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What Are Antisocial Thinking Errors?

Antisocial thinking errors can give rise to unruly behavior like disrespecting others, committing crimes and other destructive tendencies. When these thinking errors are left unchecked they can dominate the antisocial's personality allowing the person to dwell on the negative aspects of everyday life. MedlinePlus states the behavior of antisocial personality disorder is often criminal. A research paper by Claudia Porras titled "Examination of the Fluidity of Criminal Thinking" from Texas Tech University states that "antisocial thoughts are one of the highest predictors of criminal conduct" and examines some thinking errors prone to criminals.

  1. Entitlement

    • Entitlement is a thinking error that leads the person to feel he deserves special privileges and that societal norms don't apply to him. He believes he is above others and doesn't have to follow the same rules to get what he wants. People who follow this thinking error may lie, steal, and fight often.

    Cognitive Indolence

    • The thinking error of cognitive indolence enhances the person's desire to blame others instead of challenging his own negative tendencies. Blaming others acts as an excuse to dispel responsibility for solving a problem. Instead of taking responsible action, the act of blaming others erases responsibility in any situation. This thinking error builds resentment towards others for causing the initial problem.

    Mollification

    • Mollification is a thinking error that manipulates others into thinking his actions weren't so bad. Mollifying or minimizing a situation's impact by using words like "just" and "only" makes reprehensible actions seem less significant or lessens its impact. Minimizing a situation's impact means talking about the action or accusation in such a way as to lessen its significance.

    Power Orientation

    • Power orientation leads a person to believe he has the power to belittle others. Making fools of other people or belittling them helps him feel better than others, usurping their individual power. Belittling others also occurs when he agrees to or commits to a task but doesn't follow through or instead instigates a fight between others.

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