Unmasking the Sadist: Delving into the World of Cruelty

In today’s world, we often encounter individuals whose behavior seems to defy the norms of compassion and empathy. These mean-spirited people infiltrate our workplaces, relationships, and communities, leaving a trail of discomfort in their wake. Their aggressive demeanor is not only alarming but also raises an important question: Are these individuals merely unpleasant, or do they possess deeper psychological traits such as sadism? While some may exhibit sadistic tendencies—finding pleasure in the suffering of others—many are simply products of a complex interplay between personality flaws and external circumstances. Understanding this distinction can help us navigate interactions with those who seem intent on spreading negativity.

Delving into the realm of sadism reveals a darker facet of human behavior that goes beyond mere meanness; it embodies a unique strain of cruelty characterized by joy derived from inflicting pain or humiliation upon others. This phenomenon invites us to explore the motivations behind such destructive impulses and how they manifest in everyday life. By examining the psychology underpinning sadism, we can gain insight into why certain individuals derive satisfaction from exerting power over others while simultaneously acknowledging that not all aggressiveness stems from this malevolent source. A closer look at these dynamics will enhance our understanding of both individual behaviors and broader social patterns, ultimately fostering more empathetic responses to those who challenge our moral compass.

​​What is Sadism?

Rajvi Desai wrote that sadism is “a collection of behaviors in which a person experiences pleasure and enjoyment from (causing) another person physical, psychological or emotional suffering” (Desai, 2020). Certainly, the sadist should be considered suffering from the worst form of a personality disorder. The American Psychiatric Association characterizes sadism as, “The derivation of pleasure through cruelty and inflicting pain, humiliation, and other forms of suffering on individuals.” A key element of sadism, differentiating sadist from other dark personality types, is the underlying motivation for aggressive and destructive behavior.

While all dark personalities are positively associated with aggression and lacking empathy for their victims, the sadist expresses aggression for sheer enjoyment. Psychopathic individuals are aggressive for instrumental purposes or retaliation; those testing high in narcissism express aggression in reaction to ego threats; and those high in Machiavellian traits are more cautious only expressing aggression when it has high personal payoffs (Johnson et al., 2019).

​Wilfried Busse, Ph.D., a psychotherapist based in Bethesda, M.D., explains, “The central feature of sadism is deriving pleasure from watching or inflicting physical or psychological harm on others.” He adds that, “In the extreme form a sadist will seek to inflict suffering on another for the psychological gratification derived from such an action” (Brockway, 2013). Lucy Foulkes presents sadism as the opposite of empathy. She writes, “Yet despite its prevalence and importance, empathy is not the only way we might respond to others’ pain. There exists a twin process, the dark mirror of empathy, called sadism” (Foulkes, 2020).

Enjoyment from Inflicting Pain

Sadistic aggression stands apart from other forms of aggression, primarily due to the underlying motivations that drive it. While aggression is often rooted in survival instincts—an essential response to threats or predators—sadism introduces a troubling twist: the pleasure derived from inflicting pain on others. This form of aggression transcends mere self-defense or reactive behavior; it embodies a darker gratification that can be both psychologically complex and socially destructive. Researchers have long explored this phenomenon, noting that sadists experience an emotional reward when they cause suffering, whether physically or psychologically. This enjoyment serves as a powerful motivator for their actions, perpetuating a cycle where cruelty becomes not just an outlet for frustration but also a source of personal satisfaction.

The differentiation between healthy and unhealthy forms of aggression is crucial in understanding sadistic tendencies within individuals. Healthy aggression may manifest as assertiveness or protective behavior aimed at safeguarding oneself or loved ones, while unhealthy aggression veers into territory marked by malice and intentional harm without provocation. In cases where sadistic impulses arise, the desire to dominate and humiliate becomes intertwined with feelings of excitement or euphoria associated with causing distress to others. This interplay suggests that sadism represents not only an extreme deviation from normative behavioral patterns but also highlights significant psychological rewards linked to cruelty—a stark reminder of how deeply ingrained these dark impulses can be within some personalities. By recognizing these dynamics, we can better understand the complexities surrounding aggressive behaviors and their far-reaching implications on interpersonal relationships and societal well-being.

