Criminal Minds Thinks Essay Example

but also aroused fascination among people. The media played a key role in amplifying this attention through various platforms such as books, TV shows, series, movies and documentaries - exploiting the shock value and horror associated with these crimes. Some popular examples include prime-time programs like "Cantina Dossal" (Homicide Files) and "Dossal" (Crime files), along with books like "Series Stiller" (Serial Murders) by Picket Topical that compiles stories of serial murders from across the globe.

The world's largest film industry based in Hollywood frequently produces films focusing on homicide cases. Silence of Lambs and Saw series are notable examples which have gained global popularity and wide viewership.

Movies that portray horrific serial killings using advanced technology and diverse equipment are designed to engage the audience and stimulate their imagination. The increasing portrayal of murder in media exposes viewers to explicit scenes of death, mutilation, and sexual torture within the confines of their own homes.

The media's comprehensive representation and promotion of murderers can result in the creation of various stereotypes. Nevertheless, it is crucial to understand that these depictions of psychopaths in films are often overblown and fictionalized for entertainment purposes. To counter these biases, TV networks have produced shows and documentaries like "The Black Widow(s)" presenting female killers and serial criminals thereby demonstrating that not all psychopaths are men.

Another facet of media influence involves exploiting public interest in murders while withholding significant details about those responsible. This pattern has been identified by researchers across different disciplines. Forensic psychologists, law enforcement officers, police departments, occasionally escapee victims contribute towards understanding the many facets of psychopathy through their stories. Researchers employ case study analysis as a

tool to explore murder deeper and ascertain its effect on societies.
Although narratives of homicide can be terrifying, they also illuminate the methodology and reasoning behind murder. Scholars are currently investigating not just the manner in which homicides are committed but also their underlying causes. The categorization of Antisocial Personality Disorder and psychopaths is elaborated in the ADSM-IV-TRY diagnostic criteria, which consists of two primary elements. The first part indicates an enduring pattern of disrespecting others' rights as shown by repeated illegal activities, deceit, impulsiveness, irritability, recklessness, irresponsibility and lack of guilt. The second part necessitates a history of conduct disorder before turning 15 years old.

Symptoms that significantly mark conduct disorder include regular lies, running away from home, theft and property vandalism (Grin et al., 2010). For someone to be diagnosed with psychopathy they must be at least 18 years old. Newman et al.(1998) stated that roughly three-fourths of people with psychopathy also qualify for another disorder diagnosis; substance abuse being most prevalent among these (Newman et al., 1998). Before antisocial behavior was recognized as a diagnosis in DSM-IV-TRY there already existed clinical descriptions for psychopaths.

A personality disorder known as psychopathy is typified by apathy towards others and societal norms (Woodworms ;Porter, 2002).Cycles (1976) centers on the inner thoughts and sentiments of psychopaths, differing from the observable behaviors highlighted in the diagnostic standards for conduct disorder (Grin, Johnson, Davison ; Neal, 2010). Clerly suggests that one of the most notable features of psychopaths is their limited range of both positive and negative emotions.

Psychopathy is also characterized by traits such as egocentrism, dishonesty, insensitivity, impulsivity, irresponsibility, shallow affectivity, poor behavioral regulation and antisocial actions

(Clerkly, 1976;Hare 1991 as referenced in Bolt,Hare,Vital ;Newman ,2004). Moreover, they possess a superficial charm and utilize manipulative tactics for personal advancement. They exhibit an absence of anxiety which hinders them from learning lessons from their own mistakes while their remorseless nature propels irresponsible and brutal behavior towards others(Grin ,Johnson,Davison & Neal ,2010 ). Numerous psychopaths like swindlers,cult leaders,politicians or triumphant corporate heads leverage others to achieve personal gratification like sex or power(Babies ,2000 as referred to in Porter& Woodworms ,2007 ). Lowe(1969,p .56as mentioned in Widow ,1976 )stated that psychopaths have shallow relationships due to a lack comprehension about the importance of personal bonds. Additionally,Cough(1948 as quoted in Widow ,1976 )proposed that empathizing with others remains a challenge for psychopaths.
Despite the commonalities between psychopathy and Personality-Affective Disorder (PAD), they differ in several ways. For example, unlike PAD, psychopathy doesn't necessitate showing symptoms before reaching 15 years of age. Moreover, psychopaths may display a wider range of issues that exceed PAD criteria. It's also possible for those diagnosed with PAD to not fulfill the requirements for being considered psychopathic (Grin et al., 2010). Furthermore, it's worth mentioning that one-fifth of those diagnosed with PAD have high ratings on the psychopathy checklist (Rutherford et al., 1999).

