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The Sense and Pointlessness of the Concept of a Norm in the Analysis of Psychopathic Personality Disorders

Beata Pastwa-Wojciechowska and Mariola Bidzan

In this article we are going to use the term ‘psychopathy’, in contrary to the tendency prevailing to use modern terminology recommended by psychiatric diagnostics guidelines, both DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) and ICD (International Classification of Diseases). We want to show, that the term ‘psychopathy’ is well operationalized construct, investigated extensively both on theoretical and empirical grounds. This psychologicalpsychiatric term is – like no other – closely related to the violation of norms, especially legal ones.

In the following thesis we would like to discuss the role and significance of norms, including legal ones, in the functioning of individuals with psychopathic personality disorders. Therefore posing a question about the role and significance of norms in etiology and diagnostics of psychopathy seems to be an important issue.

The question if is the concept of a psychopathy of a norm useful in the analysis of psychopathic personality disorders is rhetorical, because it is hard not to include e.g. clinical norms in etiology or diagnostics of the discussed personality type. In addition, as we have already mentioned, psychopathy is featured by breaking or disobeying the binding moral, ethical, legal etc. norms and regulations, which is often reflected by psychopaths’ criminal activity. Therefore these individuals have both individual and social disorders.