​Erich Fromm and Aggression

​Erich Fromm differentiated healthy and unhealthy aggression by designating aggression as either ‘benign’ or as ‘malignant.’

Benign Aggression

​Fromm refers to defensive and reactive aggression as benign aggression. Fromm explains that benign aggression is built into the human and animal brain and “serves the function of defense against threats to vital interests” (Fromm, 2013). This form of aggression is biologically adaptive.

Malignant Aggression

​Fromm describes malignant aggression as the destructive and cruelty that is specific to the human propensity to destroy and crave for absolute control. Fromm explains that malignant aggression is biologically nonadaptive, “destructiveness and cruelty, is not a defense against a threat; it is not phylogenetically programmed; it is characteristic only of man, it is biologically harmful because it is socially disruptive; its main manifestations—killing and cruelty—are pleasurable, without needing any other purpose; it is harmful not only to the person who is attacked but also to the attacker” (Fromm, 2013).

​Proactive Versus Reactive Aggression

Reactive Aggression

Reactive Aggression, like Fromm’s ‘benign aggression’ is motivated by an outside threat to a persons physical or mental well being. The fear of loss sparks an aggressive protective reaction. 

Reactive aggression is healthy and necessary, however, our expression and mode of response may not always be appropriate. We often see aggression in sports. A player may be angered by an opponent’s style of play, feel disrespected, and retaliate. This is a reactive aggression. If the retaliation is excessive, the behavior may be destructive to long term goals, such as winning the game or competing in the playoffs.

Proactive Aggression

​”Harming innocent targets in the absence of provocation is deemed proactive aggression which can be juxtaposed against reactive aggression that takes the form of retaliation against a perceived provocateurs.” Causing harm to others is one of humankind’s darker delights. A wealth of new evidence suggests that positive valance affect plays a role in motivating revenge and retaliatory aggressive behavior (Chester et al., 2019).  

This feedback loop between aggression and positive feelings, when added to biological predispositions, may increase the likelihood of proactive aggression—cruel destructive acts because they promote positive affect.

Theodor Millon’s Subtypes of Sadistic Personality Disorder (SPD)

Theodor Millon, a highly influential personality theorist who contributed significantly to the understanding and classification of personality disorders, proposed four subtypes of Sadistic Personality Disorder (SPD). It’s important to note that Sadistic Personality Disorder was included in the appendix of the DSM-III-R (1996) as a condition for further study, but it was not retained in subsequent versions of the DSM (like DSM-IV or DSM-5) as a formal diagnosis. However, Millon’s subtypes remain a prominent part of his theoretical framework for understanding these patterns of cruelty and aggression.

Millon’s four subtypes of Sadistic Personality Disorder are:

1. Enforcing Sadism (including compulsive features): Individuals with this subtype tend to express hostility in ways they believe are in the “public interest.” They might seek out roles of authority (like police officers, “bossy” supervisors, deans, or judges) where they feel they have the “right” to be pitiless, merciless, and barbarous. Their task is to control and punish, often searching out rule-breakers and inflicting severe discipline. They can be dispassionate and judge intentions rigidly.
2. Explosive Sadism (including borderline features): This subtype is characterized by unpredictable and precipitous outbursts of fury and rage. Individuals may experience uncontrollable and fearsome attacks, often discharging pent-up feelings of humiliation or frustration. They might resort to physical violence after reaching their limit and can be hypersensitive to betrayal or feelings of hopelessness.
3. Spineless Sadism (including avoidant features): These individuals may appear insecure, bogus, and cowardly. Their venomous dominance and cruelty are often “counterphobic,” meaning they act cruelly as a way to counteract their own underlying weakness or insecurity. They may find support within a group to bolster their courage and often select powerless scapegoats to assert their dominance. They might pretend to be brave but are truly not, and their violent or mean-spirited behavior is driven by fear.
4. Tyrannical Sadism (including negativistic/paranoid features): This subtype is marked by a relish for menacing and brutalizing others, forcing them to cower and submit. They are often verbally cutting, scathing, accusatory, and destructive. They can be intentionally surly, abusive, inhumane, and unmerciful, exhibiting antisocial behavior and an uncontrollable rage. They may also display paranoid tendencies, anticipating betrayal and punishment (Millon, 1996, pp. 490-491).

