RESEARCH ARTICLE

Psychopaths fail to automatically take the perspective of others

Psychopathic individuals behave in callous and antisocial ways that suggest

that these individuals fail to consider what others are thinking (i.e.,
theory of mind). However, most empirical studies of psychopathy find
that, despite their behaviour, psychopathic individuals have an intact
theory of mind: they successfully predict other’s perspectives. 

These findings suggest that psychopathic individuals have a diminished

propensity to automatically think from another’s perspective, which may
be the cognitive root of their deficits in social functioning and moral
behaviour. Specifically an inability to automatically take another person’s
perspective.

Successful social interaction requires the ability to understand what other

people are thinking. This ability, often referred to as a “theory of mind”
(ToM), helps individuals predict and interpret others’ behaviors, develop
meaningful social relationships, communicate effectively, and engage in
appropriate moral reasoning. ToM processing is critical in normal social
interactions, and thus it makes sense that ToM dysfunctions characterize a
variety of psychiatric disorders, from autism to schizophrenia.

Psychopathy is defined by antisocial behavior paired with

callousness, low empathy, and low interpersonal emotions.

Psychopathic individuals commit two to three times more violent and

nonviolent crimes than no psychopathic individuals. Researchers
have described psychopathic individuals as “emptied souls” and
“unscrupulous” and some clinicians have designated psychopathy as
the syndrome of “moral insanity”.

NORMAL TOM PROCESSING: OUR TENDENCY TO TAKE OTHERS’

PERSPECTIVE AUTOMATICALLY

that neurotypical adults represent the perspective of others using

two distinct types of ToM processes: controlled and automatic.
Controlled ToM processes are engaged when an individual
deliberately considers the thoughts or feelings of another person.
With automatic ToM processes, an individual represents the thoughts
or feelings of another person without intending to do so.
 that people automatically and irresistibly represent others’
perspectives even when it runs counter to their goals.

We hypothesize that psychopathic individuals may lack the normal

human tendency to automatically take the perspective of others.

Yes, psychopaths are more likely to be in jail than most people —

but the majority of them aren't.  And they probably make your life
miserable. They're "subclinical psychopaths." With biology, you
either have tuberculosis or you don't. Black and white. There's no
"kinda." In psychology there's a lot of "kinda." People with
subclinical psychological disorders are like this. Not bad enough to
go to prison, but plenty bad enough to make your life awful.

Think Frank Underwood in House of Cards — but without the murder.

And research shows many U.S. presidents have had psychopathic traits.
Which profession has the most psychopaths? The answer is: CEOs.

Yup, studies show there are a disproportionate number of

psychopaths in corporate America. (In fact, some psychopathic
traits are more common in CEO's than in mentally disturbed
criminals.)

Just because they don't feel empathy doesn't mean they don't understand it.
And many get quite good at faking it. All the better to manipulate you to
get what they want. And because they lack empathy they see other people
as objects to be used.

So you consider doing something mean and your conscience slams the
brakes. But psychopaths' brake line has been cut. And stuff they want is
four times as rewarding to them. So someone also put a brick on their
accelerator.

Some people might think: I have done bad things. And I find some things
really rewarding. Oh my god! I'm worried that I'm a psychopath!
If you're worried that you're a psychopath, you're not a
psychopath — because psychopaths don't worry.

So how do we make these people better? We don't. In fact, treatment

makes them worse. Teaching them about empathy doesn't make them more
empathetic. It just teaches them how to fake it better. They see treatment
as "finishing school."

Subclinical psychopaths

So what happens when you dial down the psychopathy a bit, turn off the
impulsiveness and add in a little conscientiousness so they can graduate
law school or business school?

You get a psychopath who blends in at work just fine. And they chase their
rewards, ignore morality and are quite good at covering their tracks.
Robert Hare, the criminal psychologist who developed the test used to evaluate
psychopaths explains:

…many psychopaths never go to prison or any other facility. They appear to

function reasonably well — as lawyers, doctors, psychiatrists, academics,
mercenaries, police officers, cult leaders, military personnel, businesspeople,
writers, artists, entertainers, and so forth — without breaking the law, or at least
without being caught and convicted. These individuals are every bit as egocentric,
callous, and manipulative as the average criminal psychopath; however, their
intelligence, family background, social skills, and circumstances permit them to
construct a facade of normalcy and to get what they want with relative impunity.

From Almost a Psychopath

So subclinical psychopaths aren't chopping people up with an axe.

But they are ruthlessly going after what they want without any concern for those
around them. How do they do it? If they're breaking hearts and infesting corporations,
how do they not get caught?

How do psychopaths get what they want?

