The 9 Psychopathic Subtypes Established By Theodore Millon
Theodore Millon is an American psychologist who stood out for his studies on personality. He has written over 30 books and over 200 scientific articles. His classification of personality disorders in which he presents the psychopathic subtypes is world famous and has influenced the most important diagnostic manuals.
The personality disorders classified by Millon are not mental illnesses as such. Rather, it is a type of behavior, cognition and emotion involving a certain inflexibility and difficulty in dealing with everyday situations, especially stressful ones. According to the author, these disorders promote, moreover, vicious circles at the level of functioning.
Among all his studies, we are interested here in his classification of psychopathic subtypes. It should be noted that these subtypes are not mutually exclusive. It is also quite normal for a psychopath to exhibit the characteristics of several subtypes. Let’s see this in more detail.
The Principleless Psychopath, one of the nine subtypes of the psychopath
This psychopathic personality exhibits narcissistic traits. These are people who are successful outside the law and who are indifferent to the well-being of others. This is why these people have no remorse when it comes to manipulating or exploiting the people around them.
These people, who usually do not receive treatment, are distinguished by their arrogance and a fraudulent social style. In addition, it is they who generally mark the rhythm of their relationships: when they have obtained what they wanted from a person, the relationship no longer interests them.
The sneaky psychopath
No matter how sociable and pleasant he looks, the devious psychopath actually hides his impulsiveness, aggressiveness and lack of confidence. These people get upset easily and are often in a bad mood in the presence of their family and other relatives.
These people usually seek attention and feel drawn to experiences that give them a certain surge of joy. They are generally flirtatious and their relationships are superficial and changeable.
The personality of the devious psychopath is similar to that of the histrionic personality. These people are generally irresponsible and don’t keep their word. Their enthusiasm is generally short-lived and their behaviors related to their search for sensations are immature.
The risk-taker psychopath
In the classification of the psychopath’s subtypes is the risk-taker psychopath. This subtype is frequently found in risky situations. The risk-taker psychopath isn’t so glamorous, what he needs is to feel alive and motivated.
According to Theodore Millon, many people of this subtype react impulsively, without thinking. They are reckless and callous in situations where we normally tend to be afraid and feel unsafe. These people can also appear antisocial and histrionic.
The greedy psychopath, one of the nine subtypes of the psychopath
Greedy psychopaths believe that life has not given them what they deserve and that they have been stripped of their rights. They consider that others are luckier than them and that they have never had the opportunity to live better.
These people are therefore motivated by the desire to recover all the things of which they have been stripped. Through their criminal acts, they fill the void they feel. The transgressions they commit against society do not matter to them.
The weak psychopath
The weak psychopath is another subtype of the psychopath in Theodore Millon’s classification. People of this subtype are terribly insecure and even cowardly.
These people are also sometimes aggressive. This is a paradoxical response to the feeling of fear they feel. They thus try to hide their anxiety and their weakness, so they will not give in to external pressures or threats. A certain dependence is also part of their characteristics.
The explosive psychopath, one of the nine subtypes of the psychopath
This subtype is opposed to that of the weak psychopath. The explosive psychopath is distinguished by his sudden and unpredictable desire to stir up hostility. His “temper tantrums” are out of control: he attacks others, even members of his own family.
The explosive psychopath erupts suddenly and precipitously. It is impossible to prevent or contain his temper tantrums. He feels frustrated and threatened, which is why he reacts in volatile and harmful ways. Like when he was a child, his temper tantrums are instant reactions to deal with frustration and fear.
The surly psychopath
The surly psychopath manifests his rejection through confrontation and argument. Absolutely everything and everyone is a good reason to fight. Everything around him seems like a good excuse to vent his anger.
This subtype is constantly at odds with others. He magnifies the slightest little action in order to remain in the constant and bitter struggle. He has little remorse and does not realize the harm he is causing to others.
The Malevolent Psychopath
The malicious psychopath is particularly hostile and vindictive. They unload his impulses by maliciously and destructively defying conventional social life.
As he is suspicious of others and anticipates alleged betrayals and punishments, he displays cold cruelty and manifests an intense desire for revenge for alleged child abuse. He feels resentful and seeks a fight at any time in order to beat the people he wishes to destroy.
The Tyrannical Psychopath
Just like the malicious psychopath, the tyrannical psychopath is among the most menacing and cruel psychopathic personalities. These two subtypes have intimidating, attacking and crushing relationships.
They often point fingers and behave abusively. They are almost always destructive. Unlike the Malevolent Psychopath, resistance and weakness stimulate the Tyrannical Psychopath, which is why these characteristics do not stop or mitigate their attack.
Our thoughts Robert Hare’s psychopathy test is undoubtedly one of the most widely used to detect this dangerous psychopathology in humans.
