legal and never enter treatment. Arrogant sense of self-worth, indifference to the well-being of others, and a fraudulent social style. It is not uncommon for these types of psychopaths to seek exploit othersthey don’t care about other people’s rights.
16. Underhanded Psychopath
Behavior characterized by a veneer of sociability and friendliness. After the appearance It hides unreliability, impulsive tendencies and deep bad mood and resentment towards family members and close people. Attention seeking often expressed by seductive behaviors. Superficial relationships.
17. Risk-taking psychopath
These types of psychopaths need to feel alive and easily get involved in risky situations. They respond to behaviors impulsively and thoughtlessly. Reckless and insensitive, incapable of being autonomous, lacking self-discipline. In the following article you will find more information about .
18. Greedy psychopath
They pursue their aggrandizement. They feel that life has deprived them of love, support, material gratifications… motivated by a desire for retribution from the criminal acts they commit to fill their lives. They believe that with their actions they restore balance.
19. Weak psychopath
In this typology of psychopathy, a behavioral basis of type avoidant and dependent. He shows a false image of security and his attacks seek to show that he is not afraid. Caricatures of little tyrants, intimidating attitude towards the world to show that no one can mess with them.
20. Explosive Psychopath
In this case there would be many components of the . The main characteristic is the sudden and sudden emergence of extreme hostility. His behavior “explodes”, so that there is no time for restraint.
21. Rough Psychopath
This subtype of psychopathy shows its rejection of others in a passive and indirect way. They tend to have incessant disagreements with others, magnifying even the smallest action to be entangled in bitter and constant disputes with the people around him.
22. Malevolent psychopath
serial killers common o/y fit this psychopath profile. Hostile and vengeful, their impulses seek a destructive and evil end. Cold and cruel, they seek revenge for attacks allegedly suffered, they seek punishment.
23. Tyrannical psychopath
Along with the previous type above, it is one of the most dangerous and cruel. Intimidating, overwhelming and destructive. Spurred by resistance or weakness, which increases the attack rather than softening or stopping it.
Types of psychopaths according to Lykken
Lykken conducted various laboratory studies related to the biological substrate of psychopathy. Through these studies she differentiated three types of psychopaths:
- primary psychopath
- destabilized psychopath
- secondary psychopath
24. Primary psychopath
The main feature in this type of psychopathy is a deviation in temperament that is very difficult to control since childhood. Weak Behavioral Inhibition System associated with fearbehavioral inhibition and passive avoidance behaviors.
25. Destabilized psychopath
Despite being able to enjoy normal sociability, psychopaths in this group suffer from an organic disorder that, when manifested, greatly unbalances them to the point of not feeling responsible for criminal behavior and/or antisocial that they commit.
26. Secondary psychopath
This type of psychopaths have excess in the Behavioral Activation System. It is associated with prize, reward, avoidance of pain and pursuit of pleasure. Activation of approach behaviors.
This article is merely informative, at Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.
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Bibliography
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- López, C. & Robles, J. I. (2005). Historical approach to the concept of psychopathy. Clinical, Legal and Forensic Psychopathology, 5.137-168.
- Yesuron, M. (2015). Psychopathy and its diagnosis. Sociohumanistic Studies, 17-31.