This article presents the Dynamic Model of Psychopathy (DMP) and its theoretical framework. The D... more This article presents the Dynamic Model of Psychopathy (DMP) and its theoretical framework. The DMP portrays the process behind the “mask of sanity” that Cleckley (1941) described, by conceptualizing the way in which shame contributes to dynamic shifts in extreme and conflicting experiences, strategies, and behaviors (narcissistic compensation) associated with basic needs for community and agency in psychopathic individuals. If the narcissistic compensation is sufficiently strong, the shame of the psychopathic individual is unconscious (demarcation for severe psychopathy characterized by grandiosity). As such, the DMP specifies the agreed-upon and loosely defined affective and interpersonal core of psychopathy, providing a framework for explaining, assessing and treating this dynamic interplay of affective-interpersonal, conscious and unconscious states. The DMP further offers a causal perspective (lack of community and agency; attachment needs) for the development of psychopathy, and reveals the close bond between the vulnerability and the destructiveness of psychopathic individuals. Clinical observations and empirical studies support the DMP and its theoretical framework, constituting an integrated construct of psychopathy. Further validation of the DMP is, however, needed.
Journal of the American Psychoanalytic Association, 2017
Man is the only animal that blushes, Mark Twain remarked (1897, p. 256). We blush when we are emb... more Man is the only animal that blushes, Mark Twain remarked (1897, p. 256). We blush when we are embarrassed, or worse, mortified, and when we are feeling ashamed. Shame is both more primitive than guilt-the toddler can feel shame well before she emerges from the oedipal crisis-and more mature. For while guilt can direct one's attention to those one has wronged and who now demand reparation, Bernard Williams (2008)
Recent psychopathy research has involved a critical re-examination of the construct. Absent from ... more Recent psychopathy research has involved a critical re-examination of the construct. Absent from this research has been an analysis of the role unconscious shame might play in etiology, traits and behaviour. Outside of the domain of psychopathy research, the significant role shame plays in intra-and interpersonal dynamics has been comprehensively investigated for the past few decades. More recently, exploration into the role that attachment plays in the development of shame has been suggested. The extant shame literature has explored the connection between unconscious shame and a range of behaviours, many of which are characteristic of psychopathy. While there have been some investigations on the association between psychopathy and conscious shame, this paper suggests that the exploration of unconscious shame, and its development resulting from certain attachment dynamics, can potentially further enhance our conceptualisation of psychopathy with regard to etiology, traits, behaviour, assessment and treatment. After reviewing the literature on unconscious shame, attachment and psychopathy, recommendations for future research are suggested.
White supremacists can be easy targets for intense feelings of anger and rage on the part of anti... more White supremacists can be easy targets for intense feelings of anger and rage on the part of anti-racism activists. Indeed, this rage seems quite justified. However, the influence of Cartesian dualism on white Euro-American think- ing fuels the tendency to create the artificial distinction of individuals as either racist or non-racist. This false dichotomy contributes to the inaccurate belief that those who are racists are qualitatively different from those who feel they are not. In contrast to this dichotomy, it is suggested that considering racism as existing on a continuum is both more realistic and informative. With such a paradigm, as opposed to being labeled as either racist or non-racist, individuals are conceptualized as possessing greater or lesser degrees of racist thinking, with the acknowledgment that it is misleading to believe that individuals can be totally devoid of any racist thinking. Psychoanalytic group relations theory would suggest that, as objects of such rage...
This article presents the Dynamic Model of Psychopathy (DMP) and its theoretical framework. The D... more This article presents the Dynamic Model of Psychopathy (DMP) and its theoretical framework. The DMP portrays the process behind the “mask of sanity” that Cleckley (1941) described, by conceptualizing the way in which shame contributes to dynamic shifts in extreme and conflicting experiences, strategies, and behaviors (narcissistic compensation) associated with basic needs for community and agency in psychopathic individuals. If the narcissistic compensation is sufficiently strong, the shame of the psychopathic individual is unconscious (demarcation for severe psychopathy characterized by grandiosity). As such, the DMP specifies the agreed-upon and loosely defined affective and interpersonal core of psychopathy, providing a framework for explaining, assessing and treating this dynamic interplay of affective-interpersonal, conscious and unconscious states. The DMP further offers a causal perspective (lack of community and agency; attachment needs) for the development of psychopathy, and reveals the close bond between the vulnerability and the destructiveness of psychopathic individuals. Clinical observations and empirical studies support the DMP and its theoretical framework, constituting an integrated construct of psychopathy. Further validation of the DMP is, however, needed.
