Are all the abused the same? It seems like no. Several authors have dedicated themselves to describing in detail the different profiles that do not hesitate to cause harm to others in order to achieve their goals.
Last update: May 30, 2022
As a civilization we have achieved great technological progress that has simplified our life, but on an ethical, moral, relational and human level we seem not to have made significant progress. People and animals are exposed to various violent people.
We refer to an affective, behavioral and cognitive model through which another human (or animal) is harmed to gain and maintain a certain control.
In this way, any physical, sexual, emotional, economic or psychological action by which another person is harmed is considered abuse.
Violent people
Amor, Echeburúa and Loinaz (2009) present the two classifications that have guided the study and debate on the different profiles that resort to abuse.
Classification by Gottman et al (1995)
According to this classification, there are two profiles, the "cobra" and the "pitbull". These were defined by referencing the cardiac response as a consequence of a couple discussion.
Type 1 (Cobra)
Heart rate decreases in the face of a couple quarrel, becoming very aggressive in some cases. These profiles are antisocial, violent and sadistic.
The mistreatment they cause the other person is planned (instrumental) and does not generate any sense of guilt or remorse
Type 2 (pit bulls)
Heart rate is increased during discussions. These people are passive-aggressive, have chronic anger problems and an insecure attachment style. The psychopathological profile shows an avoidant and borderline personality pattern.
The abuse they engage in is not planned but impulsive and reflects a serious problem in impulse control and emotion expression.
Violent people according to the Holtzworth-Munroe and Stuart classification (1994)
Overcontrolled
In this case the person is violent in the family, with the children and the partner. The frequency of abuse and its severity are lower than in other profiles and in a very low percentage of cases the person sexually assaults the partner. Among the main features we find:
- Passive, dependent and obsessive personality.
- They regret the mistreatment committed and disapprove of the violence.
- Poor social skills.
- Build relationships are relatively stable.
Impulsive or borderline
The person is physically, psychologically and sexually abusive. The intensity of the abuse varies from medium to high and is not limited only to the family, but can extend to any area. Abuse is the product of accumulated internal tension. These are its characteristics:
- Impulsiveness.
- Emotional instability and short temper.
- Chronic anger.
- Abusive personality.
- Fearful attachment.
- Poor social and communication skills.
- Low regret for mistreatment.
- History of rejection and abuse by minors.
Antisocial
An instrumental (intentional) use is made of physical and psychological abuse, which is expressed in a generalized way in all contexts of life. These people use abuse as a strategy to get what they want and overcome their frustrations.
Unlike the impulsive, which acts in response to accumulated tension, the antisocial uses the abuse in a calculated, cold and planned way. Some features of this profile are:
- Narcissism and manipulation.
- They suffered severe abuse in childhood.
- High probability of alcohol and drug abuse.
- They are high-risk criminals.
- Poor social skills.
Personality traits of violent people
The particular traits of the person who resorts to violence can vary; however, we can define some of them shared by the majority.
1. Insecurity
These people are very unsure of themselves and of the world. This lack of security makes them wary, jealous and manipulative. They may appear very confident, but the truth is that it is a mask to hide their real low self-esteem.
2. Poor social and communication skills
Difficulty relating to others in an assertive and satisfying way. Likewise, to communicate and express thoughts and emotions in an assertive way. These shortcomings make it impossible to resolve conflicts peacefully.
3. Lack of empathy
The violent person does not risk recognize and understand the mental and emotional states of others. She cannot, therefore, imagine how the other person might feel because of the mistreatment.
4. Aggression
These people are aggressive and they try to impose themselves on the other person using fear, shame, guilt. The intention to harm or injure is evident in every act towards the other person. Aggression is, without a doubt, one of the main traits.
5. Addiction emotional
Violent people tend to depend, because they have need the other person on whom to reaffirm and vent their feelings of loneliness and abandonment. They need each other to show how strong and confident they are.
6. Violent people have low frustration tolerance
These people are not able to withstand situations that cause them frustration, which makes it difficult to deal with negative or unpleasant feelings such as stress. This inability to self-manage is expressed in irritable behavior.
Conclusions
Although every violent person is different, the traits described here allow you to have a global view of how they behave and relate to others.
This particular pattern of interaction represents a psychosocial problem to which we should pay due attention.
