Antisocial personality traits predict utilitarian responses to moral dilemmas

[roo_ster]

"When I left, I joined the army, and when I took the service exam my psych profile fit a certain... moral flexibility would be the only way to describe it... and I was loaned out to a CIA-sponsored program, and we sort of found each other. That's how it works."
----Martin Blank (Grosse Point Blank)

http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-09-antisocial-personality-traits-utilitarian-responses.html

A study conducted by Daniel Bartels, Columbia Business School, Marketing, and David Pizarro, Cornell University, Psychology found that people who endorse actions consistent with an ethic of utilitarianism—the view that what is the morally right thing to do is whatever produces the best overall consequences—tend to possess psychopathic and Machiavellian personality traits.

My first response is, "No shinola, Sherlock."

I suspect utilitarianism is the tactic many functional psychopaths use to remain functional in society.  One doesn't need to have any sympathy for others to know:
1. Expressing lack of any feelings of sympathy generates negative responses.
2. Utilitarianism is the "right" answer to enough folks for it to be considered legitimate.

It also helps describe the controlling, statist mindset.  If the have to kill a few million to achieve revolution, so be it.

[vaskidmark]

I score extremely high on the psycopathy test.  I have a reputation for being the one to count on to remain calm in a crisis and to be the one to deliver a solution that actually resolves the situation.  Yesm Virginia, there is more than a slight connection between the two.

But this is not at all unusual.  Most folks who run large corporations, or are owners of small one-man shop types of businesses, score high on the psychopathy tests.  So do a lot of folks in other occupations.  Robert Hare has been saying this for years, along with all the other stuff he says about me and the rest of the folks who are true psychopaths.

http://www.hare.org/

http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/199401/charming-psychopath

http://www.amazon.com/Without-Conscience-Disturbing-World-Psychopaths/dp/1572304510

Just because I'm a psychopath does not mean I'm going to kill you.  It does mean that I would not be bothered that much if I did.


stay safe.

[HankB]

Psychology found that people who endorse actions consistent with an ethic of utilitarianism—the view that what is the morally right thing to do is whatever produces the best overall consequences—tend to possess psychopathic and Machiavellian personality traits.

To me, it seems reasonable to seek the best overall consequences . . . yet there seems to be an implication that there's something wrong with that.   

Were any examples or explanations given on the virtues of seeking bad overall consequences?

[RevDisk]

My first response is, "No shinola, Sherlock."

I suspect utilitarianism is the tactic many functional psychopaths use to remain functional in society.  One doesn't need to have any sympathy for others to know:
1. Expressing lack of any feelings of sympathy generates negative responses.
2. Utilitarianism is the "right" answer to enough folks for it to be considered legitimate.

It also helps describe the controlling, statist mindset.  If the have to kill a few million to achieve revolution, so be it.

Somewhat.   Lacking empathy does not mean one is necessarily a fool.  One can be a sociopath and still not want to kill millions, or support systems of governance that inevitably will kill millions.   Motives might be different, of course.   I don't see "synthetic" morality as being less valid than morality systems solely absorbed from social norms. 

[French G.]

or support systems of governance that inevitably will kill millions.

I have a congenital lack of empathy, no one has died. However, these folks

or support systems of governance that inevitably will kill millions.

I could certainly help them find the best possible outcome. (for me) won't work well for them.

Guess I need to order up the "Psychopathy, it gets $ht done!" t-shirt.

[Devonai]

It sort of puts the old writer's standby of "every character is the hero of his or her own story" in a new light.

[RevDisk]

It sort of puts the old writer's standby of "every character is the hero of his or her own story" in a new light.

Na.  Sometimes, a character is the epic villain of his or her own story.  Villains always get the most hawt sidekick, minion, partner, etc.

[Ned Hamford]

Na.  Sometimes, a character is the epic villain of his or her own story.  Villains always get the most hawt sidekick, minion, partner, etc.

http://www.toplessrobot.com/2011/10/10_songs_for_supervillains.php

 

[grislyatoms]

What would the term be for someone who is quite empathetic to the plight of friends but is admittedly asocial (Not anti-social but just not social?)

[vaskidmark]

What would the term be for someone who is quite empathetic to the plight of friends but is admittedly asocial (Not anti-social but just not social?)

Asocial.

Thanks for asking.

stay safe.

[Hawkmoon]

What would the term be for someone who is quite empathetic to the plight of friends but is admittedly asocial (Not anti-social but just not social?)

Me.

[Perd Hapley]

What would the term be for someone who is quite empathetic to the plight of friends but is admittedly asocial (Not anti-social but just not social?)

I think the labels range from weird loner to jerk.

[grislyatoms]

I think the labels range from weird loner to jerk.

I'm certain I have been called worse by better.

[seeker_two]

Main thing about morality is the authority that creates and "enforces" the moral code....why does one follow a specific moral code?....

What would the term be for someone who is quite empathetic to the plight of friends but is admittedly asocial (Not anti-social but just not social?)

Socially withdrawn....'cause I am one, according to the psychological testing that my wife & I took for our adoption application....and, actually, I'm kinda proud of the diagnosis....

[RoadKingLarry]

I think the labels range from weird loner to jerk.

See also:http://www.armedpolitesociety.com/index.php?action=mlist