Abstract
It has been proposed that some persons in positions of leadership (whether in business, political, or other fields) experience an acquired personality change, termed “Hubris Syndrome” (HS), in which lack of realism leads to incorrect decision-making along with excessive self-regard.1,2 A key aspect of these personality features, as described by Owen, is that they are acquired; they were not present before attaining a powerful position of leadership. Hence, Owen’s view is that HS represents an acquired personality change. Whether it is sufficiently common and distinguishable from other psychiatric conditions to be seen as an independent illness or “disorder” is a separate question from whether this phenomenon occurs at all, and what its etiological, precipitating, and modulating factors are.
“Power shows the man.”
Pittacus of Mytilene, tyrant and lawgiver and one of the Seven Sages of Greece
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Owen D. The Hubris Syndrome: Bush, Blair, and the Intoxication of Power. London: Methuen; 2012.
Owen D., Davidson J. Hubris Syndrome: an acquired personality disorder? A study of US Presidents and UK Prime Ministers over the last 100 years. Brain 2009; 132 (Pt 5): 1396–1406.
Owen D. Hubris Syndrome. Clin Med 2008; 8(4): 428–432.
Jakovljevic M. Hubris Syndrome and a new perspective on political psychiatry: need to protect prosocial behavior, public benefit and safety of our civilisation. Psychiatr Danub 2011; 23(2): 136–138.
Russell G. Psychiatry and politicians: the “Hubris Syndrome.” Psychiatr Online 2011; 35: 140–145.
Galvez J. F., Thommi S., Ghaemi S. N. Positive aspects of mental illness: a review in bipolar disorder. J Affect Disord 2011; 128(3): 185–190.
O’Connor L. E., Berry J. W., Weiss J., Gilbert P. Guilt, fear, submission, and empathy in depression. J Affect Disord 2002; 71 (1–3): 19–27.
Ghaemi. A First Rate Madness. London: The Penguin Press; 2011.
Wingo A. P., Ghaemi S. N. Frequency of stimulant treatment and of stimulant-associated mania/hypomania in bipolar disorder patients. Psychopharmacol Bull 2008; 41(4): 37–47.
Pope Jr. H G., Kouri E. M., Hudson J. I. Effects of supraphysiologic doses of testosterone on mood and aggression in normal men: a randomized controlled trial. Arch Gen Psychiatry 2000; 57(2): 133–136.
Taylor S. E., Armor D. A. Positive illusions and coping with adversity. J Pers 1996; 64(4): 873–898.
Alloy L. B., Abramson L. Y. Depressive realism: four theoretical perspectives. In: Alloy L. B., ed. Cognitive Processes in Depression. New York: Guilford Press; 1988.
Brañas-Garza P., Rustichini A. Organizing effects of testosterone and economic behavior: not just risk taking. PLoS One 2011; 6(12): e29842.
Jaksic N., Brajkovic L., Ivezic E., Topic R., Jakovljevic M. The role of personality traits in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Psychiatr Danub 2012; 24(3): 256–266.
Hershman D. J., Lieb J. A Brotherhood of Tyrants. Amherst: Prometheus Books; 1994.
Lieb J. Two manic-depressives, two tyrants, two world wars. Med Hypotheses 2008; 70(4): 888–892.
Matza L. S., Rajagopalan K. S., Thompson C. L., de Lissovoy G. Misdiagnosed patients with bipolar disorder: comorbidities, treatment patterns, and direct treatment costs. J Clin Psychiatry 2005; 66(11): 1432–1440.
Angst J., Marneros A. Bipolarity from ancient to modern times: conception, birth and rebirth. J Affect Disord 2001; 67 (1–3): 3–19.
Shenk J. W. Lincoln’s Melancholy. New York: Mariner Books; 2006.
Grinker Sr. R. R., Grinker Jr. R. R. “Mentally healthy” young males (homoclites). A study. Arch Gen Psychiatry 1962; 6: 405–453.
Bonanno G. A. Loss, trauma, and human resilience: have we underestimated the human capacity to thrive after extremely aversive events? Am Psychol 2004; 59(1): 20–28.
Owen D. In Sickness and in Power. New York: Praeger; 2008.
Davidson J. R., Connor K. M., Swartz M. Mental illness in US presidents between 1776 and 1974: a review of biographical sources. J Nerv Ment Dis 2006; 194: 47–51.
Akiskal K. K., Savino M., Akiskal H. S. Temperament profiles in physicians, lawyers, managers, industrialists, architects, journalists, and artists: a study in psychiatric outpatients. J Affect Disord 2005; 85 (1–2): 201–206.
Claxton G., Owen D., Sadler-Smith E. Hubris in leadership: a peril of unbridled intuition? Leadership 2013.
Lidstone S. C., Dinelle K., Mak E., Sossi V., Ruth T. J., et al. Effects of expectation on placebo induced dopamine release in Parkinson’s disease. Arch Gen Psychiatry 2010; 67: 857–865.
Seo D., Patrick C. J., Kennealy P. J. Role of serotonin and dopamine system interactions in the neurobiology of impulsive aggression and its comorbidity with other clinical disorders. Aggress Violent Behav 2008; 13: 383–395.
Blair K. S., Finger E., Marsh A. A., et al. The role of 5-HTTLPR in choosing the lesser of two evils, the better of two goods: examining the impact of 5-HTTLPR genotype and tryptophan depletion in object choice. Psychopharmacol. 2008; 196(1): 29–38.
Tuominen L., Salo J., Hirvonen J., et al. Temperament, character and serotonin activity in the human brain: a positron emission tomography study based on a general population cohort. Psychol Med 43(4): 881–894.
Attenborough W. Churchill and the “Black Dog” of Depression. London: Palgrave- Macmillan; 2014.
Vergne D. E., Whitham E. A., Barroilhet S., Fradkin Y., Ghaemi S. N. Adult ADHD and amphetamines: a new paradigm. Neuropsychiatry (London) 2011; 1(6): 591–598.
Johnson S. Pills that boost productivity gain favor in Silicon Valley. San Jose Mercury News 2008:9/2/2008.
Chiaroni P., Hantouche E. G., Gouvernet J., Azorin J. M., Akiskal H. S. The cyclothymic temperament in healthy controls and familially at risk individuals for mood disorder: endophenotype for genetic studies? J Affect Disord 2005; 85 (1–2): 135–145.
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Copyright information
© 2016 S. Nassir Ghaemi, Christos Liapis, and David Owen
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Ghaemi, S.N., Liapis, C., Owen, D. (2016). The Psychopathology of Power. In: Garrard, P., Robinson, G. (eds) The Intoxication of Power. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137439666_2
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137439666_2
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, London
Print ISBN: 978-1-349-57604-3
Online ISBN: 978-1-137-43966-6
eBook Packages: Business and ManagementBusiness and Management (R0)