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An Investigation Of The Psychopath

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An Investigation of the Sociopath and the Psychopath in American Literature and Film Chances are you’re acquainted with a sociopathic character; you’ve probably read a book, watched a film or watched a television show that displays a character with sociopathic personality traits and have grown to enjoy following them through their story. It’s not uncommon; they’re charismatic, manipulative, powerful, and have an extremely different personality than most people. They’re charming and entertaining to watch, so it’s no wonder authors and producers alike have begun to use sociopaths and psychopaths in their work more frequently. Many of the most popular television shows, films, and books in American culture today feature a sociopathic main character; even if it isn’t blatantly obvious. The first step in identifying a sociopathic character is knowing what kind of characteristics real life sociopaths possess. By definition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders: Volume five (DSM-V), sociopaths are those afflicted with antisocial personality disorder and display a variety of characteristics centered on a complete lack of empathy. Some of the included traits are narcissism, deceitfulness, failure to conform to social norms, callousness toward other people and their emotions, and hostility. They also harness the inability to express emotions such as anxiety or guilt. They are almost ubiquitously unable to form connections or relationships with other people

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