Social rank, shame and anger in primary and secondary psychopaths

Abstract

This study compared primary and secondary psychopaths (Blackburn, 1975 and Blackburn, 1998) in their perceptions of social rank, internal shame, angriness and intensity of anger in response to provocation. Fifty male mentally disordered offenders with the legal classification 'psychopathic disorder' were randomly sampled from a high-security (Special) hospital population and at interview a set of questionnaires was administered to each. Primary psychopaths perceived themselves to be significantly higher in social rank than secondary psychopaths, lower in shame, and lower in ratings of angriness, self-blame and anger towards others. A significant association was found between social rank and anger in response to provocation and an inverse relationship between social rank and both shame and angriness. Regression analyses revealed that social rank and self-esteem best predicted variance in anger intensity to provocation, controlling for antisocial personality deviation. Primary and secondary psychopaths differed significantly,therefore, in their self-evaluative and social evaluative processes. The key differences lay in social rank evaluations and shame. Primary psychopaths assume dominance and threaten others who challenge them, while secondary psychopaths assume defensive, subordinate positions within a psychopathy hierarchy, seek dominance, but are sensitive to attacks from above and below. Findings provide preliminary support for an evolutionary perspective on the role of social hierarchies in psychopathic behaviour.

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