Sadipath Identifier Instrument (SII): Further Development of the Construct of Sadipathy

Abstract

The sadipath is the most extreme type of criminal offender. Traits and patterns characteristic of sadipaths include callousness, lack of remorse, lack of empathy, extreme violence, and taking pleasure in the pain and suffering of others. This study was designed to further develop the construct of sadipathy and to establish the utility and reliability of the Sadipathy Identifier Instrument (SII). This psychological instrument was designed to capture the patterns of traits, dispositions, and behaviors that would indicate a sadipathic profile. Data were collected from 2,157 respondents, which produced a consistent baseline pattern from the general population. Men had higher mean scores than women across all items in the instrument (e.g., using physical force against another person, not caring about the feelings of others, not being bothered by seeing other people in pain, etc.). Additional group differences were detected across the various scaled items (e.g., social class, ethnicity/race), but there was frequent overlap and reversing of mean scores across the items. Reliability analysis resulted in an overall consistency of .848. This suggests that the items in the instrument are measuring the same underlying construct (sadipathy) and that its overall internal reliability has met the acceptable scientific threshold. The overall findings from the study indicate that the vast majority of people in the general population have low mean scores on sadipathic traits, attitudes, and behaviors. This study may be of interest and value to professionals working in the areas of forensic psychology, criminal psychology, clinical psychology, criminal law, and criminology.