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These subtypes illustrate the diverse ways sadistic tendencies can manifest within a personality structure, often overlapping with features of other personality disorders.

​The Short Sadistic Impulse Scale

Like other personality types, measurement tools are necessary to qualify and study individuals possessing similar traits. Several measurements have been devised to measure sadism. The most common measurement for sadism is the Short Sadistic Impulse Scale (SSIS). This scale was devised by psychologist Aisling O’Meara, along with Jason Davies and Sean Hammond in 2011.

The 10-point questionnaire reads:

1. I enjoy seeing people hurt.
2. I would enjoy hurting someone physically, sexually, or emotionally.
3. Hurting people would be exciting.
4. I have hurt people for my own enjoyment.
5. People would enjoy hurting others if they gave it a go.
6. I have fantasies that involve hurting people.
7. I have hurt people because I could.
8. I wouldn’t intentionally hurt anyone.
9. I have humiliated others to keep them in line.
10. Sometimes I get so angry I want to hurt people.

​The Dark Triad (or Tetrad)?

Should the dark triad (narcissism, Machiavellian, and psychopathy) add sadism to the collection of dark personality types? Sadism shares many of the dark core traits of evil triad of personality types. All three share a callousness, lacking empathy for others. However, sadism is the only personality type that expresses aggression, willfully hurting others, for its own sake, even risking personal loss for the enjoyment of causing pain to helpless victims.

The sadist considers their personal and momentary enjoyment of more value than the life of others. Perhaps, this trait is exemplified well in a Johnny Cash’s song Folsom Prison Blues song where he sings, “but I shot a man in Reno just to watch him die.”

One of the arguments against adding sadism to the dark triad is that there isn’t an agreed upon measure for identifying the clinical sadist. Many researchers believe that clinical sadism isn’t identified by a unique set of traits. Sadistic traits, they argue, are identical for all people. Those identified with sadism just have qualitative differences in expression of the traits.

Psychology referrers to measuring quantitative differences in traits as dimensional differences rather than actual trait differences. In some degree, we all possess sadistic traits, falling on a sadistic tendency spectrum. The vast majority of people with sadistic traits that are non-clinical we define as non-clinical or ‘everyday sadist.’ 

Of course, Many everyday people possess some of the dark traits of the dark triad. T. Franklin Murphy wrote, “But the qualities of this shadowy triad don’t only exist in others, they also live in us. We house these demons of dysfunction—most of us successfully moderate their influence” (Murphy, 2019).

Everyday Sadists

Not every sadist is a mass murder or rapist. Much more common is the non-clinical sadist, often referred to as the ‘everyday sadist.’ 

Aspects personality are not binary. We’re not either a freakish mass murdering sadist or a normal person who doesn’t possess any sadistic traits. Most of us possess many of the same traits but effectively mediate impulses with other goals and by enhancing socially appropriate and interpersonal feeling affects (empathy). While it is convenient to believe we all write on a blank biological slate, creating inner character or evilness, the reality is that biological differences enhance susceptibility to development of these destructive personalities.

“It’s not that you’re either an everyday sadist or you’re not; rather, it’s a trait that exists as a spectrum in the general population” (Foulkes, 2020). Brockway adds, “there is a big difference between the kind of evil sadists we know from history and movies and people with sadistic impulses, who fall into a category of sadism that is considered a personality trait rather than a personality disorder” (Brockway, 2013).

