Sociopaths and Psychopaths: A Crisis of Conscience and Empathy (What Makes Them Tick Book 1)

genetic risk factor, which “leads to the emotional dysfunction that is the core of psychopathy.”

That’s the Triarchic Model of Psychopathy. Disinhibition. Boldness. Meanness. Add to that high extraversion, low conscientiousness, high openness, risk-taking, disagreeability, no fear, and a complete lack of the ability to give a shit. That combination will give you a world-class psychopath.

I’ve met with nearly 3,000 criminals, and only a handful of them have been psychopaths. But that handful was really messed up. Like, Hannibal Lecter level of creepy. I strongly doubt that one percent of the world’s population is psychopathic.

first wrote about and coined the term theory of mind in a 1978 article about chimpanzees. They stated, “An individual has a theory of mind if he imputes mental states to himself and others.” Impute is a fancy word for “attribute,” by the way.

They feel they are entitled to whatever they want, and they either ignore the feelings of others or are unable to comprehend them.

Sociopaths also experience no guilt or shame, although they are able to fake it.

there is a strong link between genes and psychopathy. There is also a strong link between a negative environment and psychopathy. And, when the two are combined, it can get ugly.

their meanness comes out through Machiavellianism (i.e. the ends justify the means) and poor empathy skills.

When people are antisocial, they are against other people—they don’t like people and do terrible things to them.