Ep 07: Personalities That Kill

In this episode of the Personality Couch Podcast, we discuss personality darkness and specifically focus on personalities that are prone to violence and extreme behavior. We also discuss two important research studies, the Milgram study and the Stanford prison experiment, that shed light on the capacity for humans to engage in harmful acts. We then delve into the different personality types within Cluster A (schizoid, schizotypal, and paranoid); Cluster B (borderline, histrionic, and narcissistic); and Cluster C (avoidant, dependent, obsessive-compulsive) and discuss their risk levels for violence and murder. In this conversation, we also explore sadistic personalities, a category not included in the DSM, but included in multiple other personality theories. We highlight the characteristics and behaviors associated with each type and discuss the potential for violence and destructive behavior. The conversation emphasizes the importance of understanding these personalities and their potential risks in order to promote awareness and better understanding of human behavior.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction: Personality Darkness and Violence
02:43 The Influence of Authority: Milgram’s Study
05:03 The Influence of Situational Factors: Zimbardo’s Stanford Prison Experiment

Cluster A:
08:01 Schizoid
10:18 Schizotypal
12:27 Paranoid
 - 18:45 Paranoid Subtypes: Querulously, Insular, Malignant

Cluster B:
23:01 Borderline
27:05 Histrionic
28:58 Narcissistic
 - 31:26 Narcissistic Subtypes: Elitist, Exploitative, Unprincipled
35:00 Antisocial
 - 37:17 Antisocial Subtypes: Reputation-Defending and Malevolent

41:44 Sadistic Personalities

Cluster C:
46:22 Avoidant
47:43 Dependent
50:32 Obsessive-Compulsive Personality

55:54 Summary and Closing