 Hare says that whether subclinical psychopaths are screwing up your love life or your
workplace, they usually follow a three step process:

1. They assess the utility, weaknesses, and defenses of those around them
2. They manipulate others to bond with them and get what they want
3. They abandon their targets and move on… Or, in a corporate environment,
often move up

From Snakes in Suits: When Psychopaths Go to Work:

First, they assess the value of individuals to their needs, and identify their
psychological strengths and weaknesses. Second, they manipulate the individuals
(now potential victims) by feeding them carefully crafted messages, while constantly
using feedback from them to build and maintain control. Not only is this an effective
approach to take with most people, it also allows psychopaths to talk their way around
and out of any difficulty quickly and effectively if confronted or challenged. Third,
they leave the drained and bewildered victims when they are bored or otherwise
through with them.

If they invade your personal life, they turn on that artificial empathy and charm. They
listen to hear what you think of yourself and reinforce that. The message? I like who
you are. Then they pretend they share similar qualities. Message? I am just like you.

It's not much different at the office. They get to know everyone and use that fake
empathy to make a good first impression and quickly figure out who has the power.

From Snakes in Suits: When Psychopaths Go to Work:

Once they join the company, psychopaths try to meet as many people in the company
as they can, spreading positive first impressions and collecting as much information as
possible. While meeting and greeting organization members, they study their
coworkers' organizational roles and almost instinctively assess their short-and long-
range utility or value. A person's value is based on where he or she fits into the
organizational hierarchy (sometimes referred to as position power), technical abilities
(expert power), access to information (knowledge power), and whether he or she
controls staff, money, and other assets (resource power).

Turns out it's quite easy for them. Their thrill seeking nature is mistaken for prized
employee qualities like "high energy" and being "action oriented." And their lack of
feelings? Oh, in the business world we call that "ability to make tough decisions." Or
someone who is "cool under fire." You know… the stuff leaders are made of.

And then they go to work making sure they look good, their rivals look bad and that
all the evidence is well hidden.
From Snakes in Suits: When Psychopaths Go to Work:

Specifically, their game plans involved manipulating communication networks to

enhance their own reputation, to disparage others, and to create conflicts and rivalries
among organization members, thereby keeping them from sharing information that
might uncover the deceit. They also spread disinformation in the interest of protecting
their scam and furthering their own careers. Being exceedingly clever and secretive,
they were able to cloak their association with the disinformation, leading others to
believe that they were innocent of manipulation.

If they've invaded your personal life, they use that bonding to start getting
what they want from you. In the workplace they quickly distinguish
between "pawns" and "patrons."

Pawns are the co-workers and subordinates they manipulate like chess
pieces. Patrons are upper management who they get close to for help
climbing the corporate ladder.

Maybe someone does catch on to their schemes. But did the whistleblower spend time
making sure upper management likes and trusts them? Because the psychopath did.
Guess who senior management trusts?

We believe that a breakdown begins to occur when the psychopath's web of deceit and
manipulation becomes unwieldy and too many people have had glimpses of their dark
side. Eventually, someone tries to do something about it. A former pawn might
challenge or confront the individual, and perhaps even try to bring the situation to the
attention of higher-ups. Unfortunately, by this time the psychopath is well positioned
through the influence networks already established with others in the power hierarchy.
The tables are turned because the credibility of the complaining employee has already
been "managed" and undermined.

How to identify a psychopath

Now don't go falling into the trap of playing amateur psychoanalyst, calling everyone
who has ever been mean to you a psychopath. But, that said, this is an area where the
research says you actually might be able to "trust your gut."

Studies show psychopaths really do make some people feel queasy. Why? The
researchers suspect it might be an evolutionary response to an "intraspecies predator."

In a recent study, researchers J. Reid Meloy and M. J. Meloy studied the reactions
of mental health and criminal justice professionals concerning their "physical
reactions" while interviewing psychopathic offenders or patients. The reactions
were varied and included sensations and feelings that were gastrointestinal
(queasy stomach, feeling of illness), muscular (shaky feeling, weakness),
cardiovascular (pounding heart), pulmonary (shortness of breath.) The authors
suggested that their findings could be interpreted as suggestive evidence of a
primitive, autonomic, and fearful response to a predator. They described the
psychopath as an intraspecies predator.

(Sad part is that psychopaths have a "Spidey-sense" too. Research shows they actually
can tell which people are vulnerable targets, just by looking at them.)

Beyond that, be skeptical of people who aggressively turn on the charm. If someone is
going out of their way to flatter you, ask yourself "Why?"

