Is research on tyrants’ personality any use?

A lay approach to understanding cruel tyranny

1.Some reasons why it might be worthwhile2.A little bit of the history of personality of dictators study3.Some developments4.A new angle5.Some models to use

Paper in progress.

Image with title ‘Dictators Threaten’

• Problems defining defining dictatorship• Often elites• I am coming at it from Individual Difference so

likely to side with Himmelfarb (1948) “No Hitler No Holocaust”

• Will avoid problems by saying “any leader anywhere who, in their authority, occasions with deliberate intent actions resulting in something which could constitute a crime against humanity”

Why study them?

Speed of collapse & dire results

Image: bibliotekar.ru

• Image of Paul I /Russia• An example of the speed

with which dictators bring their province to ruin

• Hitler’s tyranny didn’t last long and ruined the world

• Likewise Galtieri• Occasionally, economic

stability can occur (Gilson & Milhaupt 2009)

BESTIARIES

• Bad and cruel behaviour

• Havoc• Always popping up• Persuasive

ideologies which corrupt

Herodotus, Josephus, Suetonius, Thucydides......

Why Study Them?

World Development has more potential for them. Going into ........................the Ecological Necessity TunnelAllusions to Right Wing Authoritarianism in the Deep Ecology Movement.NB Ann Harrington’s 1996 study of organic holism in early Nazi years

Further dictatorship dangers

• economic necessity• Globalisation. International companies have forced

national policies into authoritarian channels• Terrorism and the subterfuge of “secrecy” needs• Quote from Brecht: on the defeat of Arturi Ui

(models Hitler in 1941) in the play “you may feel relieved but you shouldn’t; the womb that bore him is in heat again”

Problems of studying personality in dictatorsPol Pot – Cambodia ArchiveMost is post hoc selective pathologised , avoids culpabilityPoliticalcontaminationNon quantitativeover-individualisedEthically doubtful

• Image of Pol Pot• Problems of studying

personality in dictators and worse still, linking ascendancy with the masses to personality characteristics

Image of A Hitler with the Windsors!

• Probably this man triggered systematic study• Walter Langer studied him biographically at a

distance in 1943. Henry Murray likewise.• Lots of stories e.g. How Hitler never exited

from Hypnotic Trance at Passewalk

Researcher Purpose Pathologisation

Walter Langer 1943 strategic prediction P+++

Murray 1943 knowledge as a prevention of tyranny P+

Erich Fromm 1941,1973wanted to put a strong psychoanalytic representation P+++

Taylor 1961 and 1982 wished to describe the political dimension P+

Coolidge 2007 prevention P+++Coolidge 2007 leadership expose P+++Coolidge 209 Leadership expose P+++

Purposes of PersonalityStudy in a psychological mode?

• Viewed publication of results as to act as a sort of warning to “would-be Hitlers”

Henry Murray

Purposes of Personality Study in a psychological mode

“However, we know now that there are many who threaten world peace and

stability. It is hoped that this study of Adolf Hitler’s personality (1) will be useful in understanding the role psychopathology might play in the execution of heinous acts, and (2)” ........... Frederick L. Coolidge*, Felicia L. Davis, & Daniel L. Segal (2007)

Frederick Coolidge et al 2007

Hitler according to Collidge et al (2007)

• Sadism• Paranoia• Narcissism• Antisocial PD

• BUT note anger, post traumatic stress disorder and decision-making as part of the subscale elevations

What did he and colleagues offer us

Features of Style

• Used post hoc inter-rater reliability• Usually professionals – psychiatry, historians• Used less reliable instruments• Highly pathologised. Made them remote• Largely Ignored stages• Considered that knowledge about the

naughtiness would convince the world about dangerous leaders (Mayer 1993)

Some doubts • Re-assessing using inter-rater tools

• Beginning to try and involve slightly tighter instruments

• Contrary opinion about the original views of the Nuremburg trial investigations by Gilbert

• Laboratory studies of us very influenceable

Reassing Hitler Henry, D., Geary, D.,and Tyrer,P (1993) Reassessing the Commandant of Auschwitz. Ritzler and Singer 1998The Milgram authority experiments & subsequentThe Zimbardo Prison Experiment & subsequent

Some additional psychological categories

• Authoritarianism• Intolerance of

ambiguity• Social dominance• Strong Ideology

associated with poor interpersonal values (the latter time and again!)

Note direction of study is now moving towards generalised characteristics of a normal population.

Purposes of Personality Study in a psychological mode

• An assumption that the value of studying such orientations is that ideas alone will provide a response to dictatorial regime!!

• His experience and knowledge says ideas won’t do anything at all when you are at the end of a gun and cruelty.

Commentary by Fathali Moghaddam(2013)

Some Additional Psychological Categorising

• BRAIN:• Changes through

interaction styles with people if we dominate – seeing more as a means – lack of empathy (Robertson 2013)

• Changes in reward systems in the brain – Dopamine (Boksem 2012)

Evidence of the effects of power on people actually in office

Are such people really mad?

