Psychopaths, Narcissists, Machiavellians, Toxic Leaders and Coercive Controllers
Dark Personalities, Persistent Predatory Personalities
This is another post which may help towards educating people about the toxic controllers and manipulators. Dr. Karen Mitchell has written a PhD thesis called Psychopaths, Narcissists, Machiavellians, Toxic Leaders, Coercive Controllers: Subsets of One Overarching ‘Dark’ Personality Type?
Dr. Karen Mitchell says that psychopaths, narcissists, Machiavellians, toxic leaders, coercive controllers are all subsets of one dark personality type, the Persistent Predatory Personality. They have brain differences from the rest of us, and are motivated totally differently.
Dr. Mitchell’s posts on twitter are also interesting. She has said that Persistent Predatory Personality (PPP) and the victims of childhood abuse and trauma are similar in behaviour. The victims, the prey of the Persistent Predatory Personality however do not have the brain abnormalities, their motivations differ from the PPP, they can also feel shame, and can work on becoming more effective in their functioning - which hopefully means cutting out the negative behaviour.
Persistent Predatory Personality - Predator and Prey [3] Full tweet later in article.
Dr. Mitchell also says that narcissists / psychopaths develop support around them, and have “partner henchmen” groomed to support them as a tactic to decrease the risk of being exposed.
Partner Henchmen [4]
The Persistent Predatory Personality also have “flying monkeys” influenced by the dark personality, which are in a less powerful relationship that the “partner henchmen” but support the predator in their goals. Sometimes the “flying monkeys” know what they are getting into but sometimes are inadvertently drawn in.
Flying Monkeys [5] The full tweets follow the pdf and the Abstract of the thesis.
The whole topic is very interesting, and of course applicable to what is happening at present within certain groups of survivors. I have only read Dr. Karen’s thesis once, so I will not comment prematurely, before studying it more.
Her Twitterx is here Dr. Karen Mitchell [2], there is pdf embedded at the end of this section and there is a link here…
Psychopaths, Narcissists, Machiavellians, Toxic Leaders, Coercive Controllers: Subsets of One Overarching ‘Dark’ Personality Type? Karen Mitchell 2024 pdf [1].
Summary / Abstract
People who actively violate social norms and harm and disadvantage others by conscious choice have been the focus of research for centuries. Psychopathy, Machiavellianism, and narcissism, collectively the dark triad or dark personality (DP), are conceptualisations intended to give meaning to the characteristics common to socially aversive personalities.
Behavioural researchers in fields such as toxic leadership, coercive control in domestic violence, cults, and child sex abuse in religion also explore the characteristics of those who are socially aversive. There is, however, substantial dissention regarding shared attributes of those who are socially aversive, resulting in considerable ongoing friction and fragmentation in the field. This is neither in the interests of humankind, as identification of human predators is key to survival, nor in the interests of researchers who are committing time and resources to vastly conflicting ideas.
A model is presented in this thesis which appears to represent the nature of socially aversive personalities, people of DP, more comprehensively than any existing model or collection of behaviours. This three-dimensional model, the Persistent Predatory Personality (PPP) model, includes attributes, an arsenal of weaponry (tactics), and differentiating features (capabilities and values), which emerged from the data.
The thesis aims to identify common threads of research, resolve longstanding issues of dispute, and further clarify shared attributes of people New and unique approaches to research in the area and highly knowledgeable research populations not previously canvassed for data were engaged to achieve this aim.
The data, which are extensive and highly nuanced, clarify longstanding points of contention in the DP literature. An important and unique finding from the data is that people of DP who are higher functioning and engage in more covert forms of harm are equally as dangerous and sadistic, and share the same attributes, as those who commit overt acts of harm such as murder. The data were collected internationally from 57 senior expert practitioners cumulatively representing more than a thousand years, and individually an average of 22 years, of direct, continuous experience with multiple people of DP and their targets/victims.
Research participants were drawn from both forensic and nonforensic contexts and include religious leaders, medical specialists, executives, profilers including FBI and law enforcement, and forensic and nonforensic mental health professionals working with cults, Death Row prisoners, coercive control, and intimate partner violence perpetrators and victims, and others, including world-leading academics. Data were collected via multiple interviews and the Delphi survey technique.
pdf Download
Dr. Karen Mitchells twitter is here [2].
