INTERVIEWING by David E. Zulawski, CFI, CFE and Shane G. Sturman, CFI, CPP
Not Everyone Is Hannibal Lecter
W
hen we think of psychopathic personalities, our minds likely wander to Hannibal Lecter, Jeffery Dahmer, John Wayne Gacy, Ted Bundy, or The Joker—killers and sexual predators without feelings or emotions like our own; preying on the innocent for their own sick reasons. Psychopaths like many “illnesses” have a range from mild to severe and may be mixed with other personality disorders making them very complex individuals. These complex personalities are often grouped under the heading of “Antisocial Personality Disorder” in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, or are often simply referred to as psychopathy or sociopathy by the general public. A sociopath is different by definition and usually refers to someone who habitually violates the law without learning from his past mistakes. The psychopath does this as well, but he also lacks the ability to feel emotions. Over the years we have dealt with numerous psychopaths in both the public and private sectors. These people are remarkably different and need to be understood to develop successful strategies to deal with them. Although people toss the term “psychopath” around casually, they are probably classifying an individual as one, but it may simply be a person that has a milder antisocial personality with some emotional feelings. Only a qualified psychologist or psychiatrist can diagnose a personality disorder such as psychopathy.
Lying
While lying can be a component of psychopathy, the psychopath is very different from the compulsive liar. The compulsive liar lies out of habit, stretching the truth about things large and small. This behavior perhaps started in childhood as a defense mechanism for the individual’s low self-esteem. In fact, two of the key components we have seen over the years in these individuals are a general lack of success in life and low self-esteem. The compulsive liar often impulsively lies even when it is foreseeable his deception will be detected, so unlike the psychopath there is no attempt to con or manipulate another. Rather than the con, these lies are habitual and impulsive with little thought to the long-term effects the lies have on the teller. Sometimes these lies take on an aura of truth and success as they are told repeatedly, creating an imaginary image to
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Zulawski and Sturman are executives in the investigative and training firm of Wicklander-Zulawski & Associates (w-z.com). Zulawski is a senior partner and Sturman is president. Sturman is also a member of ASIS International’s Retail Loss Prevention Council. They can be reached at 800-222-7789 or via email at dzulawski@w-z.com and ssturman@w-z.com. © 2014 Wicklander-Zulawski & Associates, Inc.
overcome the individual’s low self-esteem. The result is a background, story, or alibi that will not stand up to the bright light of an investigation. The psychopath’s lies are more insidious—consciously woven to con or manipulate another.
Psychopaths
Depending on the research, experts estimate psychopaths may make up two to three million people in the United States, which makes it possible that you may have met one. Men are more likely to become a psychopath than women, although female psychopaths do exist. Experts on psychopaths also estimate as much as 25 percent of the male prison population may be psychopaths. Since the psychopath lacks feelings of guilt and remorse that provide a moral compass, it should not be surprising to find they have broken the law and wound up in prison. Plus, the psychopath lacks the ability to have emotional responses, thus even fear and anxiety are muted. Fear and anxiety are essential components of having a conscience, so it is no wonder the law is broken. Not all psychopaths wind up in prison. One expert examined over 200 corporate executives and found 4 percent scored high enough on the psychopathy scale to be evaluated for it. Once we see the lack of guilt, the all-about-me attitude, and a devious, manipulative manner, it is easy to see how an organization can be led off track by a psychopathic leader playing fast and loose with the rules. The corporate psychopath is generally outstanding at self-promotion and has a grandiose sense of self with a general disdain for other employees in the workplace. They are often described as selfish, self-centered, and irresponsible—treating people as if they were mere objects, rather than valued coworkers. These types of people often turn to fraud since they are charming, self-assured, and generally unfazed by the possibility of their dishonesty being discovered. While many criminals may exhibit some of the traits of the psychopathic personality, what makes them different is the ability to feel guilt, emotional attachment, and empathy for others. They understand what it means to feel emotions, and at least partially experience the emotions themselves. While the psychopath does not experience these emotional states, he is incredibly adept at recognizing another’s emotions
NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2014
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