Psychopathy: a developmental disorder of ethical action

Abstract

This paper describes a group of individuals who in the past would probably have been classified as psychopathically disordered, but who in current nosologies such as DSM‐III‐R would be regarded as sharing elements of the borderline and the antisocial personality disorders. These disorders, it is argued, are developmental in origin and characterised by disturbances of mental state as well as of conduct. The conduct disturbances arise partly from the faulty development of the individual's capacity for moral activity. This disorder in moral activity has its origins in disturbances of self‐awareness coupled with a lack of knowledge or acceptance of social and moral codes of conduct. Equally, the abnormalities of mental state found in this group derive, at least in part, from a faulty development of self‐awareness. Self‐awareness develops from a growing child's interaction with an environment that has the characteristics of stability and concern. This lack of self‐awareness has its roots in failures in the environment or of the developing individual to respond to an adequate environment.