Comments for mind.expressions http://mindexpressions.wordpress.com blog entries, re-worked and compiled Fri, 11 Sep 2009 04:10:03 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 Comment on Narcissism, Psychopathy, and Evil by Mat http://mindexpressions.wordpress.com/narcissism-psychopathy-evil/#comment-745 Mat Fri, 11 Sep 2009 04:10:03 +0000 http://mindexpressions.wordpress.com/?page_id=338#comment-745 Interesting projects, especially the relationship with the vampire mythos (would love to hear more)! Yes, it seems like the link between RWA & narcissism is pretty compelling, but I haven't seen any suggestion either that Altemeyer has linked it in his research. In fact I think he has mentioned somewhere, that he's actually reluctant to have his work connected with any specific psychological 'disorders'. So far this is the only place I've seen that specifically attempts to investigate that correlation (at rivistadipsicologiaclinica.it, but let's see if this link works): www.rivistadipsicologiaclinica.it/english/number3_07/pdf/DiMariaFormicaScrima.pdf Interesting projects, especially the relationship with the vampire mythos (would love to hear more)! Yes, it seems like the link between RWA & narcissism is pretty compelling, but I haven’t seen any suggestion either that Altemeyer has linked it in his research. In fact I think he has mentioned somewhere, that he’s actually reluctant to have his work connected with any specific psychological ‘disorders’. So far this is the only place I’ve seen that specifically attempts to investigate that correlation (at rivistadipsicologiaclinica.it, but let’s see if this link works):
http://www.rivistadipsicologiaclinica.it/english/number3_07/pdf/DiMariaFormicaScrima.pdf

]]> Comment on Narcissism, Psychopathy, and Evil by Fontaine http://mindexpressions.wordpress.com/narcissism-psychopathy-evil/#comment-692 Fontaine Wed, 29 Jul 2009 16:23:23 +0000 http://mindexpressions.wordpress.com/?page_id=338#comment-692 I found this site while searching "narcissism and right-wing authoritarian." I am working on two projects: the first an article (w/ a colleague) on the relationship between narcissism and the vampire myth and the second, a book on the relationship between personality disorders (primarily narcissism) and politics. I am especially interested in the link to mirror neurons research at UCLA as the thought of that linkage (I'm an educational neuropsychologist) occured to me. However, I've been having trouble tracking it down. BTW, Dr. Altemeyer has a free ebook online about right-wing authoritarianism. I assume it was his parting gift before his retirement. What I haven't yet found is a link between his construct of the RWA and narcissism. If anyone has any information about that. I'd appreciate your posting it. Last, I certainly agree, Mat, that there has to be some physiological correlate to narcissism and brain chemistry and configuration or it wouldn't be as predictable as it is. However, studies are required to indicate this link. Etiology is another story altogether! I found this site while searching “narcissism and right-wing authoritarian.” I am working on two projects: the first an article (w/ a colleague) on the relationship between narcissism and the vampire myth and the second, a book on the relationship between personality disorders (primarily narcissism) and politics. I am especially interested in the link to mirror neurons research at UCLA as the thought of that linkage (I’m an educational neuropsychologist) occured to me. However, I’ve been having trouble tracking it down.

BTW, Dr. Altemeyer has a free ebook online about right-wing authoritarianism. I assume it was his parting gift before his retirement. What I haven’t yet found is a link between his construct of the RWA and narcissism. If anyone has any information about that. I’d appreciate your posting it.

Last, I certainly agree, Mat, that there has to be some physiological correlate to narcissism and brain chemistry and configuration or it wouldn’t be as predictable as it is. However, studies are required to indicate this link. Etiology is another story altogether!

]]> Comment on Narcissism, Psychopathy, and Evil by Mat http://mindexpressions.wordpress.com/narcissism-psychopathy-evil/#comment-582 Mat Wed, 24 Jun 2009 00:06:26 +0000 http://mindexpressions.wordpress.com/?page_id=338#comment-582 Hi... thanks, you bet. Among other things, you've probably come across Dr. Sam Vaknin, a self-described Narcissist who hosts a website devoted exclusively to the subject. It's at "samvak.tripod.com/". His "Excerpts from the Archives of the Narcissism List - Part 4" discusses some of the connections between NPD and Depression, ADHD, etc., including: "NPD has been associated lately with Attention Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD or ADD). The rationale is that children suffering from ADHD are unlikely to develop the attachment necessary to prevent a narcissistic regression (Freud) or adaptation (Jung). Bonding and object relations ought to be affected by ADHD. Research which supports this conjecture has yet to be made available. Still, many psychotherapists and psychiatrists use it as a working hypothesis." BTW, I was married to an NPD, and both ADD & Depression were pretty common occurrences with her as well. Hi… thanks, you bet. Among other things, you’ve probably come across Dr. Sam Vaknin, a self-described Narcissist who hosts a website devoted exclusively to the subject. It’s at “samvak.tripod.com/”. His “Excerpts from the Archives of the Narcissism List – Part 4″ discusses some of the connections between NPD and Depression, ADHD, etc., including:

