Violence and the Brain
Readings
Fairchild et al. (2019). Conduct Disorder Primer. Nature Reviews Disease Primers.
De Brito et al. (2021). Psychopathy Primer. Nature Reviews Disease Primers.
Raine, A. (2014/2016). The Anatomy of Violence: The Biological Roots of Crime.
Lecture 1 – Introduction to Violence and the Brain
Program lecture 1
o Introduction
o Abnormal behavior
o Conduct disorder
o Psychopathy
Introduction
o An anatomy of violence - Adrian Raine
o Are dangerous people born or made?
Most cases innate for biological factor, but also upbringing life experience.
o Nature or nurture
Nature = innate biological factors (namely genetics)
Nurture = upbringing or life experience more generally (external factors)
See videoclip
o Normal behavior
o So, what is normal or typical behavior?
o When does it become antisocial or abnormal behavior?
o Case 1 - Michael
o Frequently cuts off tail of family cat
o Proud of his serial amputations
o Interested in cat’s reaction to amputations
o Case 2 - Joost
o Pushed a toddler into swimming pool 2
o Watched toddler drown
o Interested in seeing someone drown
o Not afraid of punishment, liked the attention
o Case 3 - Dino
o Used excessive violence during assault
o Was apparently provoked by victim
o Not troubled by possible incarceration
o No feelings of remorse or regret
What is abnormal/atypical/antisocial
o Different criteria
Cultural/Social/Ethical: e.g. something ‘normal’ in West-Europe can be totally different then
in South-Asia
Statistical Model; belcurve. Most people in center, at the ends are extreme cases (the
concerning ones)
Medical Model; DSM: the references book that scientist use when comes to signal disorder of
people. Looking at normal or nonnormal behavior. Medical model of (non)normal behavior
DSM-5
Pocket Guide for Child and Adolescent mental health
Descriptive manual: does not say anything on underlying causes, prognostics,
or treatment
Disorder described as being discreet: conduct disorder on its own, conformity
is overlooked
Conduct Disorder & Psychopathy
o Two key phenomena for grasping antisociality
Psychopathy = personal disorder both adults and youngsters
1
, Conduct disorder = below the age of 18, anti-social personality disorder = above age of 18
Conduct Disorder
o A repetitive and persistent pattern of behavior in which the basic rights of others or major age-
appropriate social norms or rules are violated, as manifested by the presence of at least three of the
following 15 criteria in the past 12 months from any of the categories below, with at least one
criterion present in the past 6 months
Aggression to people and animals
Could be both or either one of them
Destruction of property
Deceitfulness of theft
Serious violations of rules
Important one: they don’t believe in rules if they are not their own
With limited prosocial emotions
Negative bias of perception of psychopathy tendencies => label is not beneficial =>
new term is limited prosocial emotions.
Lack of remorse of guilt
Callous - lack of empathy
Unconcerned about performance
Shallow or deficient affect
Could showcase emotions, but they are shallow, socially desirable, fake, emotions.
Symptoms should be in extended period of 6-12 months
o The disturbance in behavior causes clinically significant impairment in social, academic, or
occupational functioning
o If you are older, by maturing, you can grow out of conduct disorder
After the age of 18, it is more persistent and these are the concerning persons
Societal relevance conduct disorder
o Prevalence ~ 7% in general population (prison population is prevalence way higher)
o High referral rates: conduct disorder, depression and anxiety is most prevalent and gives most
problems
o Societal/economic/emotional burden: conduct disorder is externalizing disorder: the problem are most
often externally directed = surrounding is effected
o Conduct disorder in childhood is Precursor to adult psychopathology = anti-social personality disorder
o Highly chronic and persistent
In subset of youngsters. By age 21/22 fairly large portion of youth will slowly showcase
diminishing pattern of conduct disorder = maturing, brain/empathy develops. Difficult to treat
when it is chronic and persistent.
o Notoriously difficult to treat
o Core symptoms
Aggression/intimidation
Destruction/vandalism
Lying/stealing
Breaking rules
Men > Women
Psychopathy
o Popular term in movies, series, etc.
o Distinction between real psychopath and path of psychopathy is really something else
o Psychopathy is in essence a disorder in your personality. Psychological disorder, and personality
disorder. It was included in DSM, but the term was rephrased with anti-social personality disorder =
85% similarity
o To change someone’s personality is very hard, soc psychopathy is hard to treat
Monitoring, supervising and damage prevention, but there is no treatment for any personality
disorder
o You can subdivided in 2 factors: see picture
2
, Conning/manipulative: you see that immediately, the charm and the way they are able to control the group
within a prison community
Factor 1 and 2 are both as important, but in movies you don’t see the real picture. Most are not that smart,
those are the exceptions. They are impulsive, irresponsible and get a lot in- and out of prison
Psychopathy is umbrella = full criteria of psychopathy you showcase components of both factors (and four
facets), psychopathic tendencies = only part of one factor.
Societal relevance Psychopathy
o Prevalence 1% general population
o 30% incarcerated population = prison
o Yearly costs: $460 billion (US only)
o 10x costs of depression!
o No effective treatment
o Key Signs
Lack of Empathy/Guilt/Remorse
Insensitive to punishment or fear
Reward-oriented
Self-centered
Men > Women
Popular Depiction Psychopathy
o Psychopathy is often synonymous with extreme violence and serial killings, but not all psychopaths
commit violent acts!!
o In fact, there are many ”Successful Psychopaths”
Some traits may help psychopaths become “successful,” defined as those who adapt to social
norms and avoid incarceration. For example, the psychopathic trait fearlessness may help a
psychopath become a good first-responder, while interpersonal manipulation might help a
psychopath become an effective lawyer.
CEO’s, bank
Politicians, presidents of US
o But most of them are not super smart, make a lot of mistakes
Psychopathy tendencies don’t have to be negative, they have evolutionary benefits. General: have to fight
another tribe, it is handy you are not afraid and you don’t mind killing others. Low on stress is handy when
surgeon
Conduct Disorder & Psychopathy
3