In an earlier article appearing in "Multicultural Education" (Volume 16, Number 1, Fall... more In an earlier article appearing in "Multicultural Education" (Volume 16, Number 1, Fall 2008) a number of pedagogical techniques were presented for teaching White students about White privilege and racism (Heinze, 2008). That article emphasized that racism exists along a continuum and that the instructor needs to examine and disclose his or her own racism. Group exercises and an analysis of the film "The Color of Fear" were described as approaches that have proved successful. Additionally, a number of student dynamics, such as resistance to the material, were considered from a psychoanalytic perspective. With respect to the assessment of student learning in a Multicultural Psychology course, anecdotes and quotes from students were offered in the 2008 article as evidence, noting that there was an absence of empirical data (e.g., measurable learning outcomes). Since that time, there has been an opportunity to collect quantitative data, and this article presents fin...
While the Psychopathic Personality Inventory (PPI) has gained increasing attention as a measure o... more While the Psychopathic Personality Inventory (PPI) has gained increasing attention as a measure of noncriminal psychopathy, absent has been research involving samples including business people. This study investigated the validity of the PPI with such a population by examining the association between psychopathic traits and moral decision-making among MBA students. Sixty-six MBA students were assessed using the PPI, the MACH-IV (a measure of Machiavellianism), the Ethical Position Questionnaire (EPQ), and the Defining Issues Test (DIT-2). Only PPI Machiavellian Egocentricity was associated with level of post-conventional moral reasoning. MACH-IV Machiavellianism was a stronger predictor of the Subjectivist ethical position than were PPI subscales. However, a combination of MACH-IV Machiavellianism and four PPI scales accounted for 46% of the variance in Subjectivism. Results suggested that Machiavellian Egocentricity and Machiavellianism are distinct constructs. Benning, Patrick, Hicks, Blonigen, & Krueger (2003)'s two factor model of the PPI was also supported. In general, the findings provided further validation for the PPI as a tool for assessing psychopathic traits among "mainstream" individuals, including business people.
This article describes an exercise designed to help increase learning regarding themes salient to... more This article describes an exercise designed to help increase learning regarding themes salient to cross-cultural psychology. An exercise, "Rows and Circles", which was spontaneously created during a class session, was used to provide a deeper understanding of the connection between cultural behaviors and practices and the underlying values and attitudes which promote these. Both cross-cultural perspectives and psychoanalytic group theory are used to understand the ways in which students attempted to handle intergroup conflict. Additional learning, student feedback and an example of using the exercise in a corporate diversity training setting are also discussed. An experiential version of this exercise, with a description and debrief of the content, process and dynamics involved will be presented.
Jeanette Bopry (2002) reviews themes of objectivity/subjectivity within the field of Semiotics, a... more Jeanette Bopry (2002) reviews themes of objectivity/subjectivity within the field of Semiotics, and notes how such themes are connected with idealist and realist perspectives. Absent from Bopry's analysis is a consideration of how our understanding of the unconscious might influence the way in which subjectivity and objectivity are conceptualized. This paper will address how Carl Jung's idea of the nature of the unconscious expands our understanding of objectivity and subjectivity and, in turn, offers an alternative perspective regarding the nature of psychotherapeutic work. I will argue that, in addition to Jung positing that the unconscious is objective, his teleological approach to unconscious material, which contends that the psyche is oriented toward growth and integration, explicitly moves us away from the relatively ubiquitous belief that the unconscious is simply a receptacle of conflict resulting from unacceptable desires derived from personal (e.g., subjective) experience. As will be explained, Jung argues that the unconscious is not based solely on personal experience and that it is, in fact, the objectivity of the collective unconscious that reveals a teleological, purposive function. In the context of presenting Jung's unique perspective, it will be made clear that, while Freud and his intellectual adherents (e.g., Lacan) have certainly established the legitimacy of the unconscious as an area of investigation, their emphasis on a solely individual (e.g., personal) level of analysis can, ultimately, be quite limiting with regard to psychological transformation. In addition, I will address how contemporary psychoanalytic psychotherapy, with its emphasis on the putative curative effect of the therapeutic relationship, has lost sight of the critical role the objective unconscious plays. The alternative perspective of objectivity presented in this paper has implications for the practice of psychotherapy, in particular, and the study of Semiotics, in general.
This article describes an exercise designed to help increase learning regarding themes salient to... more This article describes an exercise designed to help increase learning regarding themes salient to cross-cultural psychology. An exercise, "Rows and Circles", which was spontaneously created during a class session, was used to provide a deeper understanding of the connection between cultural behaviors and practices and the underlying values and attitudes which promote these. Both cross-cultural perspectives and psychoanalytic group theory are used to understand the ways in which students attempted to handle intergroup conflict. Additional learning, student feedback and an example of using the exercise in a corporate diversity training setting are also discussed. An experiential version of this exercise, with a description and debrief of the content, process and dynamics involved will be presented.
