What drives a person to commit a crime? What personality traits contribute to such behavior? These questions often remain unanswered for most people who find it difficult to understand the motives and cold-bloodedness of criminals. Spanish psychologist José Martin del Pliego offers an explanation from the perspective of modern behavioral science.
According to the expert, criminal behavior can have various psychological roots. Partly, it is linked to genetic heritage: in the distant past, aggression was part of the survival mechanism. Today, these traits in some individuals are triggered by certain circumstances. For example, psychopaths lack empathy and emotional connection, allowing them to kill without remorse. In other cases, violence becomes a learned behavior for those raised in aggressive environments without healthy attachment. For them, cruelty is a familiar way to solve problems. There are also those who commit crimes to satisfy their needs, out of revenge, or for the feeling of power and omnipotence, deriving pleasure from controlling the life and death of another person.
But how do criminals manage to act without remorse? Psychologist Albert Bandura, who studied this phenomenon, introduced the concept of “moral disengagement.” This mechanism allows a person to temporarily abandon their values and justify antisocial acts. Over time, the boundaries of what is acceptable shift, and actions that once seemed unacceptable become the norm. As a result, criminal behavior becomes legitimized in a person’s mind, and the feeling of guilt is completely suppressed. Vivid examples of this include soldiers at war, gang members, or terrorists.
A key factor in this process is the absence of empathy—the ability to sympathize with and understand another person’s feelings. Empathy acts as a natural regulator of social relations, making violence unnecessary. Criminals, however, lack this capacity, which allows them to act with striking cold-bloodedness. This is why, during interrogations, they often describe their actions as if they were mere bystanders.
Personal immaturity can also contribute to criminal behavior. The ability to regulate one’s emotions is formed in the early years of life. If this process is disrupted, a person fails to learn how to handle difficulties and, under stress, acts impulsively to avoid responsibility. A classic example is a driver who flees the scene after a traffic accident.
A distinct category is that of psychopaths. This personality disorder is difficult to detect, as such individuals are often intelligent and charming. Behind this mask lies an arrogant person who sees themselves as superior to others and is incapable of remorse or empathy. Psychopathy develops in childhood and, in adulthood, can lead to antisocial behavior. Some “functional” psychopaths build successful careers, stepping over others, while others, driven by boredom, seek thrills in criminal activity.
Psychopathy should be distinguished from other disorders. For example, borderline personality disorder is marked by emotional instability and impulsivity, while narcissism involves grandiosity and a need for admiration. Like psychopaths, narcissists lack empathy and use people for their own purposes. However, according to del Pliego, deep down, narcissists are very vulnerable—their egos are easily bruised, and they tend to play the victim. A psychopath, on the other hand, is completely indifferent to the opinions of others and manipulates with much more cold-bloodedness. If a narcissist commits a crime, their actions may involve sadism—a desire to inflict maximum pain. A psychopath, however, acts dispassionately, like a surgeon.
