Slashdot Mirror
Correlating Psychopathy With Speech Patterns
florescent_beige writes "Researchers from Cornell and UBC report that analysis of speech patterns using Wmatrix, along with something called the Dictionary of Affect in Language (see a demo here), shows that psychopaths speak differently from other people, at least statistically (abstract). Although they say that these differences are 'presumably beyond conscious control,' the authors do not say if the method has any predictive use. Regardless, the popular press has already gone headline-nonlinear about it."
Homosexuality is no longer in the DSM because psychiatry/psychology is a profession like "interior decorator" or "actor". It's loaded with them, and they get to make the decision.
A reasonable analysis would note that the behavior tends to prevent offspring and dramatically increase STD occurrence. It's thus clearly harmful, even ignoring the social effects and suicide rate. We also know it appears to be mainly caused by the womb environment, making it a birth defect. Leaving it out of the DSM is pure politics, not evidence-based medicine.
Psychopathy could easily be removed from the DSM. Notice who makes the laws that regulate this profession? All it takes is a non-discrimination law passed by the psychopaths we elect, and psychopathy leaves the DSM. It's all political anyway.
OTOH, you'll never see ADD/ADHD removed from the DSM. There is too much money to be made from people wanting methamphedamine (Adderall, a.k.a. speed or meth) and other drugs.