In the last post, we explored psychopathy. When you want to write someone who has these traits, you likely don’t want to make them pro-social. However, an interesting character can be created out of someone who is sociopathic or psychopathic and is the protagonist. It’s just important to remember to make them pro-social.

However, if you’re working on a villain, you will likely want to make them Anti-Social. People with ASPD can be neurotypical or neurodivergent. In other words, they can be psychopaths, sociopaths, or have ASPD.

Remember, what NOT to do when making a psychopath:

  • DON’T give them a traumatic past. They cannot be traumatized.
  • DON’T give them depression. Sadness and MDD are things that are impossible for a psychopath to have.
  • DON’T give them the ability to feel fear. It’s not possible. They know when there is danger, and they can feel the physiological effects of adrenaline, but they do not emotionally feel it.

With a sociopath, you have a little more wiggle room.

  • A traumatic past is acceptable, but bear in mind they dissociate from those emotions to the point where the brain develops in such a way they can no longer feel those emotions.
  • Sociopathy is developed typically from extreme abuse. Big trauma, similar to Hannibal Lecter witnessing his younger sister being eaten.

Knowing this, you can choose your background for your antagonist however you like. Remember, your reader doesn’t have to have all the information or understand completely. What’s important is that you as the writer understand their background.

Antisocial Personality Disorder

I’m not sure who said it, but I remember reading that ASPD wouldn’t exist as a diagnosis if that one person lived all alone on an island. That’s true, for the most part. But since it’s impossible to remove someone from society that way, the DSM-V outlines a specific set of criteria for this disorder (emphasis mine).

I have put in the 2011 and 2012 criteria below so that the differences can be seen, as the 2012 criteria has added enough that a diagnosis of psychopathy could be given (which really isn’t good for pro-social psychopaths and can actually put them in danger).

(2011 criteria)

The essential features of a personality disorder are impairments in
personality (self and interpersonal) functioning and the presence of
pathological personality traits. To diagnose a personality disorder,
the following criteria must be met:

A. Significant impairments in self (identity or self-direction) and
interpersonal (empathy or intimacy) functioning. This means that the person has some issues with functioning both in relationships and how they relate to themselves. Floating from job to job, instability in relationships, etc.

B. One or more pathological personality trait domains or trait facets. Granted everyone is a bit flaky now and then, but pathological means a repeated and exaggerated pattern of a certain trait, such as a parasitic lifestyle.

C. The impairments in personality functioning and the individual‟s
personality trait expression are relatively stable across time and
consistent across situations. This means that the person is like this with everyone all the time to the point where you’d say 90% of the time they are just like this.

D. The impairments in personality functioning and the individual‟s
personality trait expression are not better understood as
normative for the individual‟s developmental stage or sociocultural
environment. In other words, there are some kids who grow out of these antisocial behaviors, and there are some cultures where certain behaviors are perfectly acceptable.

E. The impairments in personality functioning and the individual‟s
personality trait expression are not solely due to the direct
physiological effects of a substance (e.g., a drug of abuse,
medication) or a general medical condition (e.g., severe head
trauma). Yes, there are other issues that can mimic ASPD, so it’s important to rule out those issues. If you’re writing a character, you may want to consider other diagnoses for him/her/them.

(2012 criteria)

The essential features of a personality disorder are impairments in
personality (self and interpersonal) functioning and the presence of
pathological personality traits. To diagnose antisocial personality
disorder, the following criteria must be met:

A. Significant impairments in personality functioning manifest by:

1. Impairments in self functioning (a or b):
a. Identity: Ego-centrism; self-esteem derived from personal gain, power, or                      pleasure.
b. Self-direction: Goal-setting based on personal gratification; absence of                            prosocial internal standards associated with failure to conform to
lawful or culturally normative ethical behavior.
AND

2. Impairments in interpersonal functioning (a or b):
a. Empathy: Lack of concern for feelings, needs, or suffering of others; lack of                   remorse after hurting or mistreating another.
b. Intimacy: Incapacity for mutually intimate relationships, as exploitation is a                primary means of relating to others, including by deceit and coercion;
use of dominance or intimidation to control others.

There is some evidence of psychopathy here but it is inadequate as it currently stands to apply to PRO-SOCIAL psychopaths.

B. Pathological personality traits in the following domains:
1. Antagonism, characterized by:
a. Manipulativeness: Frequent use of subterfuge to influence or control others;                use of seduction, charm, glibness, or ingratiation to achieve one’s ends.
b. Deceitfulness: Dishonesty and fraudulence; misrepresentation of self;                             embellishment or fabrication when relating events.
c. Callousness: Lack of concern for feelings or problems of others; lack of guilt                or remorse about the negative or harmful effects of one’s actions on
others; aggression; sadism. (The vast majority of psychopaths are not                            sadists, mainly because they lack the ability to get the oxytocin ‘high’                      from  it.)
d. Hostility: Persistent or frequent angry feelings; anger or irritability in                            response to minor slights and insults; mean, nasty, or vengeful behavior.
2. Disinhibition, characterized by:
a. Irresponsibility: Disregard for – and failure to honor – financial and other                    obligations or commitments; lack of respect for – and lack of follow through                on – agreements and promises.
b. Impulsivity: Acting on the spur of the moment in response to immediate                       stimuli; acting on a momentary basis without a plan or consideration
of outcomes; difficulty establishing and following plans.
c. Risk taking: Engagement in dangerous, risky, and potentially self-damaging                 activities, unnecessarily and without regard for consequences; boredom
proneness and thoughtless initiation of activities to counter boredom; lack of              concern for one’s limitations and denial of the reality of personal danger.

C. The impairments in personality functioning and the individual’s personality trait expression are relatively stable across time and consistent across situations.

D. The impairments in personality functioning and the individual’s personality trait expression are not better understood as normative for the individual‟s developmental stage or sociocultural environment.

E. The impairments in personality functioning and the individual’s personality trait expression are not solely due to the direct physiological effects of a substance (e.g., a drug of abuse, medication) or a general medical condition (e.g., severe head
trauma).

F. The individual is at least age 18 years.

You can find a “plain English” overview at Theravive.

Note that a diagnosis of ASPD is possible after age 18, but a diagnosis of psychopathy (which is still not fully outlined in the DSM), cannot truly be given until age 25. That’s because the development of the brain is not finished until that age. The brain develops from stem forward, and does not complete until around 25 years.

Things to consider when you’re creating/writing your character depend on whether or not you want a certain level of chaos for him/her/them. What are you trying to achieve in your story? Do you want a chaotic element? Go with ASPD. Do you want cold and ruthless but highly organized? Go with a psychopath or sociopath.

Remember, it’s your story. It’s often easier to fit the character to the world (or mismatch them) rather than fit the world to the character.

Happy writing.