And you know that old saying about not trusting people who are nice to you but mean
to waiters at a restaurant? Turns out it's true. Psychopaths and narcissists are
extremely status conscious with a strong tendency to "kiss up and kick down."

From Without Conscience: Referring to psychologist Harry Levinson's work on

healthy and unhealthy narcissism in managers, Hogan noted that unhealthy narcissists
have an almost grandiose sense of certainty and a disdain for subordinates. "They are
particularly good at ingratiating themselves with their seniors but brutalize their
juniors," he is quoted as saying.

Alright, so you're pretty sure this new person in your life or that new co-worker at the
office is manipulative and playing puppet-master. How do the experts recommend you
deal with them?

1) Don't

The End.

But if you have to deal with them as an individual, and you can't get away, don't play
their games. They're better at this than you are. They've done it before.
Harvard psychologist Martha Stout says you might
think you're being a hero but you're actually charging
into an ambush.

From The Sociopath Next Door:

Do not join the game.

Intrigue is a sociopath's tool. Resist the temptation to compete with a

seductive sociopath, to outsmart him, psychoanalyze, or even banter
with him. In addition to reducing yourself to his level, you would be
distracting yourself from what is really important, which is to protect
yourself. Even if you win, guess what? Now you're using manipulative games.
Stanford professor Bob Sutton, author of Good Boss, Bad Boss, tells all of his
students:

When you take a job, take a long look at the people you're going to be working with
— because the odds are you're going to become like them, they are not going to
become like you. You can't change them. If it doesn't fit who you are, it's not going to
work.

2) Accept that some people are just bad news

You might believe all people have good in them. Or that every person can be fixed. Or
that they'd be better if…

That's not going to fly here. Sorry. You can't change them. What you can do is get to
know how they work and get to know yourself better. Know where your
vulnerabilities lie. Because psychopaths are experts at figuring them out. Address your
weaknesses before they exploit them.

As one psychopath put it, "I love do-gooders because they do

me such good."

Often a subclinical psychopath is telling so many lies it can be hard to see straight.
How do you keep your head clear?

3) Pay attention to actions, not words

This is another one all the sources agreed on. Don't listen to the
excuses, rationalizations or outright lies. Don't listen to what
they say they will do. Pay attention to what they do.

One lie, one broken promise, or a single neglected

responsibility may be a misunderstanding
instead. Two may involve a serious mistake. But
three lies says you're dealing with a liar, and
deceit is the linchpin of conscienceless behaviour

4) Build your reputation and relationships

The psychopaths at work are always recruiting unsuspecting "patrons" in upper

management to unknowingly provide cover for them when rumors about their shady
behavior start to circulate.

And they'll also be leveraging these relationships to spread disinformation and lies
about anyone who gets in their way or poses a threat. And that might include you.

So make sure to build your own relationships and keep a reputation as a

hard worker. Be above reproach. Don't be a complainer. That way when
you do complain — senior people listen.

To protect yourself, make sure you invest energy in managing your own reputation,
build open and honest relationships with peers and your boss, work up to your
abilities, and follow applicable policies and procedures.

And if you're dealing with a possible psychopath in your personal life, relationships
are just as important. Friends can often be more objective than you can. When
multiple confidantes say "He/She is no good" you might want to listen.

5) Win-win agreements
Psychopaths are aggressive personalities. They want to win. If you can make it so it's
easier and more enticing for them to work with you than to try to subvert you, you
might be able to keep their ruthlessness in check.

When you bargain with any aggressive personality, try to propose as many win-win
scenarios as you can. Doing this is extremely important and requires creativity and a
particular mind set. But in my experience, it's perhaps the single most effective
personal empowerment tool because it puts to constructive use the aggressive
personality's determination to win.

Don't give up on all people just because you dealt with a really bad one.

Mother Nature has a sense of humor. On one

hand you have psychopaths, who have zero empathy. On the other hand, there are
people with Williams Syndrome. They have too much empathy. They trust everyone.
They love everyone:

…kids and adults with Williams love people, and they are literally pathologically
trusting. They have no social fear. Researchers theorize that this is probably because
of a problem in their limbic system, the part of the brain that regulates emotion. There
appears to be a disregulation in one of the chemicals (oxytocin) that signals when to
trust and when to distrust. This means that it is essentially biologically impossible for
kids like Isabelle to distrust.

Some people are too good, some too bad. And most of us are somewhere in the
middle. Don't let a bad experience with one person ruin the party.

From The Sociopath Next Door:

Do not allow someone without conscience, or even a string of such people, to

convince you that humanity is a failure. Most human beings do possess conscience.
Most human beings are able to love.

To have a happy life and a productive career, you may need to give up
on particular people.

But that doesn't mean you have to give up on people.