Various Tweets
Narcissists / psychopaths have prefrontal cortex and amygdala brain anomalies and they are motivated entirely differently. Control, sadism, deception, exploitation are their drivers.
If you are targeted by a narcissist /pychopath/ coercive controller, it is a war you do not realise you are in and which involves an entire team of people being mobilised against you.
A n/p/cc will subtly and expertly undermine you from day 1 to everyone around you.
Persistent Predatory Personality - Predator and Prey [3]
Persistent Predatory Personality - Predator and Prey [3]
Partner Henchmen [4]
A very interesting fact about narcissists/psychopaths…. They often have what I refer to as a ‘partner henchman’. The partner henchman (PH) is groomed by the psychopath/narcissist to be so supremely grateful to the psychopath/narcissist for opportunities they have offered them and so entwined in the life of the psychopath/narcissist that they are compelled to support them no matter what. This is not out of respect/consideration on behalf of the psychopath/narcissist, rather it is a tactic to decrease the risk of them being exposed and/or brought down. One example of this might be a shy, undriven academic being pulled up on the shirttails of a narcissist/psychopathic prolific publisher academic. By co-authoring, the partner henchman is locked in. The psychopath/narcissist will do other things to further deepen that partner henchman sense of loyalty. For example, they may profess (lie) to be struggling with a health issue that they can only talk to the PH about, they might ask favours of them such as giving away their daughter at her wedding in the absence of a father. The bond is like that of a creeping vine living on a tree. Sometimes psychopaths/narcissists choose their child as a partner henchman. Sometimes they choose their wife/husband as a PH. Sometimes it might be a CEO choosing a CFO, treasurer or other financial specialist as a partner henchman (often in business the partner henchman is a financial specialist because the CEO is often engaged in nefarious activities they do not want exposed). When you see 2 people that seem to present as a single force, this is a very, very strong red flag for a psychopath/narcissist.
Partner Henchmen [4]
It depends very much on the situation, the nature of the partner henchman, the context. I have spoken with partner henchmen who do know the nature of the narcissist/psychopath but the loyalty is so incredibly powerful that they will give up other relationships and opportunities to support the narcissist/psychopath. I think that the partner henchmen do not understand the full breath and depth of the darkness of the narcissist/psychopath behaviours though and they are engaged very powerfully in the charm of the narcissist/psychopath also.
Flying Monkeys [5]
Flying monkeys refer to people who are influenced by a dark personality to support them in their goals which they may position as noble but are in fact nefarious. Sometimes the flying monkeys know exactly what they are doing but often they are inadvertently drawn in to a manipulation. Partner henchman is a much more powerful relationship than the flying monkeys. You will often see the two names together. You will hear people talking about both of them instead of just one of them. It makes the partner henchman a far more impregnable force.
Flying Monkeys [5]
[updated 2024 Sept 28, 2024 Dec 14]
How to avoid being targeted [7]
Thankyou to Dr. Karen Mitchell for her work. Having been attacked for over a year by one of these dark personalities, I will certainly study it further.
Previous Posts on Similar Topics [Numbers do not relate to links from this post]
Watch Out for Romeo Spies [3]
Romeo Spies 2 - Human Intelligence Operatives Techniques [4]
Romeo Spies 3 Sexpionage [7]
Romeo Spies 4 The Spy Who Loved Me Video [8]
AI Tweet Generators and AI Social Media Posts [1]
Romeo Spy 5 [2]
Dark Psychology and Manipulation [9]
BITE Model of Authoritarian Control [6]
Also it might be worth check out this post, which may be helpful 2024 Sept 3 foxblog3 Survivors - Discrepancies, Contradictions, Inconsistencies and Loose Ends Part 1 [5].
