Personality DISORDERS OF WILL: Antisocial Personality Disorder
It is not only individuals with the antisocial personality disorder who steal
and cheat. "Normal" people filch, forge, and embezzle tbo. When normal
people steal and cheat, however, we call them criminals and their acts,
crime. Why should those who suffer the antisocial personality disorder be
regarded any differently?
The fact is that for the longest time antisocial personalities were not
thought about in psychological terms. Throughout most of history, criminals
were criminals and the only distinctions that were made had to do with
the severity oftheir crimes. But in the nineteenth century especially, the idea
developed that certain kinds of criminal behavior might arise from conditions
over which the individual had no control-that is, from social, psychological,
or biological sources. Their crimes then were not acts ofwill, but
rather the result of circumstances beyond their control. Much as noncriminal
but clearly dysfunctional behaviors might be caused by psychological
experiences over which the individual had little control, so too might criminal,
antisocial ones.
In the nineteenth century, such antisocial people were said to be afflicted
by moral insanity, This disorder was distinguished from other psychological
disorders by the English psychiatrist J.e. Prichard (1837).
Among the morally insane, Prichard wrote:
"Intellectuall faculties appear to have sustainedlittle or no injury, whilethe disorder
is manifest principally or alone, in the state of the feelings, temper, or
habits ... the moral and activeprinciples ofthe mind are strangely pervertedand
depraved; the power of self-government is lost or greatlyimpaired;and the individualis
found to be incapable, not of talkingor reasoning upon any subjectproposedto
him, for this he willoften do withgreatshrewdness and volubility, but of
conductinghimselfwith decency and proprietyin the businessoflife," (Prichard,
1837, p. 15)
Moral insanity then, was viewed as a disorder ofthe will. Although the term
moral insanity has been displaced by "antisocial personality disorder"
today, it continues to be viewed as a disorder ofwill. Whether for biological,
social, or psychological reasons, these people are found "to be incapable ...
of conducting [themselves] with decency and propriety in the business
of life." Where people are capable of exercising will and of conducting
themselves properly, but simply choose not to do so, they continue to be
called criminals.
There is often debate about whether or not a person is actually suffering a
personality disorder, and that debate arises from the very nature of the disorder
itself. The antisocial personality disorder is a disorder of will, and will
is not an all-or-nothing matter. One does not either have or not have will.
Rather, like most other psychological functions, will exists on a continuum:
normal people have more or less of it, but those who suffer this disorder have
even less. The line that divides those who suffer disorders from the rest of us
is arbitrary. Because of this, we diagnose this disorder with caution.
Also, like anxiety, will is in/erred. One does not see will. Rather, its presence
is inferred from behaviors that are believed to reflect it. Unless one ex-amines
those specific behaviors, judging whether someone does or does not
suffer a personality disorder can be hazardous. For that reason, DSM-4
offers behavioral diagnostic criteria for the antisocial personality disorder.
and cheat. "Normal" people filch, forge, and embezzle tbo. When normal
people steal and cheat, however, we call them criminals and their acts,
crime. Why should those who suffer the antisocial personality disorder be
regarded any differently?
The fact is that for the longest time antisocial personalities were not
thought about in psychological terms. Throughout most of history, criminals
were criminals and the only distinctions that were made had to do with
the severity oftheir crimes. But in the nineteenth century especially, the idea
developed that certain kinds of criminal behavior might arise from conditions
over which the individual had no control-that is, from social, psychological,
or biological sources. Their crimes then were not acts ofwill, but
rather the result of circumstances beyond their control. Much as noncriminal
but clearly dysfunctional behaviors might be caused by psychological
experiences over which the individual had little control, so too might criminal,
antisocial ones.
In the nineteenth century, such antisocial people were said to be afflicted
by moral insanity, This disorder was distinguished from other psychological
disorders by the English psychiatrist J.e. Prichard (1837).
Among the morally insane, Prichard wrote:
"Intellectuall faculties appear to have sustainedlittle or no injury, whilethe disorder
is manifest principally or alone, in the state of the feelings, temper, or
habits ... the moral and activeprinciples ofthe mind are strangely pervertedand
depraved; the power of self-government is lost or greatlyimpaired;and the individualis
found to be incapable, not of talkingor reasoning upon any subjectproposedto
him, for this he willoften do withgreatshrewdness and volubility, but of
conductinghimselfwith decency and proprietyin the businessoflife," (Prichard,
1837, p. 15)
Moral insanity then, was viewed as a disorder ofthe will. Although the term
moral insanity has been displaced by "antisocial personality disorder"
today, it continues to be viewed as a disorder ofwill. Whether for biological,
social, or psychological reasons, these people are found "to be incapable ...
of conducting [themselves] with decency and propriety in the business
of life." Where people are capable of exercising will and of conducting
themselves properly, but simply choose not to do so, they continue to be
called criminals.
There is often debate about whether or not a person is actually suffering a
personality disorder, and that debate arises from the very nature of the disorder
itself. The antisocial personality disorder is a disorder of will, and will
is not an all-or-nothing matter. One does not either have or not have will.
Rather, like most other psychological functions, will exists on a continuum:
normal people have more or less of it, but those who suffer this disorder have
even less. The line that divides those who suffer disorders from the rest of us
is arbitrary. Because of this, we diagnose this disorder with caution.
Also, like anxiety, will is in/erred. One does not see will. Rather, its presence
is inferred from behaviors that are believed to reflect it. Unless one ex-amines
those specific behaviors, judging whether someone does or does not
suffer a personality disorder can be hazardous. For that reason, DSM-4
offers behavioral diagnostic criteria for the antisocial personality disorder.
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