Understanding the Aggressive Personalities, Part 2
By far the most limiting aspect of traditional approaches to understanding the most character-disturbed individuals among us is that purely behavioral descriptions don’t capture the essence of what is unhealthy and problematic in them.
By now, some may have read my initial post on the “aggressive personalities” (see “Understanding the Aggressive Personalities”). I expect that the post may prompt some discussion, and I’m hoping for a robust dialogue. It’s very unfortunate that the professional community has give such little attention to these most character-disordered of all personality types. As I mentioned in my last post, it’s also unfortunate that for a long time the official diagnostic manual used by mental health professionals only recognized one subtype of these personalities, applying the term Antisocial Personality Disorder basically to persons who consistently led lives of crime since mid-adolescence. A relatively recent revision of the manual has de-emphasized the criminal conduct aspect of this personality type but has failed to clearly delineate the many different subtypes, instead suggesting that persons qualifying for the APD diagnosis may have either a varied smattering or clustering of disturbing traits. This poor classification system fails to recognize the distinctly pathological traits that define at least five very different, sometimes dangerous, and always problematic personalities.
By far the most limiting aspect of traditional approaches to understanding the most character-disturbed individuals among us is that purely behavioral descriptions don’t capture the essence of what is unhealthy and problematic in them. It is my assertion that their inordinate predisposition for aggression lies at the heart of their character disturbance and influences every aspect of their disturbed development. At heart these individuals are under-inhibited, unnecessary, and unrelenting fighters who would be entirely different characters if they could bring themselves to concede, back down, or submit, especially when it is in their long-term best interest to do so. Other problematic traits can combine with this aggressive predisposition to create some very disturbing personality styles.
I find it helpful to categorize 5 basic aggressive personality subtypes:
- The first type I call the unbridled aggressive.
- These are the individuals we have typically called “antisocial” in their behavior pattern because they so frequently violate major social norms and end up running afoul of the law.
- The second type I label the channeled aggressive.
- Individuals with this personality type frequently channel their aggressive energies into socially sanctioned outlets such as competitive sports, military careers, etc., and tough corporate enterprise. They contain their aggression for pragmatic purposes but will cross socially acceptable boundaries when they feel assured they will get away with it.
- Covert-aggressive personalities do their best to appear benign on the surface and to veil all their aggressive agendas.
- They are among the most manipulative of personalities, and are the primary subject of my book In Sheep’s Clothing [Amazon-US | Amazon-UK].
- Another subtype is one that I label the sadistic aggressive.
- Most aggressive personalities hurt other people. But that is not their principal aim. Aggressive personalities generally simply want what they want and if they have to run roughshod over someone else to get it, so be it. Causing pain is not their aim. Getting their way is their main desire. But for the Sadistic Personality, inflicting pain and demeaning others is a primary objective.
- Lastly, I apply the label predatory aggressive to the most severely disturbed of all characters, the psychopath (alt: sociopath).
- These individuals are first and foremost characterized by their senseless, remorseless, and completely empathy-devoid use, abuse, manipulation, and exploitation of others. Some of these individuals also lead parasitic lifestyles.
In the next series of posts, I’ll be exploring each of the aggressive personality types in much greater detail. I’ll also be discussing the pitfalls of attempting to intervene with such personalities using traditional approaches. It’s very unfortunate, but many longstanding notions about why people do the things they do can put a relatively healthy individual at an extreme disadvantage when they encounter one of the aggressive personalities. Not really knowing who and what they are and what really makes them tick, so to speak, is how most people end up getting victimized by them.
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7th November 2008
Hi George,
Very informative article. Your point that these types have an inordinate predisposition for aggression at the heart of their character disturbances is well recieved. The sub-catorgories are helpful in pinpointing certain behaviors of typical personalty character disorders. Unrelenting fighters that sure fits their behaviors. Are you going to expand on these through out your articles? I hope so. Like an example of behaviors. I doubt they are about to concede, back down or submit for their long term best interests or anyone elses. Are there therapies that have actually resulted in this?
Thanks,
Diane
7th November 2008
Thanks for your comments, Diane.
I do plan to expand on the core dynamics as well as to take a more in-depth look at each aggressive personality subtype.
