Psychopathy in a noninstitutional sample: Differences in primary and secondary subtypes.

Abstract

Early theoretical conceptualizations suggest psychopathy is a heterogeneous construct whereby psychopathic individuals are found in diverse populations. The current study examined male and female psychopathy subtypes in a large sample of undergraduate students (n ϭ 1229). Model-based cluster analysis of the Psychopathic Personality Inventory-Short Form (PPI-SF) revealed two clusters in both male and female students. In males, the primary subtype evidenced greater psychopathic personality traits (i.e., Social Potency, Fearlessness, and Impulsive Nonconformity) and lower anxiety (i.e., higher Stress Immunity), whereas the secondary subtype displayed fewer psychopathic personality traits (i.e., Machiavellian Egocentricity and Blame Externalization) and higher anxiety (i.e., lower Stress Immunity). In females, the primary subtype exhibited higher scores across all PPI-SF subscales and lower anxiety whereas the secondary subtype reported lower PPI-SF subscale scores and higher anxiety. Across a diverse array of personality, affective, and behavioral external correlates, differences between the subtypes and with nonpsychopaths emerged. Implications for psychopathy in noninstitutional populations with respect to theory, research, and gender are discussed.

Psychopathy, Machiavellianism and Parental Behavior: A Correlational Study Modulated by Gender

“…Furthermore, while assessing levels of psychopathy and Machiavellianism, it is important to take gender into consideration. Previous studies showed that psychopathy scores tend to be significantly higher in males than females (Hicks et al, 2012;Lee & Salekin, 2010;Lilienfeld & Hess, 2001). Similar results were reported between genders for Machiavellianism, where males scored significantly higher than females (Allsopp, Eysenck, & Eysenck, 1991).…”

The exploration of subclinical psychopathic subtypes and their relationship with types of aggression in female college students

“…The female primary group was indistinguishable from the male counterpart whereas the female secondary group was more pathologically maladjusted than the males, particularly in terms of BPD. Lee and Salekin (2010) discovered primary and secondary psychopathy subtypes in a mixed-sex college sample using the subscales of the Psychopathic Personality Inventory-Short Form (PPI-SF; Lilienfeld & Andrews, 1996). The male primary group exhibited less guilt and risky behavior, and more criminal activity than the secondary group.…”

Throwing more light on the dark side of psychopathy: An extension of previous findings for the revised Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory

“…This distinction, originally proposed by Karpman (1941Karpman ( , 1948, suggests two separate etiologies leading to psychopathy. Whereas primary psychopathy stems from genetic influences resulting in emotional deficits, secondary psychopathy is associated with environmental factors such as abuse (Lee & Salekin, 2010). Additionally, primary psychopathy is characterized by lack of fear/anxiety, secondary psychopathy is thought more to represent a vulnerability to experience higher levels of negative affect in general (Vassileva, Kosson, Abramowitz, & Conrad, 2005).…”