Triarchic conceptualization of psychopathy: Developmental origins of disinhibition, boldness, and meanness

Abstract

The clinical concept of psychopathy ("psychopathic personality") is generally considered to entail persistent behavioral deviancy in the company of emotional-interpersonal detachment. However, longstanding debates continue regarding the appropriate scope and boundaries of the concept. Here, we review alternative historic descriptions of the disorder together with empirical findings for the best-established assessment instruments in use with adolescents and youth as a basis for formulating an integrative, triarchic model of psychopathy. The essence of the triarchic model is that psychopathy encompasses three distinct phenotypic constructs: disinhibition, which reflects a general propensity toward problems of impulse control; boldness, which is defined as the nexus of social dominance, emotional resiliency, and venturesomeness; and meanness, which is defined as aggressive resource seeking without regard for others ("dysaffliated agency"). These differing phenotypic components are considered in terms of relevant etiologic and developmental pathways. The triarchic conceptualization provides a basis for reconciling and accommodating alternative descriptive accounts of psychopathy, and a framework for coordinating research on neurobiological and developmental processes contributing to varying manifestations of the disorder.

FFM description of the triarchic conceptualization of psychopathy in men and women.

“…Patrick, 2006;Patrick et al, 2009): externalizing tendencies (disinhibition), unemotionality traits (meanness), and a dominant interpersonal style (boldness). In line with recent empirical parsings of psychopathy in three separate factors (cf.…”

Risk taking and the triarchic model of psychopathy

“…First is the model's emphasis that the constructs described (meanness, disinhibition and boldness) are distinct constructs with independent aetiologies, rather than manifestations of a single underlying concept (psychopathic personality) as posited by the model underpinning the PCL9R. Second, it places a far greater emphasis on the notion of boldness, which Patrick et al (2009) suggest is not well9represented in the PCL9R. However, Neumann, Hare, & Johansson (2013) argue that the concept of boldness is captured by the PCL9R, but does not load specifically onto one factor.…”

Adaptive Psychopathy: The Quarantine Vector and Attachment

“…In further support of directionality, confidence for one's close loved ones is retained when state psychopathy is elevated, whilst that confidence is sacrificed for deviant threatening others. Elevations in psychopathy also seem to prevent the anxiety inherent in preoccupation from rising [49,50]. This does seem to imply adaptive bolstering of attachment-based thinking, for human beings facing survival threats.…”