White supremacists can be easy targets for intense feelings of anger and rage on the part of anti... more White supremacists can be easy targets for intense feelings of anger and rage on the part of anti-racism activists. Indeed, this rage seems quite justified. However, the influence of Cartesian dualism on white Euro-American thinking fuels the tendency to create the artificial distinction of individuals as either racist or non-racist. This false dichotomy contributes to the inaccurate belief that those who are racists are qualitatively different from those who feel they are not. In contrast to this dichotomy, it is suggested that considering racism as existing on a continuum is both more realistic and informative. With such a paradigm, as opposed to being labeled as either racist or non-racist, individuals are conceptualized as possessing greater or lesser degrees of racist thinking, with the acknowledgment that it is misleading to believe that individuals can be totally devoid of any racist thinking. Psychoanalytic group relations theory would suggest that, as objects of such rage, white supremacists are convenient receptacles for split-off and projected feelings of unconscious racism and/or intolerance on the part of whites who perceive themselves as non-racists. Such a perspective supports the idea of racism existing on a continuum and addresses how whites who perceive themselves as "nonracist" might unconsciously use white supremacists in order to maintain this self-perception. After a discussion of how racism is conceptualized, this paper addresses the dynamics which contribute to the unconscious collusion between white anti-racists and white supremacists. Finally, suggestions for how awareness of unconscious dynamics can help foster productive group processes are discussed.
This article presents the Dynamic Model of Psychopathy (DMP) and its theoretical framework. The D... more This article presents the Dynamic Model of Psychopathy (DMP) and its theoretical framework. The DMP portrays the process behind the “mask of sanity” that Cleckley (1941) described, by conceptualizing the way in which shame contributes to dynamic shifts in extreme and conflicting experiences, strategies, and behaviors (narcissistic compensation) associated with basic needs for community and agency in psychopathic individuals. If the narcissistic compensation is sufficiently strong, the shame of the psychopathic individual is unconscious (demarcation for severe psychopathy characterized by grandiosity). As such, the DMP specifies the agreed-upon and loosely defined affective and interpersonal core of psychopathy, providing a framework for explaining, assessing and treating this dynamic interplay of affective-interpersonal, conscious and unconscious states. The DMP further offers a causal perspective (lack of community and agency; attachment needs) for the development of psychopathy, and reveals the close bond between the vulnerability and the destructiveness of psychopathic individuals. Clinical observations and empirical studies support the DMP and its theoretical framework, constituting an integrated construct of psychopathy. Further validation of the DMP is, however, needed.
Journal of the American Psychoanalytic Association, 2017
Man is the only animal that blushes, Mark Twain remarked (1897, p. 256). We blush when we are emb... more Man is the only animal that blushes, Mark Twain remarked (1897, p. 256). We blush when we are embarrassed, or worse, mortified, and when we are feeling ashamed. Shame is both more primitive than guilt-the toddler can feel shame well before she emerges from the oedipal crisis-and more mature. For while guilt can direct one's attention to those one has wronged and who now demand reparation, Bernard Williams (2008)
Recent psychopathy research has involved a critical re-examination of the construct. Absent from ... more Recent psychopathy research has involved a critical re-examination of the construct. Absent from this research has been an analysis of the role unconscious shame might play in etiology, traits and behaviour. Outside of the domain of psychopathy research, the significant role shame plays in intra-and interpersonal dynamics has been comprehensively investigated for the past few decades. More recently, exploration into the role that attachment plays in the development of shame has been suggested. The extant shame literature has explored the connection between unconscious shame and a range of behaviours, many of which are characteristic of psychopathy. While there have been some investigations on the association between psychopathy and conscious shame, this paper suggests that the exploration of unconscious shame, and its development resulting from certain attachment dynamics, can potentially further enhance our conceptualisation of psychopathy with regard to etiology, traits, behaviour, assessment and treatment. After reviewing the literature on unconscious shame, attachment and psychopathy, recommendations for future research are suggested.
White supremacists can be easy targets for intense feelings of anger and rage on the part of anti... more White supremacists can be easy targets for intense feelings of anger and rage on the part of anti-racism activists. Indeed, this rage seems quite justified. However, the influence of Cartesian dualism on white Euro-American think- ing fuels the tendency to create the artificial distinction of individuals as either racist or non-racist. This false dichotomy contributes to the inaccurate belief that those who are racists are qualitatively different from those who feel they are not. In contrast to this dichotomy, it is suggested that considering racism as existing on a continuum is both more realistic and informative. With such a paradigm, as opposed to being labeled as either racist or non-racist, individuals are conceptualized as possessing greater or lesser degrees of racist thinking, with the acknowledgment that it is misleading to believe that individuals can be totally devoid of any racist thinking. Psychoanalytic group relations theory would suggest that, as objects of such rage...
