Mask of Sanity: A Multivariate Analysis of the Language of Psychopaths

Abstract

The study investigates the linguistic characteristics of narratives provided by psychopathic offenders in comparison to non-psychopathic control group. The examination of psychopathic speech aims to uncover patters indicative of an instrumental and predatory world view, unique socioemotional needs, and a deficiency in affect. Employing a multivariate analysis and hand-coding ensure reliability and capture linguistic elements not identifiable by Natural Language Processing (NPL) tools, the study explores the narratives of 8 psychopathic and 7 non-psychopathic offenders. Psychopathy classification relied on the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R), complemented by the application of the Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. The multivariate linguistic analysis aims investigate the intricate layers of meaning produced both consciously and unconsciously by the subjects as well as the syntactic, semantic, and emotional features of the narratives. The findings reveal notable and distinct linguistic traits among psychopaths compared to their counterparts. Psychopathic narratives exhibit a higher prevalence of rational cause-and-effect descriptors, a focus on lower needs, reduced emphasis on references to social needs, as well as poor emotional understanding and lack of empathy – all manifested through language. Additionally, psychopathic speech displays a greater frequency of disfluencies, suggesting difficulties in articulating such emotionally charged events to others. Furthermore, psychopaths employ a higher number of past tense verbs and fewer present tense verbs in their narrative, signifying an increased psychological detachment from the events. Their language is also characterized by lower emotional intensity and pleasantness. In conclusion, the observed linguistic differences, likely beyond conscious control, align with the observations that psychopaths function on a primitive yet rational level, revealing intricate nuances that put together linguistically portray these individuals as unique.