Psychopathy and Aggression

STEPHEN PORTER MICHAEL WOODWORTH

Psychopathy is a personality disorder char Adult Offenders aeterized by a major affective deficit accom panied by a disregard for the rights of others A large number of studies have shown that and for societal rules in generaI (e.g., Hare, the presence of psychopathic traits is associ 1996). As defined by the well-validated Psy ated with a propensity for violent behavior. chopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R; Hare, In one of the earliest investigations of the re 1991), psychopaths are manipulative, cal lationship between psychopathy and vio lous, remorseless, impulsive, irresponsible lence, Hare and Jutai (1983) found that individuals (e.g., Hare, 1996, 1998). In this adult psychopathic offenders had been chapter, we begin by outlining the contribu charged with violent crimes about twice as tion of psychopathy to the prediction of often as nonpsychopaths. Virtually ali the whether and the degree to which a person psychopaths in their sample had perpetrated will engage in aggressive behavior. Our at at least one violent crime compared to about tention then turns to a much newer focus of half of the nonpsychopaths. Within a large research-the characteristics of violent ac sample of federal offenders (average age of tions by psychopaths. We review studies in 43.5 years), Porter, Birt, and Boer (2001) vestigating the nature of their violence, ex found that psychopaths had been convieted amine the possible link between psychopathy of an average of 7.32 violent crimes com and sadistic behavior, and consider how this pared to 4.52 violent crimes by nonpsycho work informs our understanding of their pathic offenders. This pattern of a relatively criminal motivations. high level of violence by psychopaths is witnessed throughout their criminal careers (e.g., Harpur & Hare, 1994; Porter, Birt, & TUE LlNK BETWEEN PSYCHOPATHY Boer, 2001). Thus, it is dear that psycho ANO AGGRESSION paths are a high1y aggressive group simply from examining the sheer number of violent Research has established a strong link be crimes they have perpetrated. tween psychopathic traits and aggressive be Knowledge of the psychopathy/aggression havior in each of adult offenders, antisocial link greatly aids in the prediction of future chiIdren and àdolescents, and civil psychiat violent behavior in adult offenders (e.g., ne patients. Harris, Rice, & Quinsey, 1993; Hemphill,

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