Atheism and psychopathy

The perverse and cruel atheist Marquis de Sade in prison, 18th century line engraving. See: Atheism and sadism

Psychopathy is strongly correlated with crime, violence, and antisocial behavior.[1][2] See also: Irreligion, psychopathy, crime, violence and antisocial behavior

A psychopath is someone with an anti-social personality disorder characterized by violent, perverted or immoral behavior often leading to criminality. Psychopaths have little or no concern for other people. Some psychopaths equate love with sexual arousal.[3]

A 2016 study relating to atheism and psychopathy published in Plus One indicates:

“  |  Similarly, a survey of 312 college students examining the relationship between Religious/Spiritual Well-Being (RSWB) and ‘dark triad’ personality traits found that “RSWB was confirmed to be negatively correlated with these negative aspects of personality, in particular with subclinical psychopathy.”

...moral concern is associated with a spiritual worldview.[4]

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According to the 2014 journal article Correlates of psychopathic personality traits in everyday life: results from a large community survey published in the journal Frontiers of Psychology lack of belief in God is positively associated with psychopathic traits.[5]

## Contents

* 1 Atheists, psychopaths and genetics
* 2 Social science research on antitheists
* 3 Atheism and lower empathy
* 4 Young mass murderers and atheism
* 5 Irreligion, psychopathy, crime, violence and antisocial behavior
* 6 Science journal Nature published study which found that people around the world thought atheists are more likely to be serial killers
* 7 Atheism, psychopathy and animal abuse
* 8 See also
* 9 External links
* 10 Notes

## Atheists, psychopaths and genetics[edit]

See also: Atheists and genetic mutations

In 2012, a Georgetown University study was published indicating that in the United States about 30 percent of those who grow up in an atheist household remain atheists as adults.[6] See also: Atheism and its retention rate in individuals

There are medical scientists and social scientists who theorize that psychopathy is a medical condition caused by genetic defects (caused by accumulated mutations within a given population).[7][8][9] There is growing evidence that some psychopathic behavior may be partly genetically caused and heritable.[10][11][12]

Left-handedness is a good indicator of a high mutational load.[13] People who are left-handed higher incidences of autism and schizophrenia.[14] A study found that atheists are more likely to be left-handed (see: Atheists and genetic mutations).[15][16] In addition, there is research showing a positive correlation between autism and atheism (see: Atheism and autism).

## Social science research on antitheists[edit]

See also: Antitheism and antisocial behavior and Atheism and narcissism

Social science research indicates that anti-theists score the highest among atheists when it comes to personality traits such as narcissism, dogmatism, and anger.[17][18] Furthermore, they scored lowest when it comes to agreeableness and positive relations with others.[19]

## Atheism and lower empathy[edit]

* Atheism and lower empathy

* Atheism and charity

## Young mass murderers and atheism[edit]

See also: Young mass murderers

A significant portion of the recent incidents involving young mass murderers have involved atheists.

## Irreligion, psychopathy, crime, violence and antisocial behavior[edit]

See also: Irreligion, psychopathy, crime, violence and antisocial behavior

Psychopathy is strongly correlated with crime, violence, and antisocial behavior.[1][2]

For information related to irreligion and crime/violence/antisocial behavior, please see the resources below:

* Irreligious prison population

* Religion and crime reduction

* Atheism and violence

* Atheism and poor social skills

* Antitheism and antisocial behavior

## Science journal Nature published study which found that people around the world thought atheists are more likely to be serial killers[edit]

See also: Atheism and serial killers

In 2017, the news website Axios reported:

“  |  A new study published in Nature Human Behaviour found that people around the world are predisposed to believe that atheists are more likely to be serial killers than religious believers — a bias even held by atheists themselves.

By the numbers: The study included 3,256 participants across 13 diverse countries that included highly secular nations like Finland and the Netherlands as well as highly religious ones like the United Arab Emirates and India.

