https://www.theguardian.com/society...ychopaths-than-previously-thought-says-expert
Dr Clive Boddy says assessment skews towards obvious male traits but female psychopathy is more subtle
When it comes to a typical psychopath, the suited and booted Patrick Bateman from the novel American Psycho might spring to mind, but, according to one expert, the number of women with the neuropsychiatric disorder could be far greater than previously thought.
Psychopaths are generally considered to lack empathy and guilt, exhibit antisocial behaviour, lie frequently and be ruthless, narcissistic and manipulative.
“Psychopaths are after money, power and control,” said Dr Clive Boddy, from Anglia Ruskin University, who is an expert on psychopaths in the corporate world.
While the idea of psychopaths as violent, antisocial criminals has given way to a more nuanced view – with Boddy among those to argue they are often found in big business – the idea that they are mostly male has remained.
“The behaviour of female psychopaths seems to be subtle enough and less obvious than male psychopaths and therefore they’re not recognised as much,” Boddy said.
“A small but mounting body of evidence describes female psychopaths as prone to expressing violence verbally rather than physically, with the violence being of a relational and emotional nature, more subtle and less obvious than that expressed by male psychopaths,” he noted, adding that may include spreading rumours and lies for personal advantage.
Dr Clive Boddy says assessment skews towards obvious male traits but female psychopathy is more subtle
When it comes to a typical psychopath, the suited and booted Patrick Bateman from the novel American Psycho might spring to mind, but, according to one expert, the number of women with the neuropsychiatric disorder could be far greater than previously thought.
Psychopaths are generally considered to lack empathy and guilt, exhibit antisocial behaviour, lie frequently and be ruthless, narcissistic and manipulative.
“Psychopaths are after money, power and control,” said Dr Clive Boddy, from Anglia Ruskin University, who is an expert on psychopaths in the corporate world.
While the idea of psychopaths as violent, antisocial criminals has given way to a more nuanced view – with Boddy among those to argue they are often found in big business – the idea that they are mostly male has remained.
“The behaviour of female psychopaths seems to be subtle enough and less obvious than male psychopaths and therefore they’re not recognised as much,” Boddy said.
“A small but mounting body of evidence describes female psychopaths as prone to expressing violence verbally rather than physically, with the violence being of a relational and emotional nature, more subtle and less obvious than that expressed by male psychopaths,” he noted, adding that may include spreading rumours and lies for personal advantage.