There is an ongoing debate among scholars regarding the causes of many disorders, often revolving around nature versus nurture arguments in psychology. This controversy extends to the origins of psychopathy as well. Some research indicates that criminal behavior (Statesman & Goldsmith, 1994), psychopaths (Taylor et al., 2003), and PAD (Eely et al., 2003) feature a moderate heritability rate ranging from 40% to50%. The genetic risk factors associated with PAD, conduct

disorder, substance abuse appear interlinked along with psychopath traits (Grin et al.,2010).

Moreover, studies reveal that behaviors typical to psychopaths tend to defy societal norms. As such researchers concentrate on elements like social circumstances, family background and poverty while exploring causative factors. An individual could inherit a generalized susceptibility towards displaying symptoms linked with psychopathy; however environmental influences would determine which particular symptoms manifest themselves(Kindler et al.,2003;According to Larsson and colleagues (2007), as referenced in the works of Grin, Johnson, Davison & Neal (2010), there is a clear connection between psychopathy, antisocial behavior, and criminal activities including violence. This relationship has also been highlighted by Hart and Hare (1997) as well as Porter & Porter who are yet to publish their findings but were quoted in Porter & Woodworms' 2007 study. This makes such individuals potentially harmful.

Research outcomes from various studies have shown that compared to others, psychopaths exhibit higher tendencies towards crime involvement (Williamson, Hare & Wong, 1987). Williamson et al.,(1987) add that these individuals often have minimal family contact and frequently relocate. They lack depth in relationships and actively participate in aimless illegal pursuits. Such clinical insights point out that psychopaths pose significant danger throughout their lifetime by victimizing others. There might be potential links between certain types of murder cases and psychopathy according to Hare's report in 1998 and Simooms &Hodge's work cited by Woodworms in 2002.

When it comes to evaluating psychopathy levels, the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PC-R) developed by Hare (2003) is most commonly used by researchers worldwide. Academics utilize this checklist along with comprehensive interviews and data from multiple sources like legal records for scoring its twenty

components individually based on presence or absence resulting scores ranging from O-40(Bolt,Hare,Vital ,2004).The guideline manual indicates a threshold score of 230 for determining psychopaths (Porter & Woodworms, 2007).

Some aspects of the Revised Psychopathy Checklist coincide with those of PAD, including criminal behavior, delinquency, impulsiveness, and irresponsibility. The PC-R scale contains interpersonal and affective elements like superficial charm, pathological lying, manipulative conduct, lack of remorse or empathy and shallow emotions (Grin et al., 2010; Hare & Neumann, 2006). It has two main categories; Factor 1 incorporates interpersonal and affective characteristics while Factor 2 involves impulsive behaviour along with antisocial tendencies and consistently unstable lifestyle. Primarily associated features of psychopaths fall under Factor 1 while secondary traits are in Factor 2 (Hicks et al.,2010). Studies have found positive correlations between the total scores on PC-R and narcissistic personality disorder as well as PAD (Hare et al.,1991). Various studies have demonstrated good inner consistency and test-retest reliability for the PC-R across different populations (e.g., Alderman et al.,1993; Hare et al.,1990; Vital et al.,2002 cited in Bolt et al.,2004).
Various types of studies are carried out by researchers to draw a comparison between psychopaths and nonpsychopaths, with the aim of recognizing distinct traits and fundamental mechanisms of psychopathy (Clerkly, 1976 as mentioned in Woodworms & Nonphysical Researchers). Porter (2007) suggests that violence instigated by psychopaths is externally motivated and lack the strong emotional aspect commonly linked with crimes of passion, unlike violence committed by nonphysical offenders. The categorization of violence by researchers falls under two primary groups: instrumental violence involving unfamiliar people with tangible goals, and reactive violence marked by heightened emotional response and close victim-offender relationship. It's crucial

