Question 1

All of the following are recommendations that have been made about ways to increase the success of treatment for psychopaths except:

Accepted Answer

Permitting poorly motivated offenders to drop out of treatment is not a recommendation for increasing the success of treatment for psychopaths. The other choices are all recommendations: using cognitive-behavioural treatments, giving offenders pharmacological agents that increase amygdala activity, and targeting deficits in response modulation.

Question 2

The use of self-report scales to assess psychopathy is

Accepted Answer

Self-report scales to assess psychopathy are criticized because psychopaths are known to lie often and have poor insight into their behaviors and emotions. This makes it challenging to obtain accurate self-reports from individuals with psychopathy. While some self-report assessment tools do exist for psychopathy, their validity and reliability are often questioned. Therefore, the use of self-report scales is not as common as rater-based assessments of psychopathy, which involve trained professionals evaluating the individual's behavior and personality. Additionally, self-report scales are not only used with young male offenders, but they are also used with various populations where psychopathy is a concern, such as forensic and clinical settings.

Question 3

The work of Robert Hare,a leading expert on the assessment of psychopathy,based his work on the conceptualization of the disorder described by:

Accepted Answer

Robert Hare based his work on the conceptualization of psychopathy described by Hervey Cleckley, who wrote the influential book "The Mask of Sanity" in 1941. Cleckley's work formed the foundation of modern research on psychopathy, and Hare's work has built on this foundation.

Question 4

Research on the DSM-5 indicates that the symptoms of psychopathy included in the new version match up with other measures of psychopathy.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Research on the DSM-5 indicates that the...

Question 5

One of the main challenges of treating psychopathic offenders is preventing them from:

Accepted Answer

The answer of One of the main challenges of treating...

Question 6

Results from research on female victims of psychopaths indicate that:

Accepted Answer

Victims of psychopaths often report being harmed or having their health affected by the psychopath.

Question 7

One type of psychopath that has yet to be studied is the elderly psychopath.

Accepted Answer

The question states that "One type of psychopath that has yet to be studied is the elderly psychopath." This means that the elderly psychopath has not been studied, so the statement is true.

Question 8

To be diagnosed with psychopathy in the new DSM-5,a person must exhibit the following psychopathic-specific traits:

Accepted Answer

The answer of To be diagnosed with psychopathy in the...

Question 9

Lykken's (1995) belief that psychopaths are not responsive to punishment and are therefore not motivated to avoid antisocial behaviour upon threat of punishment is referred to as the:

Accepted Answer

Lykken's belief is known as the low-fear hypothesis, which suggests that psychopaths have a reduced ability to experience fear and therefore do not respond to punishment as a deterrent to antisocial behavior.

Question 10

There is a higher prevalence of psychopathy in male offenders than in female offenders.

Accepted Answer

Research has consistently found a higher prevalence of psychopathy in male offenders than in female offenders. However, it is important to note that psychopathy is relatively rare in both genders and only a small proportion of offenders meet the criteria for this personality disorder.

Question 11

Which assessment instrument has been developed especially for assessing psychopathic traits of those in corporate or management settings?

Accepted Answer

The B-Scan (Business Scan) is an assessment instrument developed specifically for assessing psychopathic traits in individuals in corporate or management settings. The PCL-R (Psychopathy Checklist-Revised) is a widely used assessment tool for psychopathy in forensic and clinical settings, but it is not specific to the business world. The TriPM (Triarchic Psychopathy Measure) and the APSD (Antisocial Process Screening Device) are also measures of psychopathy but are not tailored to business or management settings.

Question 12

When it comes to understanding the crimes that psychopaths themselves commit,

Accepted Answer

Psychopaths have an understanding of what is considered legally wrong, but they may not have the same moral framework as non-psychopathic individuals. This can lead to a lack of understanding of moral wrongness even if they know that their actions are illegal.

Question 13

Which of the following statements accurately reflects the cognitive model of psychopathy?

Accepted Answer

The cognitive model of psychopathy emphasizes a failure of psychopaths to use appropriate cognitive processes, such as attention and inhibition, to modify their behavior. This can lead to impulsive and antisocial behavior, as they do not learn from their mistakes or consider the consequences of their actions.

Question 14

Psychopathy and sociopathy essentially refer to the same disorder because the etiology of their symptoms is the same.

Accepted Answer

While these terms are sometimes used interchangeably, there is no clear consensus on their exact meanings or diagnostic criteria. Some experts differentiate between psychopathy, which is seen as a more severe and biologically-based condition, and sociopathy, which may be more related to environmental factors and the individual's upbringing. Therefore, it is not accurate to say that they refer to the same disorder with the same etiology.

Question 15

A rater-based instrument for the assessment of psychopathy in adults that is considered by some to be the "gold standard" and has been adopted worldwide as the most reliable and valid measure is the:

Accepted Answer

The Hare Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R) is considered by many to be the "gold standard" for the assessment of psychopathy in adults. It has been extensively researched and validated, and is widely used and recognized by professionals in the field. It is a rater-based instrument that assesses interpersonal and affective traits, as well as behavioral and lifestyle factors associated with psychopathy. It has been adopted worldwide as the most reliable and valid measure of psychopathy.

Question 16

Approximately 10 to 25 percent of adult offenders are psychopaths,while only approximately 1 percent of the general community scores high on psychopathic measures.

Accepted Answer

This statement is true. Research suggests that psychopathy is more prevalent among adult offenders, with estimates ranging from 10 to 25 percent. In contrast, only around 1 percent of the general population is estimated to score high on measures of psychopathy.

Question 17

The most current research indicates that association between psychopathy and recidivism is as follows:

Accepted Answer

Increased psychopathy scores in adults and youth are associated with increased general, violent, and sexual recidivism. This is supported by numerous studies indicating that higher levels of psychopathy are linked to a greater likelihood of reoffending in various forms, including general criminal behavior, violence, and sexual offenses.

Question 18

In the DSM-5,psychopathy is referred to as:

Accepted Answer

In the DSM-5, psychopathy is referred to as Antisocial Personality Disorder. This disorder is characterized by a disregard for others' rights and feelings, impulsivity, a lack of empathy, and a history of criminal behavior. The terms "sociopathy" and "psychopathy" are not used in the DSM-5.

Question 19

The consistent finding in the role of genetics and psychopathy is:

Accepted Answer

The consistent finding in the role of genetics and psychopathy is that there is a moderate to strong genetic influence. Studies on twins and families suggest that there is a heritability factor in the development of psychopathic traits, and specific genes have been identified as potentially playing a role in the development of psychopathy. However, environmental factors also play a significant role in the expression of these genetic traits.

Question 20

A limitation of using neuroimaging procedures to understand psychopathy is:

Accepted Answer

Decreased activation in individual brain areas observed during neuroimaging cannot be directly equated with abnormal brain function. This is because the brain is a complex organ where functionality is not solely determined by the level of activation in isolated areas, but also by the interactions between different regions and the overall network dynamics.

Quiz 11: Psychopathic Offenders Psychology of Criminal Behaviour