1. The personality disorders are fundamentally disorders of traits, that is,
disorders that are reflected in the individual's tendency to perceive and respond
to the environment in broad and maladaptive ways. The notion of a
personality disorder assumes that people respond consistently across different
kinds of situations.
2. Of all ofthe personality disorders, the antisocial personality disorder is
the most widely studied. It is a disorder that is characterized clinically by inadequately
motivated antisocial behavior, emotional poverty, and the apparent
lack of conscience or shame.
3. The antisocial personality disorder originates in childhood or early adolescence,
where it takes the form of truancy, petty thievery, and other ruleviolating
behavior. As children, those who suffer the disorder often come
from emotionally deprived backgrounds and marginal economic circumstances.
Moreover, there is evidence that their antisocial behaviors have a
genetic basis that may be manifested in a constitutional brain defect. This
defect makes them under-aroused emotionally, and therefore less able to
learn from punishment or to control their impulses.
4. While severe punishment in childhood, such as sending a boy to a
penal institution, increases the likelihood that the boy will subsequently engage
in criminal activities, so too does no punishment at all. Moderate punishment-
enough to make the boy take the consequences seriously, but not
so much as to send him to places where he can learn to be a criminal-has a
genuine deterrent effect.
5. The remaining personality disorders each center on a striking personality
trait. Paranoia, dependency, introversion, passive-aggressiveness, and
compulsiveness are traits that have become so dominant that they merit the
personality disorder designation. In addition, some personality disorders,
such as schizotypal, reflect many of the symptoms that are found in the corresponding
Axis I disorder, but in lesser degree and without the florid
thought disorder.
6. With the exception of the antisocial personality disorder, there is genuine
disagreement regarding whether the personality disorders truly and reliably
exist. To some extent, the disagreement arises from the low reliability
of the personality disorder diagnoses. But to a larger degree, the disagreement
is rooted in the scientific debate about the existence of personality
traits. If traits playa relatively minor role in personality organization, then
the personality disorders cannot playa large role in abnormal psychology,
for they are based on the notion of traits.
disorders that are reflected in the individual's tendency to perceive and respond
to the environment in broad and maladaptive ways. The notion of a
personality disorder assumes that people respond consistently across different
kinds of situations.
2. Of all ofthe personality disorders, the antisocial personality disorder is
the most widely studied. It is a disorder that is characterized clinically by inadequately
motivated antisocial behavior, emotional poverty, and the apparent
lack of conscience or shame.
3. The antisocial personality disorder originates in childhood or early adolescence,
where it takes the form of truancy, petty thievery, and other ruleviolating
behavior. As children, those who suffer the disorder often come
from emotionally deprived backgrounds and marginal economic circumstances.
Moreover, there is evidence that their antisocial behaviors have a
genetic basis that may be manifested in a constitutional brain defect. This
defect makes them under-aroused emotionally, and therefore less able to
learn from punishment or to control their impulses.
4. While severe punishment in childhood, such as sending a boy to a
penal institution, increases the likelihood that the boy will subsequently engage
in criminal activities, so too does no punishment at all. Moderate punishment-
enough to make the boy take the consequences seriously, but not
so much as to send him to places where he can learn to be a criminal-has a
genuine deterrent effect.
5. The remaining personality disorders each center on a striking personality
trait. Paranoia, dependency, introversion, passive-aggressiveness, and
compulsiveness are traits that have become so dominant that they merit the
personality disorder designation. In addition, some personality disorders,
such as schizotypal, reflect many of the symptoms that are found in the corresponding
Axis I disorder, but in lesser degree and without the florid
thought disorder.
6. With the exception of the antisocial personality disorder, there is genuine
disagreement regarding whether the personality disorders truly and reliably
exist. To some extent, the disagreement arises from the low reliability
of the personality disorder diagnoses. But to a larger degree, the disagreement
is rooted in the scientific debate about the existence of personality
traits. If traits playa relatively minor role in personality organization, then
the personality disorders cannot playa large role in abnormal psychology,
for they are based on the notion of traits.