This article presents the Dynamic Model of Psychopathy (DMP) and its theoretical framework. The D... more This article presents the Dynamic Model of Psychopathy (DMP) and its theoretical framework. The DMP portrays the process behind the “mask of sanity” that Cleckley (1941) described, by conceptualizing the way in which shame contributes to dynamic shifts in extreme and conflicting experiences, strategies, and behaviors (narcissistic compensation) associated with basic needs for community and agency in psychopathic individuals. If the narcissistic compensation is sufficiently strong, the shame of the psychopathic individual is unconscious (demarcation for severe psychopathy characterized by grandiosity). As such, the DMP specifies the agreed-upon and loosely defined affective and interpersonal core of psychopathy, providing a framework for explaining, assessing and treating this dynamic interplay of affective-interpersonal, conscious and unconscious states. The DMP further offers a causal perspective (lack of community and agency; attachment needs) for the development of psychopathy, and reveals the close bond between the vulnerability and the destructiveness of psychopathic individuals. Clinical observations and empirical studies support the DMP and its theoretical framework, constituting an integrated construct of psychopathy. Further validation of the DMP is, however, needed.
In an earlier article appearing in "Multicultural Education" (Volume 16, Number 1, Fall... more In an earlier article appearing in "Multicultural Education" (Volume 16, Number 1, Fall 2008) a number of pedagogical techniques were presented for teaching White students about White privilege and racism (Heinze, 2008). That article emphasized that racism exists along a continuum and that the instructor needs to examine and disclose his or her own racism. Group exercises and an analysis of the film "The Color of Fear" were described as approaches that have proved successful. Additionally, a number of student dynamics, such as resistance to the material, were considered from a psychoanalytic perspective. With respect to the assessment of student learning in a Multicultural Psychology course, anecdotes and quotes from students were offered in the 2008 article as evidence, noting that there was an absence of empirical data (e.g., measurable learning outcomes). Since that time, there has been an opportunity to collect quantitative data, and this article presents fin...
While the Psychopathic Personality Inventory (PPI) has gained increasing attention as a measure o... more While the Psychopathic Personality Inventory (PPI) has gained increasing attention as a measure of noncriminal psychopathy, absent has been research involving samples including business people. This study investigated the validity of the PPI with such a population by examining the association between psychopathic traits and moral decision-making among MBA students. Sixty-six MBA students were assessed using the PPI, the MACH-IV (a measure of Machiavellianism), the Ethical Position Questionnaire (EPQ), and the Defining Issues Test (DIT-2). Only PPI Machiavellian Egocentricity was associated with level of post-conventional moral reasoning. MACH-IV Machiavellianism was a stronger predictor of the Subjectivist ethical position than were PPI subscales. However, a combination of MACH-IV Machiavellianism and four PPI scales accounted for 46% of the variance in Subjectivism. Results suggested that Machiavellian Egocentricity and Machiavellianism are distinct constructs. Benning, Patrick, Hicks, Blonigen, & Krueger (2003)'s two factor model of the PPI was also supported. In general, the findings provided further validation for the PPI as a tool for assessing psychopathic traits among "mainstream" individuals, including business people.
This article describes an exercise designed to help increase learning regarding themes salient to... more This article describes an exercise designed to help increase learning regarding themes salient to cross-cultural psychology. An exercise, "Rows and Circles", which was spontaneously created during a class session, was used to provide a deeper understanding of the connection between cultural behaviors and practices and the underlying values and attitudes which promote these. Both cross-cultural perspectives and psychoanalytic group theory are used to understand the ways in which students attempted to handle intergroup conflict. Additional learning, student feedback and an example of using the exercise in a corporate diversity training setting are also discussed. An experiential version of this exercise, with a description and debrief of the content, process and dynamics involved will be presented.
