Cluster B Behaviour in Story Drama

Summary: Portraying human behaviour, impulsive or patterned, knowing the cycles, agenda, needs and wants. The who, what, why, when and how can be key to character development. In a political drama, there could be a lot of triangulation, or in a superhero good vs evil it could be a childhood conditing experience mixed with a born disorder that creates a hidden monster. Psychology can play a part in creating a character from the inside out.

True or False: Psychopathy is a concealed psychological disturbance.

30 out of 40 indicative that an adult has psychopathy.

People are instruments to be played.

Hare Psychopathy Checklist (Original) (PCL-22)

The Psychopathy Checklist - Revised - Two Factors.

(PCL-R; Hare, 1991, 2003)

Emotional-Interpersonal Features - Factor 1*

• Superficial charm

• Grandiosity

• Lying

• Manipulation

• Lack of remorse

• Shallow emotions

• Callousness

• Blame externalisation

Impulsive-Antisocial - Features - Factor 2 *

• Easily bored

• Parasitic

• Hot-tempered/aggressive

• Child behavior problems

• Lacks goals

• Impulsive

• Irresponsible

• Juvenile offending

• Release violations (e.g. parole)

Choosing Therapy - 10 Signs of a Female Psychopath (and men but are different)

Common themes are built around the triad for the antagonist and the light triad for the protagonist. The anti-hero may be in the grey or closer to the dark but has reasoning to be the lesser of two evils.

True or False: Those who are highly deceptive and highly manipulative are constantly fearing exposure.

VeryWellMind - What to Do If You or a Loved One Lack Empathy

Dark Triad = Narcissism, Machiavellianism (manipulative, victim card) and Psychopathy.

Beyond the Dark Triad is The Dark Tetrad = Narcissism, Machiavellianism, Psychopathy and Sadism (enjoying others feel pain).

Adding Malignant say ‘Malignant Covert Narcissist’ means adding ASPD = Antisocial Personality Disorder = A Narcissistic Psychopath…. made from the environment and born with less activation in the prefrontal Cortex, mirror neurons not working correctly. Not knowing right from wrong, no boundaries. Highly manipulative.

Simple Psychology - Dark Triad Personality Traits

Mind Tools - The Dark Triad and how to spot it

“Thick as thieves” is a term that can suggest a herd mentality with a similar interest or cause, regardless of consequence… a motive can be followed… the henchman.

Brainwashing or conditioning to keep the big picture out of the facade, the agenda of the disorder that cannot process others, may want the cult to think black and white and the cult thrives on rejectioning moral universal beliefs.

Situations created in childhood experiences, genetics, and splitting… absolute thinking.

Birdman - Schizophrenia. (After something happened)

Fight Club - Dissociative Identity Disorder. (Flawed systems)

Misery - Bipolar. Sadomasochistic. (Fit the narrative)

Whiplash - Sadism. (Pursuit of perfection)

The Protagonist and the Antagonist both have a cause and an objective… one is with a bias, control and without consideration.

The other wants balance and a utopian situation to allow development, connection and truth.

AI Overview (accurate)

Cluster B is a group of personality disorders that are characterized by dramatic, impulsive, and erratic behaviours, as well as unpredictable emotional responses. The four main types of cluster B personality disorders are:

  • Antisocial personality disorder (ASPD)

    A pervasive pattern of irresponsible behavior, disregard for others' rights, and lack of empathy

  • Borderline personality disorder (BPD)

    A pervasive pattern of instability in relationships, self-image, and mood, as well as fear of abandonment and unhealthy attachments

  • Histrionic personality disorder (HPD)

    A pervasive pattern of attention-seeking behavior, excessive emotionality, and an impressionistic style of speech

  • Narcissistic personality disorder (NPD)

    A pervasive pattern of grandiosity, lack of empathy, and a need for admiration 

Some signs of a cluster B personality disorder include:

  • Relationship challenges

  • Frequent conflicts with others

  • Out-of-control emotions

  • Trouble relating to others

  • Impulsivity

  • Problems at work or school

  • Putting yourself in risky situations

  • Excessive drug or alcohol use

  • Conflicts with the law 

While cluster B personality disorders are not curable, there are many options to help manage symptoms, including medication, psychotherapy, and behavioural therapies.

References:

Psychology Today - Why Narcissists Can Forget Their Own Bad Behavior

Psychology Today - Low self-awareness - 3 Ways a Narcissist Damages Their Closest Relationships

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