Are women more likely to be targeted by Sociopaths and Psycopaths than men?
Can you arrange starting from most likely to be targeted to least likely?
a. Elderly
b. *** Women
c. *** Men
d. Straight Women
e. Mixed Genders
f. Straight Men
g. Children
FYI - Profile of the Sociopath:
-Glibness and Superficial Charm
-Manipulative and Conning
-They never recognize the rights of others and see their self-serving behaviors as permissible. They appear to be charming, yet are covertly hostile and domineering, seeing their victim as merely an instrument to be used. They may dominate and humiliate their victims.
-Grandiose Sense of Self
-Feels entitled to certain things as “their right.”
-Pathological Lying
-Has no problem lying coolly and easily and it is almost impossible for them to be truthful on a consistent basis. Can create, and get caught up in, a complex belief about their own powers and abilities. Extremely convincing and even able to pass lie detector tests.
-Lack of Remorse, Shame or Guilt
-A deep seated rage, which is split off and repressed, is at their core. Does not see others around them as people, but only as targets and opportunities. Instead of friends, they have victims and accomplices who end up as victims. The end always justifies the means and they let nothing stand in their way.
-Shallow Emotions
-When they show what seems to be warmth, joy, love and compassion it is more feigned than experienced and serves an ulterior motive. Outraged by insignificant matters, yet remaining unmoved and cold by what would upset a normal person. Since they are not genuine, neither are their promises.
-Incapacity for Love
-Need for Stimulation
-Living on the edge. Verbal outbursts and physical punishments are normal. Promiscuity and gambling are common.
-Callousness/Lack of Empathy
-Unable to empathize with the pain of their victims, having only contempt for others’ feelings of distress and readily taking advantage of them.
-Poor Behavioral Controls/Impulsive Nature
-Rage and abuse, alternating with small expressions of love and approval produce an addictive cycle for abuser and abused, as well as creating hopelessness in the victim. Believe they are all-powerful, all-knowing, entitled to every wish, no sense of personal boundaries, no concern for their impact on others.
-Early Behavior Problems/Juvenile Delinquency
-Usually has a history of behavioral and academic difficulties, yet “gets by” by conning others. Problems in making and keeping friends; aberrant behaviors such as cruelty to people or animals, stealing, etc.
-Irresponsibility/Unreliability
-Not concerned about wrecking others’ lives and dreams. Oblivious or indifferent to the devastation they cause. Does not accept blame themselves, but blames others, even for acts they obviously committed.
-Promiscuous Sexual Behavior/Infidelity
-Promiscuity, child sexual abuse, **** and sexual acting out of all sorts.
-Lack of Realistic Life Plan/Parasitic Lifestyle
-Tends to move around a lot or makes all encompassing promises for the future, poor work ethic but exploits others effectively.
-Criminal or Entrepreneurial Versatility
-Changes their image as needed to avoid prosecution. Changes life story readily.
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(The above traits are based on the psychopathy checklists of H. Cleckley and R. Hare.)
Posted on May 6th, 2010 in Gender & Women's Studies |
May 7th, 2010 at 5:19 am
You place a checklist like there’s a psychopath guideline in place. It all depends on what part of society a certain psychopath focuses on. They are not all the same. To answer your original question, men can just as likely be objects of a psychopath’s obsession but when the psychopath reaches the serial killer status, women and children are the more likely targets.
May 7th, 2010 at 6:10 am
The gender of the victim plays no role. Sociopaths are opportunistic.
More men than women are diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder (which is the correct term used these days).
“Antisocial personality disorder (APD) is a mental disorder. It is defined by the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual: “The essential feature for the diagnosis is a pervasive pattern of disregard for, and violation of, the rights of others that begins in childhood or early adolescence and continues into adulthood.”[1] Deceit and manipulation are considered essential features of the disorder. Therefore, it is essential in making the diagnosis to collect material from sources other than the individual being diagnosed. Also, the individual must be age 18 or older as well as have a documented history of a conduct disorder before the age of 15.[1]People having antisocial personality disorder are sometimes referred to as “sociopaths” and “psychopaths”…
Prevalence
The National Comorbidity Survey, which uses DSM-III-R criteria, discovered that 5.8 percent of males and 1.2 percent of females showed evidence of a lifelong chance of obtaining the disorder.[7] According to DSM-IV, Antisocial Personality disorder is diagnosed in approximately three percent of all males and one percent of all females.[1]
Prevalence estimates within clinical settings vary from three to 30 percent, depending on the predominant characteristics of the populations being sampled. [8] The prevalence of the disorder is even higher in selected populations, such as people in prisons (who include many violent offenders). [9] Similarly, the prevalence of APD is higher among patients in alcohol or other drug (AOD) abuse treatment programs than in the general population (Hare 1983), suggesting a link between APD and AOD abuse and dependence.[10] David Korten also reports research that shows a high proportion of these traits among CEOs of major corporations. [11].”
May 7th, 2010 at 5:52 pm
As a proud psychopath , I must say i would just target anyone who happens to **** me off that minute. Man, woman , children. That’s why we are psychopaths we are just spontaneous like that.
May 9th, 2010 at 9:46 am
This depends on the pathology. Male sociopaths may target other men or women or both it depends on what they are seeking to accomplish.
And the same goes for a woman sociopath.
I would be interested to find out that as men’s brains are more compartmentalized and focused, whether men are more likely to become sociopaths or not,
May 10th, 2010 at 9:04 am
Depends on what you like really, personal niches, obsessions, what is pleasurable. Social Conditioning will play a role on how things are perceived. Opportunistic is the key term.(As an earlier poster explained) Now that being said, I still hold a grain of possibly misguided hope that everyone has redeeming qualities. In most cases it is said the best thing to do is run away from these sorts of people, and I can agree to an extent. Its is estimated 1 in 25 people are APD qualified. But this diagnosis runs in severities (Mild, Moderate….etc etc) and with proper treatment and medication there is a possibility to lead a successful life.
May 13th, 2010 at 10:19 am
You seem to be making a point about men dominating women. Sorry to burst your bubble but here in the UK repeated statistical surveys show that the most common incidence of this phenomenon is men on men. I can’t find my references for this but it is backed up by my own experience as a nurse working in a large casualty department (US = ER). The women I did treat were more likely to have suffered greater harm but I personally put this down to the greater size and strength of the male.
May 13th, 2010 at 8:06 pm
Those people are not all the same.
Women, children and old people are targets, but not because of misogynist, but because of physical weakness.