2008 Woodie Awards
Delving into psychopaths
Kelli Shaffner - The Daily Iowan
Issue date: 12/4/07 Section: Metro
- Page 1 of 1
Psychopaths aren't always manipulative, conceited, pathological liars.
Just sometimes.
UI "part-time" psychology Professor Don Fowles spoke in the Blank Honors Center South Commons on Monday night to differentiate between the two main types of psychopaths in a lecture titled "The Psychology of Antisocial Behavior with Emphasis on Psychopathy."
The PowerPoint-structured lecture for 25 students sitting at couches and modest round tables was offered through the Honors Program and was meant for those interested in psychopathy.
UI sophomore Katie Emmett said this was the first event from the Honors Program activities e-mails she receives that she chose to attend, mainly because it seemed the most interesting. And she's majoring in psychology.
"This is the type of psychology I'd like to get into," she said. "It's what makes people tick. It's interesting."
Fowles noted there are two types of psychopath personalities, Factor One and Factor Two.
People with those two personalities have, he said, almost completely opposite behaviors, which becomes a problem with some diagnosis when the two are grouped together.
Factor One types, also known as the emotional deficit and predator aspects of psychopathy, are typically characterized by lack of remorse or guilt, superficial charm, pathological lying, manipulativeness, and grandiose sense of self worth.
They also have traits of "lovelessness" - or the inability to form attachments, he said.
Factor Two types are those said to be living the impulsive-antisocial lifestyle, show poor behavioral controls, impulsiveness, and lack of realistic long-term goals. People of this type are often also associated with Attention Deficit Disorder and substance abuse.
Although a person may have these characteristics, he said, it doesn't mean that they are psychopathological.
Fowles also noted that these are constructions, and that "reality is always more complex."
He said there are some people who are psychopathological and successful. One example he gave was people involved in business and politics.
Emmett said she enjoyed the event because of the different ways in which the factors were broken down.
Following the event, Fowles said the topic had always been of "very special interest" to him, but it was around 1995 when scientists Paul Frick and Christopher Patrick brought both adults and children into their studies.
"It made sense of stuff that never made sense before," Fowles said, adding that there were studies only on children.
He said they "didn't look like psychopaths."
Fowles said Frick showed a pathway between adults, ADHD, and psychopathological behavior.
"So basically within a few years it was a completely different picture," he said. "Then the two lined up and everything made sense."
E-mail DI reporter Kelli Shaffner at:
kelli-shaffner@uiowa.edu
Just sometimes.
UI "part-time" psychology Professor Don Fowles spoke in the Blank Honors Center South Commons on Monday night to differentiate between the two main types of psychopaths in a lecture titled "The Psychology of Antisocial Behavior with Emphasis on Psychopathy."
The PowerPoint-structured lecture for 25 students sitting at couches and modest round tables was offered through the Honors Program and was meant for those interested in psychopathy.
UI sophomore Katie Emmett said this was the first event from the Honors Program activities e-mails she receives that she chose to attend, mainly because it seemed the most interesting. And she's majoring in psychology.
"This is the type of psychology I'd like to get into," she said. "It's what makes people tick. It's interesting."
Fowles noted there are two types of psychopath personalities, Factor One and Factor Two.
People with those two personalities have, he said, almost completely opposite behaviors, which becomes a problem with some diagnosis when the two are grouped together.
Factor One types, also known as the emotional deficit and predator aspects of psychopathy, are typically characterized by lack of remorse or guilt, superficial charm, pathological lying, manipulativeness, and grandiose sense of self worth.
They also have traits of "lovelessness" - or the inability to form attachments, he said.
Factor Two types are those said to be living the impulsive-antisocial lifestyle, show poor behavioral controls, impulsiveness, and lack of realistic long-term goals. People of this type are often also associated with Attention Deficit Disorder and substance abuse.
Although a person may have these characteristics, he said, it doesn't mean that they are psychopathological.
Fowles also noted that these are constructions, and that "reality is always more complex."
He said there are some people who are psychopathological and successful. One example he gave was people involved in business and politics.
Emmett said she enjoyed the event because of the different ways in which the factors were broken down.
Following the event, Fowles said the topic had always been of "very special interest" to him, but it was around 1995 when scientists Paul Frick and Christopher Patrick brought both adults and children into their studies.
"It made sense of stuff that never made sense before," Fowles said, adding that there were studies only on children.
He said they "didn't look like psychopaths."
Fowles said Frick showed a pathway between adults, ADHD, and psychopathological behavior.
"So basically within a few years it was a completely different picture," he said. "Then the two lined up and everything made sense."
E-mail DI reporter Kelli Shaffner at:
kelli-shaffner@uiowa.edu
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