Download Personality disorder

Analysis on Causes of Antisocial Personality Disorder on the
Basis of Psychodynamic and Social Learning Theories
Yeaseul Park
Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
Abstracts
Rising numbers of people diagnosed to personality disorder worldwide. Systemic
review was conducted do revisit the psycho-sociological variables in PD prevalence and with
basis of psychodynamic and social learning theories. Good understanding of possible
prepositions or cause of PD is essential in developing better form of therapy. Reviews were
approached with Freud’s Psychodynamic Theory and Bandura’s Social Learning Theory.
Freud’s theory is well-demonstrated the phenomenon of noticeably strong Ids and weakened
Superegos in ASPD patients. Current society largely accepts the Bandura’s concept, the social
and cultural determinants as a cause to personality disorders. However, neither of the two
approaches discussed can fully address all factors to the development of ASPD. Possible
biological factors also needed attention. The causes of personality disorders, including ASPD,
are still difficult to clearly describe.
Keywords: Antisocial, personality disorder, personality, Freud, Bandura, Psychodynamic, Social learning
Introduction
Personality is the predictable, stable characteristics and the unique behavioral
tendencies derived from one’s daily life. This means that the personality indicates who a
person is and contains predictable aspects from stable characteristics, coping mechanisms,
habitual actions, emotions, and attitudes that are consistently repeated through one’s life. A
personality disorder is the condition where one’s stabilized characteristics are socially and
morally against or inacceptable in their society. One considers a personality disorder when
the patient demonstrates 1. The inadaptability to society with fixed habitual actions or
personality and 2. Thinking mechanism as well as excessive use of coping mechanism that
cannot satisfy one’s needs (4). Personality disorders are divided into three subcategories,
which include paranoid, histrionic, and avoidant types. ASPD is categorized under the
histrionic type personality disorder, with symptoms such as avoidance, irrationality,
immorality, and criminal tendencies (1). ASPD patients display emotional immaturity, lack of
responsibility, and lack of decision making process. Additionally, ASPD patients commonly
do not observe the social rules, and cannot process learning from experiences (4). Typical
characteristics of ASPD include extreme self-centeredness, lack or absence of ability to form
relationships and emotional connections with members in society, and the motive of their
antisocial behaviors are indistinct. Since the effectiveness psychological therapy on a patient
depends on whether the patient has the ability to form emotional relationships with others and
the level of their subconscious processing, this form of therapy is often ineffective among
ASPD patience. This study aimed to reviews the role of psyco-sociological variables in PD
prevalence and etiology with basis of psychodynamic and social learning theories. By
understanding the possible prepositions or cause of PD, better form of therapy may emerge.
Materials and Methods
Relevant previous studies that are published within 5years are systematically
searched, with the key words; personality or antisocial disorder and prevalence or etiology.
Certain criteria are set to determine whether topic and methods of studies are appropriate and
eligible for inclusion, which the studies include:
1. Reliable numbers of subject data with adequate sampling methods, where participants are
adults with abnormal childhood environment (i.e, incarcerated parents), or any childhood
experiences that may considerably predisposed to develop PD.
2. At least one control or comparison group.
3. The measurements of subject’s mental and behavioral aspects or academic performances.
Approaches with Freud’s Psychodynamic Theory
Freud argued that it is required to observe the cumulative history of a patient, which
includes not only the current situation but also the family atmosphere, environment, career,
and medical histories. Freud did not considered the conscious to be the center of mental life,
but he believed in the unconscious plays a more prominent role in mental health. This
unconscious portion contains passions, emotions, impulses, and notions that are unable to be
controlled at the conscious level, but are in a repressed form. These repressed impulses have
structured the lowest part of mental contents and have influence on the cognition ability and
behavioral ability at the conscious level (2). Freud subdivided the personality into three
components the Id, Ego, and Superego. The Id is aggressive, brutal, and has unorganized
primitive system. When the Id is in control, all behaviors are irrational, and expressed in
egocentric ways (2). The Ego functions by following reality principles, which leads the Id’s
impulse into a socially acceptable form. The Superego, as the judge of the mind, acts with the
ego to allow self-control of one’s behaviors. The Superego also follows moral principles to
develop and improve one’s conscience and ego-ideal (2). Freud’s personality dynamic theory
is the strife in mind-energy distribution between the Id, Ego, and Superego. According to his
theory, normal means when the Ego has control over the Id and Superego (2). If the Id and
Superego replaced the Ego, then such a condition would be considered neurotic and a
personality disorder would form.
