PSYC 3210U Lecture Notes - Lecture 9: Karla Homolka, Psychopathy, Schizophrenia
UNIT 10 NOTES
Psychopathy
What is Psychopathy?
What Do These People Have in Common?
• Ted Bundy
• Ed Gein
• David Berkowitz (Son of Sam)
• Anders Berhing Breivik
• Karla Homolka
• Alexander Pichuskhin
• Answer: They are all serial killers. Total [known] kills: 161
Ed Gein
(AKA The Mad Butcher; AKA Buffalo Bill)
Oe of Aeias ost faous seial killes.
Gein kidnapped his victims but also exhumed corpses from the local graveyard so that he could
keep trophies from the bones and skin of these victims.
Gein was first thought unfit for trial but after some time in a mental health facility he was tried
in 1968 for the murder of Bernice Worden in which he received life imprisonment after being
diagnosed with schizophrenia.
What Psychopathy is Not #1
“hizophei ≠ Psychopathic
Some schizophrenics are psychopaths, but no more so than the general population
Alexander Pichushkin
• Pehaps ‘ussias ost otoious seial kille.
• Was responsible for at least 49 murders; possibly 60.
• Was a sociable child until he hit his head when he fell off a swing; from that point on, he
as aggessie, atisoial, ad ofte teased fo eig a etad.
• Was adl affeted his gadfathes death, at hih poit he ega killig e i
the park, and sticking Vodka bottles in their skulls to ensure they were dead.
• Also ade ideos of hiself holdig hilde upside do ad statig: You ae i
poe o.
What Psychopathy is Not #2
Bai Daage ≠ Pshopath
This is a tricky one: psychopathy can occur due to brain damage, but psychopaths dot ted to
have gross cognitive disabilities
“tog Eotios ≠ Pshopath
Perhaps the cardinal characteristic of the psychopath is his lack of emotional experience
What Psychopathy is Not #3
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Uotollale Uges ≠ Pshopath
The psychopath can at times e ipulsie, ut he ist fueled uotollale uges
David Berkowitz (AKA Son of Sam)
An American serial killer convicted of a series of shooting attacks that began in the summer of
1976.
He confessed to all of them and claimed a demon that possessed his neighbor's dog had
commanded him to kill.
In 1987, he became a born-again Christian, and asked that from that point forward he be
efeed to as the “o of Hope.
In the mid 90s he amended his confession to claim that he had been a member of a violent
Satanic cult that orchestrated the incidents as ritual murder.
He is currently serving 6 life sentences.
What Psychopathy is Not #4
Folloig Audito Halluiatios ≠ Pshopath
If he thiks hes supposed to udetake his atios, the hes ot a psychopath.
What Psychopathy is Not #5
Folloig “atai ‘ituals ≠ Pshopath
Agai: if he thiks hes supposed to udetake his atios, the hes ot a pshopath.
Practice Question #1
Bob is a judge who is presiding over the case of a man who has killed 20 people in the name of
the Hol “piit, ad ho doest feel guilt fo a of the eause the Hol “piit said he
eedt. Bo is tig to figue out if this a is pshopathi. Ho ould ou adise hi?
Answer: The man is likely not psychopathi, eause ee though hes killed so a people,
he doest ealize that his atios ae og.
Anders Behring Breivik
Killed 69 people in a mass shooting at a Workers Youth League camp.
Held a far-right militant ideology
On the day of the attacks, Breivik electronically distributed a compendium of texts entitled
2083: A European Declaration of Independence, hih all Isla ad Cultual Mais the
ee, ad ague fo the iolet aihilatio of ultiultualis.
What Psychopathy is Not #6
Folloig ‘eligious Ideolog ≠ Pshopath
If the tul hold that ideolog, the poal dot thik hat thee doig is og.
The psychopath understands right from wrong.
So Then What is a Psychopath?
• Psychopathy is a personality disorder.
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• Thus, it is ot easued ased [etiel] o oes ehaio
• Characteristics of the psychopath include:
• Reduced experience of certain emotions: fear, guilt, empathy
• Increased orientation towards reward: impulsive, sensation-seeking
• Charming but manipulative: pathological lying
• Perhaps antisocial (potentially a consequence rather than a cause)
What Psychopathy is Not #7
Ciial ≠ Pshopath
Only a select subset of the criminal population meets criteria for psychopathy.
Assessment of Psychopathy
Psychopathy Checklist Revised (PCL-R)
Glib and Superficial Charm
Grandiose Self-worth
Pathological Lying
Conning and Manipulative
Lack of Remorse or Guilt
Shallow Affect
Callousness or Lack of Empathy
Failure to Accept Responsibility
Many Short-term Marital Relationships
Promiscuity
• A semi-structured interview is used to diagnose psychopathy
• Questions inquire into family, school, friends, work, personal and criminal life, to gain a
full appreciation for the person and their personality / lifestyle
• Each PCL-R item is scored a 0, 1 or 2; thus a total score of 40 is possible
• To be diagnosed as psychopathic, you must score 30 or higher
Parasitic Lifestyle
Poor Behavioral Controls
Early Behavioral Problems
Lack of Realistic Long-term Goals
Need for Stimulation
Impulsivity
Irresponsibility
Juvenile Delinquency
Revocation of Conditional Release
Criminal Versatility
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Document Summary
What do these people have in common: ted bundy, ed gein, david berkowitz (son of sam, anders berhing breivik, karla homolka, alexander pichuskhin, answer: they are all serial killers. Ed gein (aka the mad butcher; aka buffalo bill) Gein kidnapped his victims but also exhumed corpses from the local graveyard so that he could keep trophies from the bones and skin of these victims. Gein was first thought unfit for trial but after some time in a mental health facility he was tried in 1968 for the murder of bernice worden in which he received life imprisonment after being diagnosed with schizophrenia. Some schizophrenics are psychopaths, but no more so than the general population. This is a tricky one: psychopathy can occur due to brain damage, but psychopaths do(cid:374)(cid:859)t te(cid:374)d to have gross cognitive disabilities. Perhaps the cardinal characteristic of the psychopath is his lack of emotional experience.