“NPD has been associated lately with Attention Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD or ADD). The rationale is that children suffering from ADHD are unlikely to develop the attachment necessary to prevent a narcissistic regression (Freud) or adaptation (Jung). Bonding and object relations ought to be affected by ADHD. Research which supports this conjecture has yet to be made available. Still, many psychotherapists and psychiatrists use it as a working hypothesis.”

BTW, I was married to an NPD, and both ADD & Depression were pretty common occurrences with her as well.

]]> Comment on Narcissism, Psychopathy, and Evil by Delany http://mindexpressions.wordpress.com/narcissism-psychopathy-evil/#comment-580 Delany Tue, 23 Jun 2009 15:57:13 +0000 http://mindexpressions.wordpress.com/?page_id=338#comment-580 Mat, thanks for the interesting leads to some of the research currently being done. These are all very intriguing hypotheses, and it's exciting to see some of the early findings. I am interested to see you mention ADHD, Depression, and OCD as "frequent correlates... of narcissism." This is not something I have come across, either clinically or in the literature. Could you say more about that? Sorry the links didn't work (I don't know if there is a way to make links work, within these comments!); but the citations are good, anyway. Mat, thanks for the interesting leads to some of the research currently being done. These are all very intriguing hypotheses, and it’s exciting to see some of the early findings.

I am interested to see you mention ADHD, Depression, and OCD as “frequent correlates… of narcissism.” This is not something I have come across, either clinically or in the literature. Could you say more about that?

Sorry the links didn’t work (I don’t know if there is a way to make links work, within these comments!); but the citations are good, anyway.

]]> Comment on Narcissism, Psychopathy, and Evil by Mat http://mindexpressions.wordpress.com/narcissism-psychopathy-evil/#comment-578 Mat Tue, 23 Jun 2009 06:00:29 +0000 http://mindexpressions.wordpress.com/?page_id=338#comment-578 Oops, looks like it didn't accept the links...! Oops, looks like it didn’t accept the links…!

]]> Comment on Narcissism, Psychopathy, and Evil by Mat http://mindexpressions.wordpress.com/narcissism-psychopathy-evil/#comment-577 Mat Tue, 23 Jun 2009 05:55:16 +0000 http://mindexpressions.wordpress.com/?page_id=338#comment-577 Canadian psychologist Robert Altemeyer, whose research coined the term "Right Wing Authoritarianism" (RWA), has said that "although they ('RW Authoritarians') have a high prevalence in the Republican party", in fact "right-wing authoritarians show little preference in general for any political party". He concludes that the Authoritarian types may simply find a more hospitable climate for their values within the Republican party. As far as any proven connection between Narcissism symptoms and developmental deficits, here are a some interesting links to research: Neural correlates of trust The Image of the Mother's Eye: a Possible Link between Early Narcissistic Injury and Autism How the brain talks to itself ("infants stabilize their autonomic systems with the help of parental interventions"): New imaging research at UCLA shows that impairments in autistic children's ability to imitate and empathize can be linked to dysfunction in the brain's mirror-neuron system BTW, just speaking personally, I think there's also a fair amount of evidence to suggest that certain cultures actually reward and self-select for the perpetuation of narcisssism, along with its frequent correlates, ADHD, Depression, and OCD. Canadian psychologist Robert Altemeyer, whose research coined the term “Right Wing Authoritarianism” (RWA), has said that “although they (‘RW Authoritarians’) have a high prevalence in the Republican party”, in fact “right-wing authoritarians show little preference in general for any political party”. He concludes that the Authoritarian types may simply find a more hospitable climate for their values within the Republican party.