Links
[1] Karen Mitchell Psychopaths, Narcissists, Machiavellians, Toxic Leaders, Coercive Controllers: Subsets of One Overarching ‘Dark’ Personality Type? Karen Mitchell 2024 A thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy https://static1.squarespace.com/static/64910384d2da1763d7156043/t/65bc5a78ab4aef10b9901a25/1706842827397/Psychopaths+Narcissists+Machiavellians+Toxic+Leaders+Coercive+Controllers++Subsets+of+One+Overarching+Dark+Personality+Type++MITCHELL+PHD+THESIS.pdf
[2] twitterx Karen Mitchell https://x.com/karenmitchell__
[3] Predators and Victims https://x.com/karenmitchell__/status/1839202846379757913 two types
[4] Partner Henchmen https://x.com/karenmitchell__/status/1838524646582583727
[5] Flying Monkeys https://x.com/karenmitchell__/status/1838533882821652860
[6] 2024 Sept 7 foxblog3 BITE Model of Authoritarian Control https://foxyfox.substack.com/p/bite-model-of-authoritarian-control #BITE #control #manipulation #controlfreaks #authoritarian
[7] avoid https://x.com/karenmitchell__/status/1839853506016227368
Appendix Text of Tweets
People often ask me about the difference between a psychopath and a sociopath. My PhD data indicates that narcissists, psychopaths and Machiavellians are all subsets of one overarching dark personality type. This personality type is supremely self focused, manipulative, sadistic, cruel, and profoundly dishonest, although they often seem upstanding and normal. Let’s refer to them as psychopaths/narcissists for now. MRI imaging work shows psychopaths/narcissists have prefrontal cortex, and amygdala brain anomalies. Some people engage in the same behaviors as psychopaths/narcissists, however, their motivation is not the same as psychopaths/narcissists. Their behaviors are a consequence of abuse, childhood trauma, etc. These people are referred to as sociopaths. They are different to so-called psychopaths/narcissists in several key ways.
Over time several terms have been developed to distinguish between the 2 groups of people exhibiting similar behaviours with a different motivation… Psychopath v sociopath, malignant narcissist v vulnerable narcissist, type A psychopath v type B psychopath and so on. My data indicates there is just one over-arching dark personality type who is deeply malevolently motivated, and another kind of person who exhibits the same behaviours but do not have the same brain anomalies. These people experience shame and with work may become more effective in their functioning.
A very interesting fact about narcissists/psychopaths…. They often have what I refer to as a ‘partner henchman’. The partner henchman (PH) is groomed by the psychopath/narcissist to be so supremely grateful to the psychopath/narcissist for opportunities they have offered them and so entwined in the life of the psychopath/narcissist that they are compelled to support them no matter what. This is not out of respect/consideration on behalf of the psychopath/narcissist, rather it is a tactic to decrease the risk of them being exposed and/or brought down. One example of this might be a shy, undriven academic being pulled up on the shirttails of a narcissist/psychopathic prolific publisher academic. By co-authoring, the partner henchman is locked in. The psychopath/narcissist will do other things to further deepen that partner henchman sense of loyalty. For example, they may profess (lie) to be struggling with a health issue that they can only talk to the PH about, they might ask favours of them such as giving away their daughter at her wedding in the absence of a father. The bond is like that of a creeping vine living on a tree. Sometimes psychopaths/narcissists choose their child as a partner henchman. Sometimes they choose their wife/husband as a PH. Sometimes it might be a CEO choosing a CFO, treasurer or other financial specialist as a partner henchman (often in business the partner henchman is a financial specialist because the CEO is often engaged in nefarious activities they do not want exposed). When you see 2 people that seem to present as a single force, this is a very, very strong red flag for a psychopath/narcissist.
Flying monkeys refer to people who are influenced by a dark personality to support them in their goals which they may position as noble but are in fact nefarious. Sometimes the flying monkeys know exactly what they are doing but often they are inadvertently drawn in to a manipulation. Partner henchman is a much more powerful relationship than the flying monkeys. You will often see the two names together. You will hear people talking about both of them instead of just one of them. It makes the partner henchman a far more impregnable force.
