Overview of antisocial, dissocial, and psychopathy in men of the mafia

• In Event: Mind of the Mafia

Abstract

Any serious attempt to understand the psychology and criminal conduct of
members of the mafia begins with an analysis of whether the condition is
fundamentally rooted in a psychopathic disorder. Or, whether it is the product of a
subculture, defined by its own beliefs, practices, and traditions, which sets itself
in opposition to the greater societal context in which it exists. Severe longstanding
antisocial behaviors, Hare maintains, is “the most ubiquitous characteristic in the
description of psychopathy.” Features of mafiosi conduct such as conning and
manipulativeness, criminal versatility, and especially callousness and lack of empathy regarding their atrocious and violent crimes are signs of psychopathy.
Here we will analyze the overlapping concepts of psychopathy, sociopathy, and
dyssociality as they may relate to the psychology of the mafiosi.

Author

• Alan R. Felthous, Saint Louis University, School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO, USA