| View Larger Image | Antisocial Behavior: Personality Disorders from Hostility to Homicide | Paperbackby Benjamin B. Wolman (Author)
| List Price: | $22.98 | | | Available: | Usually ships in 24 hours |
| | Binding: | Paperback | | Publisher: | Prometheus Books | | Edition: | 1st Edition | | Page Count: | 211 Pages | | Publication Date: | October 01, 1999 | | Sales Rank: | 278,339th |
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EDITORIAL REVIEWS |
Product Description
Antisocial behavior takes on many forms, from rebellious teens with green hair and pierced skin to the truly dangerous homicidal individuals whose horrible stories fill our newspapers. Parents worry about their children as they are exposed to the heated climate of violence in contemporary society, a time of decaying morals and values. The rise in sociopathic behavior among adults and children, whether in tense inner cities or in tranquil suburban and rural settings, is masterfully chronicled by Dr Benjamin Wolman, a leading psychologist and noted national expert who has studied these trends for over half a century.'There is a growing incidence of sociopathic antisocial behavior ...coupled with an attitude of moral apathy', Dr. Wolman asserts. He cites international statistics pointing to a showdown between dangerous individuals - the violent, the charming, and the passive - and the societies that create them. How has the spread of democratic ideals actually increased the potential for antisocial behavior? What social and cultural factors must be changed if free societies are to reduce this alarming trend? Rather than simply complain about the problem, Dr Wolman examines the familial and societal causes, and proposes clear-cut solutions to the problem - including radical changes to our educational system and the mass media. |
CUSTOMER REVIEWS (Average Customer Rating: 3.5 based on 7 reviews)
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NOT A BOOK OF RESEARCH by M. Deis  3 Stars
September 25, 2009
This book reads like a personal anecdotal essay and not a professional scholarly piece of research. It's terrible in that respect but for theory it's not too bad. Be very careful because the author really just gives his unsubstantiated opinions on why the world is going the hell. As a professional and with 40+ years experience I expected way more. It's as bad as the "kids who play violent video games are more violent and that's why the world is so violent argument" which any academic or laymen with a mouse knows hold no real empirical evidence and is just a huge ball of yearn with loose tying threads of shallow correlations and hypothesis made to look solid. I would suggest books from Robert Hare for a real objective and empirical look at these disorders.
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Incisive but Informative by Katherine Schreiber (NYC) 3 Stars
May 22, 2009
This was a very helpful book in getting an overall perspective on antisocial behavior. Though it came off a bit caustic at times - and also seemed to overly generalize to the exclusion of specifics - Wolman's book is an easy, accessible, and informative read for anyone curious about sociopathic/psychopathic behavior, its origins, and its implications for "society" at large.
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A Social Disorder by Sam Vaknin (Skopje, Macedonia)  4 Stars
June 25, 2003
A Social Disorder Wolman explores the foundations of antisocial behavior: pathological narcissism, self-indulgent culture, and promiscuous parenting. In an age of political correctness and moral relativism, the author does not hesitate to point to ethical upbringing as the solution. He traces the psychodynamics of deviant behavior back to childhood abuse and trauma - though he regrettably emphasizes nurture almost to the exclusion of nature. The book could use editing - but it is a worthwhile contribution to the topic. Sam Vaknin, author of "Malignant Self Love - Narcissism Revisited".
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A lucid and comprehensive study of deviant behavior! by Srebrenica Forever (Sweden)  5 Stars
March 28, 2002
Antisocial behavior is an extraordinarily well-written book. It reveals the psychological nature of the psychopaths. Moreover, Wolman makes an attempt to explain what factors give rise to antisocial behavior. Admittedly, he does this very well. Psychopaths are described as being indifferent, cunning, immoral, impulsive and insidious individuals. What is more, they usually show no signs of remorse for their gruesome deeds. The implication here is that they totally lack compassion for their fellow beings. Wolman unveils that psychopaths are narcissistic individuals; they have a tendency to think that they are entitled to other people's things and that they deserve to be loved. The above mentioned traits are thought to be characteristic of highly maladaptive individuals. However, Wolman also points to environmental determinants as possible causes of deviant behavior. Parents and teachers can sometimes contribute to the rise of antisocial and sociopathic behavior. Wolman emphasizes that hyper-permissive parents do not teach their children the importance of morality and consequently their children will fail to distinguish right from wrong. According to Wolman, the primary purpose of morality is to inhibit inborn instincts and impulses. Furthermore, the way that parents rear their children can be crucial. Parental rejection can adversely affect their children's self-confidence and self-reliance. Undeniably, these children will feel neglected and unwanted if their parents are not affectionate and considerate. Needless to say, abusive parents foster deviant behavior in myriad ways. Children of abusive parents are usually very aggressive, hostile and tend to hate their parents. These children cannot however behave aggressively toward their parents as they fear that they might retaliate. Instead, they behave aggressively toward weak people who are unable to fight back. In conclusion, I highly recommend this book to all students of psychology. It is very interesting and informative.
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Best book on psychopathy I've read yet by Dancing Ganesha (Northern Hemisphere) 5 Stars
February 04, 2002
Dr. Wolman hits the nail on the head.
He is truly right when he says that declining morals and apathy are a few reasons why psychopaths (sociopaths/antisocials) are more and more prevalent in our society and the world in general. But the question is, how did it come to be this way?
Here is Wolman's basic theory: He ascribes this mostly due to what he calls our "Teenage Culture." Yes, the Teenage Culture, a relatively new phenomena (there was a time when children were expected to be "young adults") is what is creating a society of selfish, immature individuals, whether they're teenagers, young adults, or worse, 40 and 50 year olds who just want to "feel good" and live it up. (While there is nothing wrong with feeling "good" per se, what Wolman is describing is a total preoccupation with hedonism and greed, which contributes to our society being the most psychopathic on the planet).
This book will probably not be very popular, since there are so many selfish people in our society who only care about their net profits, their flashy cars, and sexual conquests, among other things of that nature, so I don't expect it to get a lot of good reviews. I think what we do need in our society though, is a sense of balance. We've become too wrapped up in our self-centred capitalist society. The only cure for a sociopathic society is to get rid of this "Teenage Culture" and for adults to behave like the mature adults they should be and show a good example. This includes giving our children a better example regarding the things we value in life. True happiness and social harmony, not Hummers and "sexual enhancement aids."
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