Social psychologists view personality as existing on a continuum. Clinical psychologists see a distinction between 'normal' and 'pathological.' Which view is correct?

This is the second in a series of three articles examining the relationship between narcissism and psychopathy and the differing opinions of the experts as to whether antisocial personality is extreme narcissism or if psychopathy is something very distinct.

Psychopathy or Extreme Narcissism?

The narcissistic personality and the antisocial personality have a lot in common, even when you look at the DSM-IV-TR diagnostic criteria that clinicians use to differentiate these disorders. Narcissism is essentially self-absorption, so couldn’t psychopathy or antisocial personality be a case of narcissism to the extreme? The experts have differing opinions.

Spectrum of Narcissistic Behavior

Otto Kernberg, a thought leader in the study of personality disorders, believed psychopathy to be an extreme form of narcissism. Kernberg saw narcissistic behavior as a spectrum, ranging from Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD), at the low end to psychopathy, which represented the extreme of narcissistic severity.

Dr. Kernberg even coined the term "malignant narcissism" to describe the area of personality in between these two extremes; considering malignant narcissism to be a syndrome of narcissistic behavior that went beyond NPD but was less extreme than psychopathy (Kerberg 2003).

Spectrum of Psychopathic Behavior

Other psychologists assert that psychopathy itself exists in degrees, and that there are individuals who should be considered psychopaths even if they never get into trouble with the law. This would include Martin Kantor’s “psychopaths of everyday life,” Robert Hares “subcriminal psychopaths,” Donald Black’s “successful bad boys;” and Hervey Cleckly’s “mild psychopaths,” just to name a few. These experts see psychopathy as being distinct from narcissism, even if, within this specific category of psychopathology, there exists a continuum of extremes.

Spectrum of Personality

In contrast to clinical psychologists (mental health PhDs concerned with the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorder), social psychologists generally view personality disorders as the extreme end of a spectrum or dimension of personality, not as a category.

They do not believe that there is a specific point within the continuum of personality where ‘normal’ suddenly becomes ‘pathological’. It is all a matter of degree.

So which is it? Do personality disorders exist within distinct categories or are the divisions entirely of our own creation, with little relationship to reality?

This discussion of personality disorders as category or continuum is further explored in two more Suite101 articles, Narcissism and Psychopathy and The Biology of Psychopathy.

More Information on Psychopathy & Narcissism

Additional resources on psychopathy, narcissism and personality disorders in general include: Psych Prof Online, PsychCentral and the Suite101 articles Psychopathy, Sociopathy or APD and Malignant Narcissism.

This article is a summary of antisocial and narcissistic traits and disorders. The contents of this article are not meant to be a substitute for professional help and counseling.

Sources

American Psychiatric Association APA (2000) Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV-TR).

Hare, Robert (1999) Without Conscience: The Disturbing World of Psychopaths Among Us. Guilford Press.

Kantor, Martin (2006) The Psychopathy of Everyday Life: How Antisocial Personality Disorder Affects All of Us. Praeger Publishers.

Kernberg, Otto and Akhtar, Salman. (2003) Broken Structures: Severe Personality Disorders and Their Treatment.