Values of People with Primary and Secondary Psychopathic Tendency: Focused on Schwartz’s Value Theory

Abstract

This study attempted to determine difference between primary psychopath and secondary psychopath in terms of their values. After organizing three different groups with the help of the LSRP(Levenson Self-Report Psychopathy Scale): a primary psychopathic tendency group, a secondary psychopathic tendency group, and a normal control group, the authors compared and analyzed values of these three groups, which were measured using the PVQ-R(Portrait Values Questionnaire-Revised). Based on the results, the value priorities of the two psychopathic tendency groups were heavily inclined towards the values of personal focus. In particular, the two groups showed the tendency to highly value the higher order value of self-enhancement but less value the higher value of self-transcendence. In addition, self-enhancement and self-transcendence were the higher order values which clearly differentiated the primary psychopathic tendency group and secondary psychopathic tendency group. In particular, the values of achievement, power-dominance, power-resources, and universalism-concern most clearly differentiate the two groups from each other. In addition, among the higher values of openness to change and conservation, both primary and secondary psychopathic tendency groups surpassed the normal control group in terms of the values of hedonism and face. On the other hand, the normal control group surpassed the primary and secondary psychopathic tendency groups in terms of the values of humility and conformity-rules.