As far as any proven connection between Narcissism symptoms and developmental deficits, here are a some interesting links to research:
Neural correlates of trust
The Image of the Mother’s Eye: a Possible Link between Early Narcissistic Injury and Autism
How the brain talks to itself (“infants stabilize their autonomic systems with the help of parental interventions”):
New imaging research at UCLA shows that impairments in autistic children’s ability to imitate and empathize can be linked to dysfunction in the brain’s mirror-neuron system

BTW, just speaking personally, I think there’s also a fair amount of evidence to suggest that certain cultures actually reward and self-select for the perpetuation of narcisssism, along with its frequent correlates, ADHD, Depression, and OCD.

]]> Comment on Narcissism, Psychopathy, and Evil by Delany http://mindexpressions.wordpress.com/narcissism-psychopathy-evil/#comment-575 Delany Mon, 22 Jun 2009 13:41:07 +0000 http://mindexpressions.wordpress.com/?page_id=338#comment-575 "Not so," you are certainly correct, narcissism is not confined to those with right-wing political opinions. In my own life and career(s), I have encountered some very toxic and destructively narcissistic people who identify with left-wing, liberal politics. However, the "authoritarian" level of moral development, along with right-wing politics, creates a specific type of narcissistic personality (and corresponding attitudes and behavior) that is quite interesting. “Not so,” you are certainly correct, narcissism is not confined to those with right-wing political opinions. In my own life and career(s), I have encountered some very toxic and destructively narcissistic people who identify with left-wing, liberal politics. However, the “authoritarian” level of moral development, along with right-wing politics, creates a specific type of narcissistic personality (and corresponding attitudes and behavior) that is quite interesting.

]]> Comment on Narcissism, Psychopathy, and Evil by Delany http://mindexpressions.wordpress.com/narcissism-psychopathy-evil/#comment-574 Delany Mon, 22 Jun 2009 13:37:02 +0000 http://mindexpressions.wordpress.com/?page_id=338#comment-574 Mat, the hypotheses that you suggest about the etiology of narcissistic are intriguing, and yet it is way too early in the state of the scientific process to say anything remotely definitive about genetic, environmental, social, developmental, and cultural factors that may give rise to this phenomenon. Undoubtedly, there are different developmental pathways. I personally (based on what I have seen of the relevant literature) would suggest great caution about any hypothesis that relies too heavily on the "bonding and attachment failures in early infant development." Mat, the hypotheses that you suggest about the etiology of narcissistic are intriguing, and yet it is way too early in the state of the scientific process to say anything remotely definitive about genetic, environmental, social, developmental, and cultural factors that may give rise to this phenomenon. Undoubtedly, there are different developmental pathways. I personally (based on what I have seen of the relevant literature) would suggest great caution about any hypothesis that relies too heavily on the “bonding and attachment failures in early infant development.”

]]> Comment on Bullying and Harassment at Work and in School by Not so certain http://mindexpressions.wordpress.com/bullying-and-harassment-at-work-and-in-school/#comment-572 Not so certain Mon, 22 Jun 2009 02:08:48 +0000 http://mindexpressions.wordpress.com/?page_id=326#comment-572 All too often, it seems employers don't want people who are bright, hard working, and self-motivated to do well and to serve the mission objectives of the company. All employers really want is people who will just come in, do the minimum necessary, and leave when their shifts are up. If an employee tries to offer a better level of service, they are treated badly by coworkers and their efforts are ignored by management. All too often, it seems employers don’t want people who are bright, hard working, and self-motivated to do well and to serve the mission objectives of the company. All employers really want is people who will just come in, do the minimum necessary, and leave when their shifts are up. If an employee tries to offer a better level of service, they are treated badly by coworkers and their efforts are ignored by management.

]]> Comment on Narcissism, Psychopathy, and Evil by Not so certain http://mindexpressions.wordpress.com/narcissism-psychopathy-evil/#comment-571 Not so certain Mon, 22 Jun 2009 02:00:25 +0000 http://mindexpressions.wordpress.com/?page_id=338#comment-571 Narcissism is hardly the exclusive purview of the political right wing! Your emphasis on portraying the Right alone in this light, rather than recognizing that narcissists come in a variety of political positions (the Left just as much as the Right), weakens your otherwise excellent article. I think most people are "nice" and because of that, few people are prepared to recognize evil when they see it. Narcissism is hardly the exclusive purview of the political right wing! Your emphasis on portraying the Right alone in this light, rather than recognizing that narcissists come in a variety of political positions (the Left just as much as the Right), weakens your otherwise excellent article.

I think most people are “nice” and because of that, few people are prepared to recognize evil when they see it.

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