Approaches with Bandura’s Social Learning Theory
Bandura’s Cognitive Social Learning Theory explains the how environmental and
cognitive factors effects personality development. Bandura thought that one must understand
the social situation or social role in order to understand human behavior and personality
development. Hence, behavioral, personal, and environmental determinants are the
Reciprocal Determinants to each other (2). Social learning theory contrasts classic behavioral
theorists’ assertions that the motive of one’s action is environmental factors and the
“Behavior is best understood as responses to the environment” (2, p.230), but rather assumes
a triadic Reciprocal Determinism. A child not only chooses what he wants (personality to
behavioral determinant), but also is affected by his actions and thoughts about himself
(behavioral to personal determinant), thoughts and knowledge are formed from books, media,
and other environmental aspects (environmental to personal determinants). Additionally, a
child’s behavior and reaction will likely depend on whom or what the child is observing
(environmental to behavioral determinants) Finally, according this Bandura’s theory, the
child’s action may affect his situation (behavioral to environmental determinants) (2).
Bandura’s theory also suggests that human behaviors are not only acquirable from praise or
punishment but also can be learned from observing a model, and thus the role of a model is
important in creating the observer’s behavior (2). Bandura believed that through Vicarious
Reinforcement individuals observed another’s action as well as outcome of the action and as
a result they would adequately learn the consequence of the action.
Results
Prevalence rate is as high as 3% in male and 1% in female populations and men are
4-7% more prone to experience ASPD than women (4). Most of ASPD patients are urban
poor and have experienced mental cruelty and physical abuse during their childhood. Early
onset for ASPD is before age fifteen and 75% of criminals are considered to have ASPD (1).
Freud’s theory is demonstrated in ASPD patients as they appear to have noticeably
strong Ids and weakened Superegos. As the consequence of the Id, the pleasure principle, acts
as the main controller of the mind, Ego’s reality side and Superego’s moral side are thus
repressed. As the characteristics easily seen in ASPD patients, when the mental-energy
distribution is focused on the Id, the person becomes extremely irresponsible and consistently
expresses behaviors that violate society’s rules and laws. ASPD patients also have too little
contribution of the Superego toward their mental functioning. Freud’s Superego theory can be
subdivided into Ego-ideal and Conscience (2). Development of the Superego is dependent on
the praise an individual receives as a child. Based on this assessment of Freud’s theory, it is
easy to infer how the ASPD patient’s childhood conditions could affect their personality
development and result in a personality disorder. Mental or physical abuse or traumatic
events in childhood can be a contributing factor for ASPD because the Ego can become
unable to manage the reality of these events and in turn shuts down. Another possible cause
of ASPD can be explained by Freud’s term unconscious. The accumulation of impulses under
unconsciousness wins over repressing forces and begins to collide against the conscious (2).
With ASPD the conflicts between the unconscious and conscious are express outwardly. This
explanation is demonstrated with ASPD’s narcissistic characteristics and considers
themselves as the victims who are forced to be isolated from society. Therefore, ASPD
patients activate excessive defensive mechanisms, which lead patients to be more isolated
from society and become further unable to develop rational speculations. In addition, it is
possible to reduce ASPD patient’s impulsive actions by redeveloping the patient’s weakened
Superego to balance the Id, Ego and Superego’s contribution to patient’s mental content.
Social learning theories also state the importance of unique self-regulation (2).
Humans can control their own behavior by adjusting environmental aspects, exhibiting
cognitive power, and computing the consequences of their actions. The chronic repetitions in
antisocial behaviors and emotional maturation in ASPD patience are considered the result of
inappropriate modeling and learning process developed in childhood. Therefore, ASPD
patients are thought to have a decreased ability in predicting consequences of their behavior
and lack the ability to self-regulate. ASPD is further enhanced by the negative family
environments many of these patients have been exposed to. Such conditions led to faulty
modeling and increase the risk for the development of personality disorders. For example, a
child will model their parents because they are convenient to observe. A child with aggressive
parents may indirectly learn antisocial behaviors from their parents, the model (2). This is
possible because this negative behavior may be accepted within the home and not punished.
