Former FBI agent says one personality type may be more dangerous than a psychopath
Translated from Serbian and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.
At a glance
- Former FBI agent Joe Navarro says malignant narcissists may cause more harm in interpersonal relationships than psychopaths.
- Navarro links malignant narcissism to narcissistic traits, aggression, lack of remorse and disregard for rules.
- He says the consequences can be psychological, emotional and financial, while the article lists exploitation and lack of empathy among warning signs.
Joe Navarro spent 25 years in the FBI and worked on cases involving criminals including Ted Bundy. Yet after encountering many psychopaths, he says another personality type may cause greater harm: the malignant narcissist.
Navarro, a co-founder of the National Security Behavioural Programme, discussed the issue during an interview with LADbibleโs โHonesty Box.โ He said his research for the book โDangerous Personality,โ along with messages he had received over the past decade, led him to conclude that malignant narcissists probably inflict the most harm at an interpersonal level.
Based on the messages Iโve received over the last 10 or 12 years since I wrote that book, the malignant narcissist is probably the one who causes the most harm at an interpersonal level.
โBased on the messages Iโve received over the last 10 or 12 years since I wrote that book, the malignant narcissist is probably the one who causes the most harm at an interpersonal level,โ Navarro said. โBy overestimating themselves and devaluing others, malignant narcissists cause great harm.โ
By overestimating themselves and devaluing others, malignant narcissists cause great harm.
The article describes malignant narcissism as a combination of narcissistic traits, including an inflated sense of importance, entitlement, arrogance and a lack of empathy, with features associated with antisocial personality disorder. These can include aggression, a lack of remorse and disregard for rules. It says the causes are not known, although certain childhood traumas may contribute to its development.
Navarro said the behavior appears most often among men and is directed toward women, with potentially deep psychological, emotional and financial consequences. โThe consequences, psychological, emotional, as well as financial, are really numerous and quite devastating,โ he said. He contrasted this with psychopathy, which he said affects about 1% of the population and involves people who โobviously have no conscience.โ
The consequences, psychological, emotional, as well as financial, are really numerous and quite devastating.
Warning signs listed in the article include preoccupation with beauty, brilliance and power, exploiting others for personal gain, believing one deserves โthe best,โ and lacking empathy.
Obviously have no conscience.
Originally published by N1 Serbia in Serbian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.