to mention that in instances of nonphysical aggression, victims frequently tend to be familiar women targeted by the perpetrators whereas psychopaths mainly target unknown men using weapons. This comparative study exclusively considers psychopathic individuals and nonviolent criminals (Hare, Hart & Harper, 1991). Earlier research posits that compared to reactive violent acts triggered from intense disputes characteristic of nonviolent criminals , psychopaths demonstrate more instances of instrumental or objective-oriented lethal aggressions like acquisition of money or drugs(Cornell et al., 1996; Serine, 1991).Woodworms and Porter (2007) further contend that psychopaths predominantly perpetrate instrumental murder. They also suggest that while nonparticipating criminals have the potential to commit such crimes, their preferences don't align as closely with those of psychopathic offenders. One possible explanation they propose for this observation is the distinct absence of empathy in psychopathic criminals towards others, including their victims. In a study by Soon, Such, Mayer, and Lobby in 2002 showed how psychopaths didn't exhibit a startle response when exposed to affective images depicting potential violence or accurately recognize emotional facial expressions compared to nonpsychopaths. Conversely, Blair et al.,(1997) unveiled that sad and fearful human expressions evoked less automatic empathy in psychopaths. Consequently, it appears that compared to nonpsychopaths who are less inclined to contemplate such actions, psychopaths possess the ability to execute more ruthless and impassive murders. Brown and Forth (1997) found that relative to nonpsychopaths, the number of offenses committed by psychopaths was nearly double.
According to Woodworms and Porter (2007), Serine and Amos (1995) concluded that psychopaths are approximately five times more prone to violent recidivism within five years of release compared to nonpsychopaths. Hare (1966) suggests that psychopaths don't develop normal conditioned

fear responses nor do they consider the emotional consequences of forthcoming punishment. Citing Porter, Birth, and Boer (2001), Woodworms and Porter (2007) discovered that from late adolescence into adulthood, psychopathic offenders committed both violent and nonviolent crimes at a higher frequency than their non-offending peers. Harper and Hare's research in 1994 further supports this by revealing that psychopaths commit more offenses, get convicted more often, and serve longer prison sentences than other criminals. Furthermore, Hare, McPherson, and Forth (1988) found criminal psychopaths were four times as likely as non-psychopathic individuals to fail upon release leading to lengthier criminal records; an observation also made by Serine, Peters, Barber in 1990. Additionally, Williamson et al.,(1987) noted that the range of crimes committed by psychopaths is broader compared to those committed by nonpsychopathic individuals while Holland et al.,(1993) pointed out their lackluster performance in passive avoidance learning.

Moreover Psychopaths exhibit distinctive differences in terms of their nonverbal behavior during interpersonal interactions when compared with nonpsychopaths.
Individuals who display invasive behavior towards their partners, excessive use of hand gestures, forward leaning postures, prolonged eye contact and infrequent smiling are usually exhibiting traits such as dominance, impulsivity, aggression, sensation seeking and harm avoidance. These behaviors differentiate psychopaths from nonpsychopaths (Rim© et al., 1978; Elevenths et al., 2000).

Characterized by emotional unresponsiveness and antisocial tendencies, psychopaths are closely linked with criminal activities and repeated offenses. They often exhibit symptoms like impulsive actions, lack of deep emotions or feelings (shallow affect), seemingly irrational antisocial behavior and consistent disturbances in interpersonal relationships" (Bolt et al., 2004). In societal settings these individuals may appear harmless, timid or even polite - akin to silent weapons ready

to strike without warning.

However it is important to note that around 10% of psychopathic individuals demonstrate callousness indifference to others' feelings , manipulative behaviors along with impulsivity and irresponsibility(Porter & Woodworms ,2007). A distinguishing feature of these individuals is their propensity for immoral acts despite a clear understanding of their wrongdoings. Additionally the deficiency in emotional responses displayed by them has been widely researched but still sparks controversy regarding its physiological manifestations.Researchers suggest that psychopaths, in fact, might be more sensitive to emotional triggers compared to normal people. However, due to becoming accustomed over time (habituation), they exhibit a greater threshold for showing emotional reactions. Psychopaths are typically marked by self-centeredness and show an absence of emotions during interpersonal relations. Furthermore, they demonstrate a lack of empathy and restraint towards physical violence. These harmful traits elevate the risk of violent conduct.