• War crimes• Genocidal crime• Mass murderBUT they don’t

replicate the mad frame

Evidence has been gleaned from studies of individuals, mostly brought through to trial for crimes against humanity

EXAMPLE: WAR CRIMINALITY

• Goreta and Covic (2004)• Slightly higher than normal

population of criminality and anti social personality disorder

• BUT• Secondarily traumatised

[destruction of property, deaths]

• Heroism politically encouraged• Polarisation discourse prevails

Goreta,M., & Covik, I.P. (2004).Forensic psychiatric evaluation of perpetrators of crimes committed during the war in Croatia (1991–1995). International Journal of Law and Psychiatry27 (2004) p. 207–214

Better Methods

• Psycho-historical + extrapolation + legal process allowing access (we don’t execute them)+ more refined psychometrics + gaming models + awareness of social structure and effects, much advanced

There are more effective methods of research using extrapolation

Bridges between individual and social

• The joy of being right !! (or left)

• His hypothesis is that the function of righteousness is to make us cohere

• And dictators are always ‘right’ ! Have you ever come across one.

• We don’t have to buy Haidt’s total categorising system but......

Jonathan Haidt (2012)

Bridges between individual and social

Flocking behaviour• Maybe not at all rational

but instinctive

• Models coming from:

1.Biological systems2.Computer modelling3.Voting Research

We are looking for those interactive moments between personality displayed and social movement

‘Features of Flocking’

• Flocking requires rigidity and conformity to effect group change

• Only occurs at particular times• Computer models demonstrate few and not

necessarily in front initiate turning• Changes in awarenessNeeds are to maintain position, prevent clashing

= tight network thinking

Nature of Meaning theoriesExample of the Moors Murderer - Ian Brady

Ref: Winter, D (2007 ).

Let’s change our personality study focus to meaning structure

• Image of Ian Brady, killer of 5 children

• Studied by David WinterMain position here and in the

personal construct model is that STRUCTURE of personality via meaning is what motivates and characterises us.

TIGHTNESS of our ideas [and behaving] is response to threat

Dilemmas: An example of tools for eliciting ‘tight’ meaning frameworks

Side with Serbs

War with Croats Peace with Croats↓ Vs ↓Chance to survive Being slaughtered

Stojnov 2003Read with next slide

Dilemmas: An example of tools for eliciting ‘tight’ meaning frameworks

• Side with Croats

• War with Serbia Peace with Serbs• ↓ vs ↓• ‘Being’ yourself Losing your ‘being’

Nature of Meaning theories

Tracing the structure and defences against loss of meaning

↓↓↓Severe loss of meaning is

compensated for in strong bonding with ideological centre

↓↓↓I = the Party

Fundamental assumption in such theories lies in the role of core meaning

Moving toward a testable Model

• We can measure the degree of tightness in a survey of constructions of events by means of a matrix called a Repertory Grid

• We can compare between two climates:i. psychology informedii. Random selection

Hypothesis that Psychologically informed climates will have less polarised/tight movement in times of change/threat

Psychologically informed climates

• Psychologically informed climates have to be on the peoples’ own terms

• They have to be local• They can be taken up in the

arts• Can be reflected in deep

assumptions in media

HousingRunawaysDepression careDetention regimes dealing with personality disorderAnd more to come

Psychologically Informed Climates

• Importing the concept of “social health awareness”

• Dictator studies can inform• Small group awareness in oppressive corners

– e.g. workplace, military, cultural centres

There is growing recognition of the need for a "sea change" away from a simple clinical interventions framework for community mental health and addressing health inequalities. There are clear linkages in this new approach with past and emerging policy frameworks in public health and corporate social responsibility, including the need for more "bottom up" solutions with local ownership.

Johnson, R., Haigh,R. (2011). Social psychiatry and social policy. The 21st-century-new concepts the new needs: relational health. Mental health and social inclusion 15 (2), pp 57-65

Why might we wish to research these individuals?

• Psychologically informed climates

• Sensitisation by narrative to brutality

• Develop potential recognition in individuals of tipping points

• Develop wider awareness of how damaged meaning systems link the dominant individual and the society

WHAT ARE DICTATORS?

These are people with meaning systems which propose solutions to others but which process is in effect a holding mechanism for their own crisis of meaning. The representation of this bond given the right circumstances leads to flocking/herding/hive responses to crises in a mass with minimal leadership in the body of the population.

[We need to know about this]

Why might we wish to research these individuals?

• Psychologically informed climates

• Sensitisation by narrative to brutality

• Develop potential recognition in individuals

• Develop wider awareness of the potential circumstances

• Spot the window before the flocking occurs

address

dbury@syr.edudennisbury@gmail.com020 8348 9181

Example of dictator research• Shortly to be launched. Seeking

definitions/categories and then mapping dictators of the present and of history onto the scales.

DEFINING

Comprehensiveness

1 2 3 4 5

Dictator Rating Scales

The definition here is focused upon the extent to which the dictator/dictatorial elite control is invasive to the lives of ordinary citizens. This will be a reflection of pervasiveness through spying systems, media and institutions.

Dictator Scale Categories

• Comprehensiveness• Terror • Ideological

elaboration• Single figure• Consistently unstable• Militarisation

Looking for “Surface” Profiles