Did Jeremy Bamber exhibit psychopathic tendencies?

[ISpyWithMyEye]

Why do people believe he's a psychopath when there's no evidence of it?

OK, without the psychiatrists who did diagnose Jeremy Bamber a psychopath, you tell me if you could creep into a bedroom and see two little boys sleeping peacefully in their beds, one sucking his thumb, both surrounded by their soft cuddly toys, their sweet angelic faces and blond hair against their pillows, their cups of orange juice by their side, their next days new clothes laid out for them to wear the next day....then as you look at their faces you raise that long rifle, point it directly at their head and face, and pull that trigger to effectively blow their their brains out?

Jeremy Bamber did that.

He was found guilty due to ALL the overwhelming evidence.

And you don’t believe he’s a psychopath? Really??

[ISpyWithMyEye]

There's recognised tests used in diagnosis. It's not a finger in the air determination.

That “recognised test” created by a psychologist isn’t taken seriously by experts. Anyone can give the appropriate answers out of a selection of answers which would give the result they know would hide their psychopathy.

I’ve seen the test and did it myself, as has CS.

CS got two different results when deliberately answering according to the result he wanted.

[ISpyWithMyEye]

I don't know. I leave diagnoses to the experts, hence the question.
Who were the experts and what test did they use?
Or is everyone here simply using the convenient label they've become accustomed to?

Susan Atkins participated in at least 5 murders whilst a member of the Manson family, apparently killing Sharon Tate, plunging a knife in to her unborn 8 month old foetus, dipping her finger in and licking the blood. Was she a psychopath, despite never being diagnosed?

Are you implying Jeremy Bamber has the same mental condition as Susan Atkins?

[ISpyWithMyEye]

There ya go - you just used the test.
So now we look at the physiology of psychopathy and the relationship of the limbic system, particularly the amygdala to psychopathic behaviour. That's another test, albeit probably not particularly identifiable with 1980's technology.
The point being, the test of a psychopath is not straightforward.

That’s not the test Jeremy Bamber took, General.

And your copying text highlights you have no understanding, otherwise you’d use your own words.

[Common sense]

That “recognised test” created by a psychologist isn’t taken seriously by experts. Anyone can give the appropriate answers out of a selection of answers which would give the result they know would hide their psychopathy.

I’ve seen the test and did it myself, as has CS.

CS got two different results when deliberately answering according to the result he wanted.

Yep.

If a psychiatrist asks you how it makes you feel when someone lets you down, cuts you up in traffic or insults you, don't answer, "I feel like murdering them and pulling out their insides for their mother to find" unless you want to score low!

I'm not convinced by these tests anymore than by a polygraph, whatever result they give. Bambers actions in murdering his family score points on my psychopathy meter.

[Nicholas]

Yep.

If a psychiatrist asks you how it makes you feel when someone lets you down, cuts you up in traffic or insults you, don't answer, "I feel like murdering them and pulling out their insides for their mother to find" unless you want to score low!

I'm not convinced by these tests anymore than by a polygraph, whatever result they give. Bambers actions in murdering his family score points on my psychopathy meter.

 

The tests are being abused and have been abused for years

You only need look at some of the CCRC’s case referrals to recognise this

[ISpyWithMyEye]

I would suggest JB knows he did it and just doesn't want to do the time. That doesn't make him a psychopath.

If a child steals a sweet from a shop does that make him/her  a psychopath if he /she denies it when caught?

Sometimes name calling can stick with no evidence. He is a murderer, who doesn't want to do the time.

I can’t believe you’re comparing the two — do you think a child stealing a sweet is the same as an adult man shooting dead five members his family: his parents, sister and two six-year-old nephews?

[The General]

That’s not the test Jeremy Bamber took, General.

And your copying text highlights you have no understanding, otherwise you’d use your own words.

Feel free to find that body of text anywhere else on the internet, particularly comprising the grammatical error. My bad.
I wouldn't be so quick to judge others using your own shortcomings as a yardstick.

Besides - that is THE test. And patients are evaluated, it's not a quiz, they don't answer themselves.

[Caroline]

Yep.

If a psychiatrist asks you how it makes you feel when someone lets you down, cuts you up in traffic or insults you, don't answer, "I feel like murdering them and pulling out their insides for their mother to find" unless you want to score low!

I'm not convinced by these tests anymore than by a polygraph, whatever result they give. Bambers actions in murdering his family score points on my psychopathy meter.

I have answered several of them as exercises when doing my degree. There are usually lots of questions but only some of the answers are scored, it's not difficult to work out which are important and which aren't.

[The General]

I can’t believe you’re comparing the two — do you think a child stealing a sweet is the same as an adult man shooting dead five members his family: his parents, sister and two six-year-old nephews?

That's not a comparison, it's an analogy.

[Caroline]

That's not a comparison, it's an analogy.

https://literarydevices.net/analogy/

[The General]

https://literarydevices.net/analogy/

Go ed girl.

[ISpyWithMyEye]

I don't think his killing spree is evidence of him being a psychopath. He did kill in cold blood because he wanted to and may have enjoyed doing it, but that can be put down to a 'single incident'  where as, do we believe he would become a serial killer in the public domain had he been set free?  No one knows and predicting is not a science.

He is enjoying his manipulation and adulation he has acquired- all swings and roundabouts.  He knows he is guilty- he just doesn't want to be punished for it.  That was the reason I mentioned the child with sweets.

He displayed all the characteristics of a psychopath before he killed his family, and he still hasn’t shown any remorse...so that’s further evidence he’s devoid of normal emotions. So no, he will never be released.

After he was convicted, then appealed, his sentence was increased to Life Without Parole. LWP replaced hanging, which proves how convinced the Home Secretary knew how dangerous JB is. He proved he’s capable of killing his own family for greed, yet still denies it. That “one-off” as you describe it wasn’t a minor impulsive moment of anger where he’d punched his father, he’d been plotting and planning to murder his family for over a year. Who’s to say he wouldn’t do the same again? Or seek revenge on those he has an irrational hate against?

He isn’t just locked up for the safety of others, he’s locked up because what he did was evil beyond belief. Do you think the parole board (which he has no access to) would say “OK, Jeremy, you can go now. We’ve all forgotten how you shot dead your family and cut short their lives, robbed two children of having a life — we’ll let you enjoy the rest of YOUR life — go and have fun and the taxpayer will support you while you do”...

As for him enjoying the “adulation” he gets, I don’t think he does. The adulation he gets is from a handful of misfits of society who he secretly despises because he knows they’re only in contact with him as they’re desperate, weird, and have to resort to someone like him because that’s the only attention they can get.

[ISpyWithMyEye]

Yep.

If a psychiatrist asks you how it makes you feel when someone lets you down, cuts you up in traffic or insults you, don't answer, "I feel like murdering them and pulling out their insides for their mother to find" unless you want to score low!

I'm not convinced by these tests anymore than by a polygraph, whatever result they give. Bambers actions in murdering his family score points on my psychopathy meter.

You’ve cracked it, CS

[Vertigo Swirl]

I will believe you when you can provide reliable evidence of who diagnosed Bamber's psychopathy and when.

Why can’t you answer ISpy’s question?  Imagine we are not discussing Jeremy for a moment.  Imagine we are talking about a random male who shoots dead two sleeping children as part of a plan to get his hands on the entirety of his family’s inheritance.  What sort of a person is able to do that?  One with empathy?  A deep regard for human life?  A strong moral compass?  A kind, caring sort?  Someone who is risk averse?