An essential aspect to note is that the behaviors and characteristics observed in psychopaths tend to be relatively unchanging over time. This concept is illustrated effectively in the movie "A Clockwork Orange" (1971). The main character of the film, Alex Delaware who is a psychopath engages in various acts of violence until he gets caught and jailed.

While serving his sentence, he willingly participates in an experimental aversion therapy intended at addressing issues related with psychopathy and criminal activities. Initially, Alex responds favorably to these experiments displaying noticeable changes. But as we reach the end of this film it's clear that Alex falls back into his old habits exhibiting his previous violent tendencies which indicates his resistance towards change.

Studies have been conducted on Psychobiology and Biochemistry aspects associated with Psychopaths leading researchers to believe that

such alarming behavior could originate from a disorder involving both psychological/social elements along with biological components (Brenna & Rain, 1997). To delve deeper into understanding how psychological/social factors may impact this behavior pattern children suffering from behavioral disorders were studied by researchers.
The diagnosis of certain children was based on aggressive and antisocial behaviors they exhibited, including disobedience, truancy, theft, chronic lying and lack of remorse. It was found that stringent parental control could potentially increase the risk for these children to develop such personalities. Moreover, childhood experiences of physical or sexual abuse are another crucial factor in developing an antisocial personality. Although not every child with these experiences turns into a psychopath, their impact on antisocial behavior is undeniable.

Research indicates that some parents reported their children showed signs of anger tantrums from a young age and were frequently uncontrollable when disappointed. These behaviors are thought to be indicative of severe behavioral disorders that begin in early childhood and contribute towards shaping antisocial personalities.

Associated risks include genetic and neurological factors (Plotting, 2009). Neurological studies have established connections between brain damage and antisocial personality disorder (Plotting, 2009). Research conducted on twins and adopted children suggests that genetics may account for 30-50 percent of the development of antisocial personalities.

Recent research has also discovered differences in the brain structures of psychopaths compared to others at a biological level.There seems to be a malfunction in the connections between the brain's emotional regions and the area responsible for stimulation and decision-making, also known as the arbitrator cortex (Craig, 2009). While it was already established that these areas operate differently in psychopaths, it has been newly found that their interconnections are defective

(Craig, 2009). Also, damage to the preferential cortex could pose severe issues for normally functioning individuals. The human brain evolution featured a notable morphological development - enlargement of the frontal cortex which is often linked with psychological functions such as foresight, planning, and impulse control. These functions are equally crucial in animal behavior too. Lesions or damages to primates' and lower mammals' frontal cortex result in impaired response regulation and decreased capacity to coordinate complex motor programs. Similar impacts are observed post lesions of the septum and hippopotamus indicating these areas along with frontal cortex form a system regulating cooperative activity and controlling impulsive responses both in humans and animals (Cornerstone, 1998). It's also worth noting that brain damage significantly influences maladaptive behaviors.Scientists theorize that the frontal lobe plays a critical role in task performance, hence any damage to it during growth or following an accident could heighten the likelihood of antisocial personality disorder development (Plotting, 2009). Psychopaths are characterized as individuals with no notable anomalies except for their attractive physical attributes.

Psychopaths demonstrate a lack of remorse and only exhibit emotions when they deem it intellectually suitable. To them, personal relationships do not hold emotional significance. Jeffrey Dammed, initially perceived as normal, was later found guilty of raping and murdering 17 people and partaking in cannibalism with his victims. He mainly targeted young homosexual males whom he drugged, strangled and had intercourse with post-death. His actions were devoid of shame or regret. Research indicates that a psychopath's impact on emotions is contingent on general anxiety and distress levels. The adjustment of startle responses to disagreeable stimuli has also been influenced by associated constructs (Sutton,

Vital & Newman, 2002). Another research addresses "semantic dementia" (Patrick, Cutter & Lang, 1994), an ailment marked by the incapacity to link emotional meaning with language. One function of our brain is to revisit unpleasant events; however normal individuals usually repress and evade these memories.

This function aims to inhibit antisocial or maladaptive actions from manifesting. Nonetheless, this function is dysfunctional in psychopaths and fails to work correctly. In addition, psychopaths exhibit a diminished comprehension of emotional aspects compared to typical individuals.