Understanding Psychopathy and Schizophrenia: Insights from
School
Desert Pines High School**We aren't endorsed by this school
Course
ARTS PHOTO
Subject
Psychology
Date
Dec 10, 2024
Pages
3
Uploaded by DeaconCrabPerson1270
Jim Fallon: Exploring the Mind of a Killer1. What factors contribute to someone becoming a psychopathickiller, according to Fallon? There could be many factors that contribute to someone becoming a psychopathic killer. Fallon listed that they look at things like the interaction of genes, brain damage, interaction with the environment, and how these are all tied together. How a psychopath, and akiller, are ended up, depends on exactly when the damage occurs. The pattern is that every murderer had damage to their orbital cortex, but they all had their unique different damaged parts to their brains. However, the key link is the major violence gene called the MAO-A gene, which is passed down from a mother.2. What has Fallon found about the possible genetic link topsychopathic killers? The MAO-A gene is a major indicator that is present in all psychopathic killers. This gene is passed down by the mother only and it probably explains why it is usually men becoming psychopathic killers, as a daughter can get one X from the father and another X from the mother and it becomes diluted. But for a son, he can only get the X chromosome from his mother. It has to do with too much serotonin during development. It is interesting because serotonin is supposed to make you relaxed, but since the baby is bathed in this, the brain becomes insensitive to serotonin.3. According to Fallon, is a person's psychopathic behavior entirelydetermined by genetics? Why or why not? There are some environmental factors involved. Theoretically, toexpress this gene, violently, very early on before puberty, the personwould have to be involved in a very traumatic situation, such as seeingviolence. If this happens, then it is a recipe for disaster. This traumatic event seems to activate the gene by giving the user this sense of normality in violence and it makes them think it is okay to be a psychopathic killerElyn Saks: A Tale of Mental Illness-From the Inside1. What are some of the characteristics of Elyn's mental illness?She has chronic schizophrenia. At a time of her worst, she described herself to be barely eating, thinning out to have legs that seemed wooden and a face that looked like a mask. She would close the curtains to her apartment and her room would be in shambles. Her illness made her develop a very negative attitude and she seemed to be having depression-like symptoms. Schizophrenia is a brain disease, that makes users out of touch with reality. Delusions and hallucinations are hallmarks of the illness. Delusions are usually fixed on false beliefs that aren’t based on evidence, while hallucinations are false sensory experiences. Often, speech and
thinking become disorganized to the point of incoherence. The schizophrenic mind is shattered, not split like in multiple personality disorder or split personality disorder.2. How does Elyn's mental illness affect her life? Her doctor gave her the prognosis of “grave”, meaning that she wasexpected to live on a board and care for and work at menial jobs. Yet she hashad a successful career and is well today. On a normal day, while walkingwith her friends, Elyn started saying things that made no sense. Her friendswould look at her in confusion as she mumbles away and enters a state ofschizophrenia. This episode led to her hospitalization in America. Frequently, these attacks would make her daily interactions with people extremely difficult. She had to go through many hospitalizations and eventually an involuntary one as well.3. What are the three reasons that Elyn discusses for why she is at the place she is at right now? Everything about her illness says she couldn’t be here. However, she has three reasons that helped her get here.She has had excellent treatment: 4-5 days a week psychoanalytic psychotherapy for decades. Secondly, she has many close family membersand friends who know her and her illness. These relationships help to give her life meaning and depth, which also helps her navigate her life in the face of symptoms. Lastly, she works in an enormously supportive workplace at USC Law School, where they accommodate her needs and embrace her for who she is. 4. How does Elyn believe she should approachmental illness? Elyn believes that people with mental illnesses should not be approached with stigma and discrimination. People with mental illnessesare all around us and they are normal people. Having an illness does not differentiate them. Elyn believes that we should continue to fund the research for treatments for mental illnesses so that we can offer more people care, but not through force. She also believes we should stop criminalizing mental illnesses, as American prisons and jails are filled with people who suffer from severe mental illnesses, and many of them never receive adequate treatment.