Now, as to your really good question:
Although they are not naturally predisposed to give-in or give ground, even when it would be in their (and everyone else’s) best interest, these individuals can indeed learn to do so. That’s what good, confrontive cognitive-behavioral therapy can and should do. The reason that for so long we didn’t seem to help these folks was not so much been that the core dynamics are impossible to deal with. The problem was that for too long the core issues were never actually the focus of intervention. For example, some counselors wasted a whole lot of time and energy trying to get their clients to “see” the long term consequences of their behavior. I still encounter counselors who delude themselves into thinking that they will be that one counselor in a hundred who finally makes the light bulb go off in their client’s head. Insight-oriented approaches are doomed to fail, because these characters already have insight, yet the behavior pattern persists because of the degree to which it is ingrained. Other counselors tended to equate challenging core maladaptive conduct as unnecessarily judgmental and alienating with respect to building a therapeutic relationship. Whatever the reason, the core problem would often go unaddressed. There are so many novel and interesting ways one can deal creatively with the core issues, once the decision is made to make them the primary focus of therapeutic work. In my professional workshops, I like to cite an example of one man I worked with who was so power and control-oriented that it took two years of progressive approximation behavioral strategies just to get him to let one of his golf buddies be the driver of the golf cart. Slow, steady, work ………. creative at times,……… but always focused on the real problem. I wouldn’t have stuck with this kind of work for over 20 years if I hadn’t seen many positive results. I just had to give up all the old notions I had about how to help people change.
17th March 2009
It is just a coincidence that these “types” of people are running corporate America, the judicial system and politics? It is merely coincidence that this type of “win at any price” mentality is reinforced in these institutions? And is it also a coincidence that these types of people never seem to embrace “faith” as a tennant to good living? Of course these are not coincidences. Power is their religion. They have no humility, only pride. Tell me Dr. Simon, are these people growing in number, because it seems to me these power mongers are taking over the world. And it scares me….a LOT.
17th March 2009
Great question! No, it is not a “coincidence” that such people are in the positions you outline. It’s not that every politician or corporate head is character disordered, but rather that aggressive personalities seek power relentlessly and abuse it when they get it. So, they naturally gravitate toward fields of endeavor where they can wield it. There are also many sociocultural reasons that character disturbance of all types is becoming more prevalent. That will be the subject of future posts. In Sigmund Freud’s day, excessive neurosis was the problem. Today, neurosis is at functional levels and it’s the neurotics that are keeping the fabric of society together. Character disturbance is unfortunately expanding at epidemic proportions and equally unfortunate is the fact that most traditional psychology paradigms aren’t adequate to explain or deal with the problem.
17th March 2009
George,
I do agree with your answer!
A subject fond in my heart…uncorruptable statesmen. Any ideas?
Or how to spot the ones there already so we all can support them more because they are already that!!!
I know a another post or a book….
It would be a great parental book the ingredients it takes to raise an uncorruptable statesmen…don’t you think?
Would love to collaborate on that one!!!
Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
Diane
17th March 2009
Collaboration is always most welcome. I could spend hours……In fact after 13 years of writing, I’m still not finished with a book on the sociocultural underpinnings of the character crisis and a prescription for the way out of it. There’s so much to say and inevitable controversy to spark. Being succinct yet thorough enough and garnering sufficient supporting data has been a real challenge.
17th March 2009
P.S. Happy St. Pat’s to you also.
17th March 2009
I am smilimg George as you are already working hard on this subject matter! Thanks for sharing that with me! You made my day! Diane
17th March 2009
Dr. Simon, Thanks for your terrific response. I very much suspected (as a lay person) that “us” neurotics are the lesser of today’s psychologically challenged, so I’m relieved to hear you say it. And I hope your book and/or future pieces on this topic of character disturbed does address how this happens at the institutional level (I believe even our American school systems are actually fostering this type of thinking/behavior). I do read a lot about psychology, and I very much appreciate your “take” on how this type of behavior should be viewed and treated. “Character” is not something that is typically addressed in the psychological arena, and yet it is the most important aspect of individual freedom, and of civilized society. I look forward to reading your book (on my rather lengthy reading list) and all future articles.