Jeanette Bopry (2002) reviews themes of objectivity/subjectivity within the field of Semiotics, a... more Jeanette Bopry (2002) reviews themes of objectivity/subjectivity within the field of Semiotics, and notes how such themes are connected with idealist and realist perspectives. Absent from Bopry's analysis is a consideration of how our understanding of the unconscious might influence the way in which subjectivity and objectivity are conceptualized. This paper will address how Carl Jung's idea of the nature of the unconscious expands our understanding of objectivity and subjectivity and, in turn, offers an alternative perspective regarding the nature of psychotherapeutic work. I will argue that, in addition to Jung positing that the unconscious is objective, his teleological approach to unconscious material, which contends that the psyche is oriented toward growth and integration, explicitly moves us away from the relatively ubiquitous belief that the unconscious is simply a receptacle of conflict resulting from unacceptable desires derived from personal (e.g., subjective) experience. As will be explained, Jung argues that the unconscious is not based solely on personal experience and that it is, in fact, the objectivity of the collective unconscious that reveals a teleological, purposive function. In the context of presenting Jung's unique perspective, it will be made clear that, while Freud and his intellectual adherents (e.g., Lacan) have certainly established the legitimacy of the unconscious as an area of investigation, their emphasis on a solely individual (e.g., personal) level of analysis can, ultimately, be quite limiting with regard to psychological transformation. In addition, I will address how contemporary psychoanalytic psychotherapy, with its emphasis on the putative curative effect of the therapeutic relationship, has lost sight of the critical role the objective unconscious plays. The alternative perspective of objectivity presented in this paper has implications for the practice of psychotherapy, in particular, and the study of Semiotics, in general.
This article describes an exercise designed to help increase learning regarding themes salient to... more This article describes an exercise designed to help increase learning regarding themes salient to cross-cultural psychology. An exercise, "Rows and Circles", which was spontaneously created during a class session, was used to provide a deeper understanding of the connection between cultural behaviors and practices and the underlying values and attitudes which promote these. Both cross-cultural perspectives and psychoanalytic group theory are used to understand the ways in which students attempted to handle intergroup conflict. Additional learning, student feedback and an example of using the exercise in a corporate diversity training setting are also discussed. An experiential version of this exercise, with a description and debrief of the content, process and dynamics involved will be presented.
White supremacists can be easy targets for intense feelings of anger and rage on the part of anti... more White supremacists can be easy targets for intense feelings of anger and rage on the part of anti-racism activists. Indeed, this rage seems quite justified. However, the influence of Cartesian dualism on white Euro-American thinking fuels the tendency to create the artificial distinction of individuals as either racist or non-racist. This false dichotomy contributes to the inaccurate belief that those who are racists are qualitatively different from those who feel they are not. In contrast to this dichotomy, it is suggested that considering racism as existing on a continuum is both more realistic and informative. With such a paradigm, as opposed to being labeled as either racist or non-racist, individuals are conceptualized as possessing greater or lesser degrees of racist thinking, with the acknowledgment that it is misleading to believe that individuals can be totally devoid of any racist thinking. Psychoanalytic group relations theory would suggest that, as objects of such rage, white supremacists are convenient receptacles for split-off and projected feelings of unconscious racism and/or intolerance on the part of whites who perceive themselves as non-racists. Such a perspective supports the idea of racism existing on a continuum and addresses how whites who perceive themselves as "nonracist" might unconsciously use white supremacists in order to maintain this self-perception. After a discussion of how racism is conceptualized, this paper addresses the dynamics which contribute to the unconscious collusion between white anti-racists and white supremacists. Finally, suggestions for how awareness of unconscious dynamics can help foster productive group processes are discussed.
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associated with basic needs for community and agency in psychopathic individuals. If the narcissistic compensation is sufficiently strong, the shame of the psychopathic individual is unconscious (demarcation for severe psychopathy characterized by grandiosity). As such, the DMP specifies the agreed-upon and loosely defined affective and interpersonal core of psychopathy, providing a framework for explaining, assessing and treating this dynamic interplay of affective-interpersonal, conscious and unconscious states. The DMP further offers a causal perspective (lack of community and agency; attachment needs) for the development of psychopathy, and reveals the close bond between the vulnerability and the destructiveness of psychopathic individuals. Clinical observations and empirical studies support the DMP and
its theoretical framework, constituting an integrated construct of psychopathy. Further validation of the DMP is, however, needed.
associated with basic needs for community and agency in psychopathic individuals. If the narcissistic compensation is sufficiently strong, the shame of the psychopathic individual is unconscious (demarcation for severe psychopathy characterized by grandiosity). As such, the DMP specifies the agreed-upon and loosely defined affective and interpersonal core of psychopathy, providing a framework for explaining, assessing and treating this dynamic interplay of affective-interpersonal, conscious and unconscious states. The DMP further offers a causal perspective (lack of community and agency; attachment needs) for the development of psychopathy, and reveals the close bond between the vulnerability and the destructiveness of psychopathic individuals. Clinical observations and empirical studies support the DMP and
its theoretical framework, constituting an integrated construct of psychopathy. Further validation of the DMP is, however, needed.