Professor develops method to treat AsPD

A German professor is convinced that psychopaths can learn how to feel. Neurofeedback will train the areas of the psychopaths brain which had not been used before. First investigations show that psychopaths who had been treated responded to heavy movie scenes with empathy, fear and care. Before treatment they felt more or less nothing when shown the same pictures.

I will translate the article for you soon.

http://www.wissenschaft.de/leben-umwelt ... chopathen/

Very interesting. But the point is that most people don't get diagnosed with psychopathy / AsPD, so how could you treat them or just try it on them? I'm also wondering if the effects are forever or temporary.

And they'd need to consent to the treatment. I wouldn't.

I am assuming this type of treatment is predicated on the empathy switch and attention theory.

From what it looks like some psychopaths are capable of such things, the switch is just naturally set to off and attention must be paid to a particular stimuli in order to feel. Usually it is due to a self-interest or self-preservation.

My guess is the neurofeedback is predicated on viewing the world through the perspective of empathy and emotions being beneficial. If I had to guess, this type of treatment would essentially be a type of brainwashing to a degree.

That is no treatment or cure in my opinion.

I only have my own experiences of course, so I have no opinion about this emotional/empathy switch. I am assuming it is something that most psychopaths possess but the psychopaths on the very end of the spectrum do not possess it.

When it comes to feeling fear, the whole point of psychopaths not responding to fear is due to a higher reward signal which blocks out a diminished fear/risk signal. It is as if the fear isn't even there, but the fear perception is there. If we had no fear perception we would be unable to grasp the fact that jumping into a lions cage was dangerous.

Theoretically, if you wanted to feel fear you would have to ignore the reward signal.

Personally, I would never consent to such treatment.

DefinitelyNotTommi wrote:And they'd need to consent to the treatment. I wouldn't.

Neither would I, but there are some people who could really benefit from it, if they choose to undergo it. And for some repeat offenders it should probably be mandatory if it is proven effective.

Im curious about this and would like to hear more about it.

-- Sun Oct 23, 2016 11:03 am --

DefinitelyNotTommi wrote:And they'd need to consent to the treatment. I wouldn't.

Neither would I, but there are some people who could really benefit from it, if they choose to undergo it. And for some repeat offenders it should probably be mandatory if it is proven effective.

Im curious about this and would like to hear more about it.

Well, when asked whether the psychopaths do participate
willingly, the professor answered: "Not at all. It's a question of money. We're dependent on prisoners up to now and offer them a lot of money and privileges in return."

The effect of the treatment often last for years. But there are still some points to be clarified within the next years. Neurofeedback is also used to change the brain of people addicted to something.

i wonder if they just act treated because they're getting paid.

bet the researcher won't complain if it helps his career.

crystal_richardson_ wrote:i wonder if they just act treated because they're getting paid.

bet the researcher won't complain if it helps his career.

Kind of like a placebo. Well if it works to keep them out of trouble, why not? Lol

I have a difficult time imagining that anyone would consent to this. I wouldn't even and i was/am still relatively open to therapy and "change". IDK maybe i am dramatizing it in my mind, but I just dont see why anyone would subject themselves to this kind of alterations

neurofeedback doesn't hurt - did you all read it? I can't because german and I hate chrome.

I would do it, just to see what happened.