The ASPD patients have confusion with morals and values because the difference between
right and wrong is not effectively taught. ASPD is often caused subsequent to emotionally
conflicting situations (1). Hence important environmental determinant with ASPD is whether
or not a person has consistent emotional ties other individuals. Bandura considered all
behaviors, either learned or mistakenly learned, form the foundations for developing a
personality disorder (2). Bandura’s theory suggests behavioral modification as a form of
therapy to correct negative behaviors. Behavior modification prevents abnormal actions from
being reinforced and substitutes appropriate behaviors.
Discussion
Classic Behavioral theorists as well as Bandura share their fundamental notion in the
learning process as being affected by social or cultural determinants. Personality development
is greatly dependent on the social influences received from direct experience or indirect
observation. In fact, Freud’s psychotherapy methods, such as free association and dream
analysis, are difficult to apply to ASPD therapy. Since often patients with personality
disorders like ASPD are not aware of their disorder (1). Therefore, ASPD should be treated in
repressing conflicts that causes mental disorder by analyzing repressed mental states under
patient’s unconscious. Bandura stated that inner personal regulations including self-judgment,
self-efficacy, and self-satisfaction are dependent on outer personal self-regulation through
reinforcement and modeling (2). This means with Bandura’s theory, mental self-regulation
cannot be accomplished unless under external forces or controls. Therefore, both Bandura
and Freud’s theories stress the importance of external forces and controls in developing
personality. Freud’s theory explains how severe external forces affect the Ego and overwhelm
this process in managing inner conflict and reality. When this occurs, the Id takes control over
the Ego’s reality principles. Bandura’s theory explains how severe external forces play a role
in the development of abnormal personality. However, we should not ignore the possibilities
that biological or genetic factors also plays large role in development of ASPD.
Conclusion
The causes of personality disorders, including ASPD, are difficult to clearly describe.
These disorders are ambiguous in their definitions and symptoms as many of the causes of
personality disorder development are thought to be affected from all aspects of one’s life.
ASPD patients mentally separate their ‘mental-self’ from society and then physically isolate
themselves. ASPD must be considered as a social issue, since patients often show a hostile
attitude toward society. As consequence to their disconnection to society, their delusion and
adverse sentiment toward society increases and eventually impulsively manifests their
antisocial sentiment. Freud’s concept of the Id, Ego, and Superego explain how the Id, which
only has aim in wish fulfillment, can take control over the Ego and Superego thus creating
the ASPD characteristic of impulsive behaviors. Freud also explained how the ASPD
patient’s weaken superego may be the result of negative cultural or family environments.
Conversely, Bandura’s concept of triadic reciprocal determinism addresses how the personal,
environmental, and behavioral determinants reciprocally effect each other in processing
learning experiences and how these learning mechanisms may play a role in the development
of ASPD. However, neither of the two approaches discussed can fully address all factors to
the development of ASPD. It is important to consider ASPD as a social problem. As members
of society, we should work on how discovering innovative and effective ways to help ASPD
patients and prevent ASPD development.
References
1. Edwards, R. D. (2009). Antisocial Personality Disorder. Retrieved from
http://www.medicinenet.com/antisocial_personality_disorder/article.htm
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Company.
3. Ganzzaniga, S. G., & Heatherton, T. F. (2E.). (2005). Psychological Science.
New York: W.W.Norton &Company.
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from http://www.mentalhealth.com/dis/p20-pe04.html
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prevalence, aetiology and treatment. BMC Psychiatry, 10(33). Retrieved from
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*** PLEASE NOTE
I would like to note that my reference section is in APA format. Since the paper topic is
psychology/behavior sciences, I assumed APA style is the most appropriate form.
However, I did try to put down in the way you recommended. Yet, I did not change the
numbering order in accordance to alphabetic order, to keep the ordering used for
incitation.
References
1. R. D. Edwards: Antisocial Personality Disorder,
http://www.medicinenet.com/antisocial_personality_disorder/article.htm, 27.05.2010.
2. B. Engler: Personality Theories 8E, Houghton Mifflin Publishing Company, 2009., ISBN:
1426648650
3. S.G. Ganzzaniga and T.F. Heatherton: Psychological Science 2E, W.W.Norton &Company,
2005., ISBN: 0393924971
4. W. P. Long: Internet Mental Health: Antisocial Personality Disorder,
http://www.mentalhealth.com/dis/p20-pe04.html, 2011.