Mental health professionals keep jumping on my timeline and espousing differing, conflicting and often incorrect information about people who actively violate social norms and harm and disadvantage others by conscious choice. Interestingly, I found the academic literature in this area to be exactly the same. For the sake of clarity I will go into the findings from my PhD again, in this regard. There is only really one group of people who actively violate social norms and harm and disadvantage others by conscious choice. Then there is a group of people who have similar behaviours but behave this way for a different reason. These two groups could be described as follows. Predators and prey! Throughout history there has been acknowledgement of these two groups of people with similar sets of behaviours but with different motivations. Predators have been named things like malignant narcissist, psychopath, Machiavellian, type A psychopath. They do not experience shame or empathy and enjoy inflicting sadistic pain on others. They are motivated first and foremost by control. The second group has suffered considerable abuse. They experience shame whereas group A does not. Group B has been called things such as borderline personality disorder, ASPD, sociopathy, vulnerable narcissism. Group B, in fact, demonstrates normal human reactions to extreme levels of abuse and torture. I do not believe it is a personality disorder. This is an important distinction so I repost this regularly…. My PhD data indicates that narcissists, psychopaths and Machiavellians are all subsets of one overarching dark personality type - which I refer to as Persistent Predatory Personality (PPP). This personality type (including psychopaths) is supremely self focused, manipulative, sadistic, cruel, and profoundly dishonest, although they often seem upstanding and normal. This group has a shared set of attributes and powerfully use the same set of tactics to destroy and remain unaccountable. MRI imaging work shows PPP, subsuming psychopathy, Machiavellianism and narcissism, have prefrontal cortex, and amygdala brain anomalies. They are wired to be like this. Some people engage in the same behaviours as Persistent Predatory Personalities however, their motivation is not the same. Their behaviours are a consequence of abuse, childhood trauma, etc. These people are often referred to as sociopaths, BPD, vulnerable narcissists. They are different to PPP in key ways. Over time several terms have been developed to distinguish between the 2 groups of people exhibiting similar behaviours with a different motivation… Psychopath v sociopath, malignant narcissist v vulnerable narcissist, type A psychopath v type B psychopath and so on. My data indicates there is just one over-arching dark personality type which is deeply malevolently motivated - PPP (including psychopaths), and another kind of person who exhibits similar behaviours but do not have the same brain anomalies. The second group of people experience shame and with work may become more effective in their functioning.
A very interesting fact about narcissists/psychopaths…. They often have what I refer to as a ‘partner henchman’. The partner henchman (PH) is groomed by the psychopath/narcissist to be so supremely grateful to the psychopath/narcissist for opportunities they have offered them and so entwined in the life of the psychopath/narcissist that they are compelled to support them no matter what. This is not out of respect/consideration on behalf of the psychopath/narcissist, rather it is a tactic to decrease the risk of them being exposed and/or brought down. One example of this might be a shy, undriven academic being pulled up on the shirttails of a narcissist/psychopathic prolific publisher academic. By co-authoring, the partner henchman is locked in. The psychopath/narcissist will do other things to further deepen that partner henchman sense of loyalty. For example, they may profess (lie) to be struggling with a health issue that they can only talk to the PH about, they might ask favours of them such as giving away their daughter at her wedding in the absence of a father. The bond is like that of a creeping vine living on a tree. Sometimes psychopaths/narcissists choose their child as a partner henchman. Sometimes they choose their wife/husband as a PH. Sometimes it might be a CEO choosing a CFO, treasurer or other financial specialist as a partner henchman (often in business the partner henchman is a financial specialist because the CEO is often engaged in nefarious activities they do not want exposed). When you see 2 people that seem to present as a single force, this is a very, very strong red flag for a psychopath/narcissist.
How do I avoid being targeted by a narcissist/psychopath/ coercive controller/predator? Tough question because predators DO target very specific types. If you are kind, well-meaning, honest and have some kind of vulnerability you are much more likely to get targeted. A few protective recommendations include: 1. If you have low sense of self worth, invest in support with increasing it. Predators smell it. 2. Do not over-share about yourself. This is recognised by predators as a sign of ‘niceness’ which means greater susceptibility to manipulation and control. 3. Practise saying ‘no’. Predators test in the early days to see if boundaries can be pushed. If you are practised at declining as well as accepting proposals, suggestions, ideas, offers, requests for help, you are not such an obvious target. 4. Know the red flags, know the attributes, know the tactics. There are many, many subtle signs that are predator give-aways. I include them in my posts. They are also in my PhD. The book will be out soon. Make sure you are totally conversant with them. When you see a few, start researching. 5. Do research! So important. If you have concerns about someone, ask around about them, search the internet, research their businesses, see who they are connected with. Eventually the data paints a picture. 6. Posture, walking gait, should be confident. One study showed that predators could identify an easy target from gait! 7. Do not openly discuss that you are estranged from, geographically distant from or have no family. Predators target those who are isolated or can be isolated.
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Do PPP also believe they own everything, is it true that they can act as the aggressor and the victim, all depending on the situation, take for example, if they put a child in danger, it is pointed out, they then portray themselves as experts and the child was in no danger at all ? The the child fell, they then blame the child. The child states, I don't want to go there again. The reply is, I thought you liked it ? Yet if something had happened to the child, would they play the victim?
Thank you for sharing. My first time hearing about Dr. Mitchell. I’ve just downloaded her thesis.