Associated Concepts

• Dark Tetrad: Sadism is part of the Dark Tetrad, which also includes psychopathy, narcissism, and Machiavellianism. Moreover, these traits often co-occur. Psychological literature on disorders characterizes these personality types as manipulative, self-centered, and sometimes harmful behaviors.
• Lack of Empathy: A hallmark of sadistic personalities is a diminished capacity for empathy, making it difficult for them to relate to the pain they cause in others.
• Moral Disengagement: Mechanisms that allow individuals to rationalize unethical behavior, which can be a part of the creative process in dark creativity.
• Empathy Deficit Disorder: This disorder hinders relationships, perpetuates isolation, and can be influenced by biological and environmental factors. Lack of empathy may compound evil behaviors when combined with creativity.
• Malevolent Creativity: Individuals use this creativity in the pursuit of malicious, antisocial, and destructive goals.
• Psychopathy: There is a strong association between sadism and psychopathy. Literature identifies psychopathy with superficial charm, irresponsibility, fearlessness, and manipulative behavior.
• Antisocial Behavior: Sadism is linked to antisocial behavior, including a lack of regard for social norms and the rights of others.

A Few Words from Psychology Fanatic

In closing, our exploration into the sadist personality type has revealed a complex and often disturbing facet of human behavior. Sadism, with its roots in power dynamics and control, challenges our understanding of empathy and morality. It is a stark reminder of the darker impulses that can reside within the human psyche, and the importance of recognizing and addressing these traits in a constructive and ethical manner.

As we conclude this examination, it is crucial to acknowledge the impact that sadistic tendencies can have on individuals and society. While it is a difficult subject to confront, understanding the motivations and behaviors associated with sadism is essential for mental health professionals, criminal justice systems, and society as a whole to develop effective interventions and preventative measures.

Let us take this knowledge forward with a commitment to deeper psychological inquiry and a dedication to fostering environments that discourage the development of such harmful traits. By promoting empathy, compassion, and understanding, we can hope to mitigate the effects of sadism and cultivate a more empathetic world.

Last Update: June 18, 2024

References:

Brockway, ​Laurie Sue (2013). Everyday Sadists Walk Among Us, Study Says. Everyday Health. Published: 9-20-2013. Accessed: 5-9-2022. Website: https://www.everydayhealth.com/emotional-health/everyday-sadists-walk-among-us-study-says.aspx
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Chester, D., DeWall, C., & Enjaian, B. (2019). Sadism and Aggressive Behavior: Inflicting Pain to Feel Pleasure. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 45(8), 1252-1268. DOI: 10.1177/0146167218816327
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Desai, ​Rajvi  (2020). Why Sadism Is Not the Dark, Violent Trait We Think It Is? The Swaddle. Published: 2-25-2020; Accessed: 5-8-2022. Website: https://theswaddle.com/why-sadism-is-not-the-dark-violent-trait-we-think-it-is/
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Foulkes, Lucy (2020). Ever taken pleasure in another’s pain? That’s ‘everyday sadism.’ Psyche. Published: 6-10-2020; Accessed: 5-9-2022. Website: https://psyche.co/ideas/ever-taken-pleasure-in-anothers-pain-thats-everyday-sadism
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Fromm, Erich (2013). The Anatomy of Human Destructiveness. Open Road Media; 1st edition. ISBN: 080501604X
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Johnson, L., Plouffe, R., & Saklofske, D. (2019). Subclinical Sadism and the Dark Triad. Journal of Individual Differences, 40(3), 127-133. DOI: 10.1027/1614-0001/a000284
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Millon, Theodor (1996). Disorders of Personality: DSM-IV and Beyond. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN: 9780471011866; APA Record: 1995-98803-000
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Murphy, T. Franklin (2019) Dark Triad Personalities. Psychology Fanatic. Published: 5-21-2022; Accessed: 5-10-2022. Website: https://psychologyfanatic.com/dark-triad-personalities/
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O’Meara, A., Davies, J., & Hammond, S. (2011). The Psychometric Properties and Utility of the Short Sadistic Impulse Scale(SSIS). Psychological Assessment, 23(2), 523-531. DOI: 10.1037/a0022400
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