The test: Participants answered a survey question regarding the religious beliefs of a hypothetical sociopathic serial killer, and 60% tagged the killer as not believing in any gods, compared to 30 percent who branded him a religious believer.[20]

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See also: What Sociopaths Reveal to Us About the Existence of God

## Atheism, psychopathy and animal abuse[edit]

See: Atheism, psychopathy and animal abuse

## See also[edit]

* Atheism and sociopathy
* List of atheist shooters and serial killers
* Atheism and mental illness
* Atheism and empathy
* Atheists and psychological factors related to mass shooters
* Atheism and mass murder
* Atheism and morality

## External links[edit]

* Are Psychopaths Just Consistent Atheists? by Dr. Gary DeMar
* On Psychopathy and Moral Apologetics
* Psychopathic Atheist Turns to Jesus: Short Testimony of David Wood \- video

## Notes[edit]

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 (2005) Handbook of Psychopathy. Guilford Press, 440–3.
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Coid, Jeremy; Yang, Min; Ullrich, Simone; Roberts, Amanda; Moran, Paul; Bebbington, Paul; Brugha, Traolach; Jenkins, Rachel et al. (May 2009). [Psychopathy among prisoners in England and Wales "Psychopathy among prisoners in England and Wales"]. International Journal of Law and Psychiatry (Elsevier Ltd) 32 (3): 134–41. doi:10.1016/j.ijlp.2009.02.008. PMID 19345418. Psychopathy among prisoners in England and Wales. Retrieved 1 April 2016.
3. ↑ Robert D. Hare (2011). Without Conscience: The Disturbing World of the Psychopaths Among Us. Guilford Press, 52\. ISBN 978-16062-35782.
4. ↑ Why Do You Believe in God? Relationships between Religious Belief, Analytic Thinking, Mentalizing and Moral Concern by Anthony Ian Jack , Jared Parker Friedman, Richard Eleftherios Boyatzis, Scott Nolan Taylor, Plus One, March 23, 2016
5. ↑ Correlates of psychopathic personality traits in everyday life: results from a large community survey by Scott O. Lilienfeld, Robert D. Latzman, Ashley L. Watts, Sarah F. Smith, and Kevin Dutton, Frontiers of Psychology, 2014
6. ↑ Study: Atheists Have Lowest 'Retention Rate' Compared to Religious Groups
7. ↑ The Psycho Gene by Philip Hunter, EMBO Rep. 2010 Sep; 11(9): 667–669.
8. ↑ Psychopathic personality traits: heritability and genetic overlap with internalizing and externalizing psychopathology by DANIEL M. BLONIGEN,* BRIAN M. HICKS, ROBERT F. KRUEGER, CHRISTOPHER J. PATRICK, and WILLIAM G. IACONO, Psychol Med. 2005 May; 35(5): 637–648.
9. ↑ Glenn, A.L., Kurzban, R., & Raine, A. (2011). Evolutionary Theory and Psychopathy. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 16, 371-380
10. ↑ The psycho gene, Embo Reports, 2010
11. ↑ A single gene has been linked with being a psychopath — and it’s very controversial, Business Insider, 2015
12. ↑ Psychopathic personality traits: heritability and genetic overlap with internalizing and externalizing psychopathology, Psychological Medicine, 2006
13. ↑ RELIGIOUS PEOPLE LIVE HEALTHIER, LONGER LIVES—WHILE ATHEISTS COLLECT MUTANT GENES, Newsweek, 2017
14. ↑ [Atheists are more likely to be left handed, study finds], The Telegraph, 2017
15. ↑ RELIGIOUS PEOPLE LIVE HEALTHIER, LONGER LIVES—WHILE ATHEISTS COLLECT MUTANT GENES, Newsweek, 2017
16. ↑ [Atheists are more likely to be left handed, study finds], The Telegraph, 2017
17. ↑ Science Shows New Atheists to be Mean and Closed-Minded
18. ↑ Why Sam Harris is Unlikely to Change his Mind by JONATHAN HAIDT, February 3, 2014 8:36 pm
19. ↑ Science Shows New Atheists to be Mean and Closed-Minded
20. ↑ People assume serial killers are atheists, Axios, 2017