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Bad to the Bone: Horrors!--Can Our Genes Help Make Us Act Badly?”

Explore the connection between genetics and behavior, diving into the fascinating world of personality disorders, such as psychopathy and borderline personality disorder. Discover how thousands of genes influence our personalities and how nature and nurture interact to shape who we are. Learn strategies to understand and deal with individuals exhibiting dysfunctional behavior, empowering yourself to make positive changes.

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Bad to the Bone: Horrors!--Can Our Genes Help Make Us Act Badly?”

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  1. Bad to the Bone: Horrors!--Can Our Genes Help Make Us Act Badly?” Barbara Oakley, PhD, PE Associate Professor Oakland University

  2. Mom’s Dream

  3. Mom’s Dream

  4. Slobodan Milosevic of Serbia • Feted as a peacemaker and an all around great guy….

  5. Why? • “Malignant narcissism” • “Clinical diagnosis” solves some problems—and creates others.

  6. Elements of two common personality syndromes can intertwine • Psychopathy • Borderline personality disorder

  7. Psychopaths • Look normal—but • Lack of remorse or empathy—can easily rationalize hurting others. • Lies and cons others—sometimes just for fun. • Irritability, irresponsibility, and aggressiveness—frequent physical fights.

  8. A REVOLUTION in neuroscience

  9. Borderline personality disorder • A devastating disease of the emotional toolkit • poorly regulated emotions • impulsivity • impaired perception and reasoning • markedly disturbed relationships

  10. Blame- • shifting

  11. Gaslighting

  12. Narcissism

  13. Black and white thinking (splitting)

  14. Control issues

  15. Chameleon behavior

  16. Situational competence

  17. Peering into the brains of borderlines

  18. Peering into the brains of borderlines Often regret their troubled, hurtful behavior

  19. But nothing’s wrong with me! • Those with subclinical (and even clinical) personality disorders often do not come in for treatment.

  20. “Borderpath” Unfortunate Confluence of Psychopath and Borderline

  21. “Borderpaths” exist in small percentages in all social structures and populations Good looks Charm Memory

  22. Thousands of genes influence our bodies—and our personalities

  23. Long/long serotonin genotype

  24. Long/long serotonin genotype

  25. Nature or nurture?

  26. The brain’s “wiring” profoundlyaffects every aspect of our personality Some people have more free will than others…

  27. Environment and genes act together to influence personalities

  28. We Can Change Our Brains! • Sadists don’t come in for treatment! • Motivation is the catch-22. • We can’t change them—we can only change ourselves.

  29. Don’t take it personally! 6 Izzy Kalman’s “The idiot game” Even though we ourselves can’t diagnose people, dysfunctional behavior may sometimes have its roots in quirky brain function.   Becoming upset or lashing back at such a person is never productive. Empathetic acknowledging Reconsidering your definition of authority

  30. In closing It is empowering to recognize “one of the ego's evil little lies: That all our behavior is decided by us.”    —Gavin de Becker

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