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In this post, we will talk about the psychopathic character structure, the type of people with a natural talent for leadership, guiding teams, negotiating, and getting everyone to work toward a common goal.
There are 5 Reichian character structures. Don’t be alarmed by their names. They are scientific names that have been maintained since they were created.
How does the psychopathic character structure develop?
Here, the story of our development continues with the formation of new sensations and neural pathways that the child discovers and uses to survive in their journey through life.
The myelination of the nervous system reaches the thoracic spine, which appears in blue in the image. The child begins to gain control over the torso. The parts that have already been myelinated are now gaining finer control.
While in the oral phase, the child used to put everything in their mouth randomly, in the psychopathic phase, they can now hold a fork, a spoon, a crayon, in a more controlled way, because they are improving the skills acquired. Torso control is a very important skill in the formation of the psychopathic character structure.
This character defense begins developing from one and a half to two and a half years of age.
At this stage, the child is becoming less dependent on their mother, as they start walking, exploring, and even expressing their wants more clearly. They are now able to move away from their mother and seek interaction with others.
Now, however, it is necessary to connect and “convince” other people, to be able to become important to them.
In this new phase, the child becomes more aware of people, learns from them, observes more closely, and begins to expect responses from everyone around them.
In the previous oral phase, the child only needed to exist for their mother, and simply calling for her was enough to have their needs met. Now, in the psychopathic character structure phase, they need to connect and “convince” others, finding ways to be important to them.
Children often seek feedback on their skills and accomplishments. ‘Did you see how high I jumped?’ Attention and acknowledgement of the child’s experience by the parents is crucial. If the child’s natural curiosity, playfulness and impulses are discouraged or manipulated, it can have negative consequences.
What is the emotional wound of the psychopathic character type?
At this moment, the core wound of the psychopathic character structure is developed. Sometimes they understand that if they do nothing, they will not be important. They can’t perceive themselves as important only for who they are. They believe that only what they do for people brings value to themselves.
The thought is “if I don’t do anything or if I do things the way I want, I have no value.”
Perhaps the child was often pushed or encouraged to be independent before they were actually ready. They may have experienced shaming if they needed help. This can lead to the unconscious belief that they won’t really get what they ask for, but will be manipulated or betrayed instead.
The child also becomes a performer, a fluid personality that moves with environments and events, and works with them to create their own safety and advantage.
So, this child starts to reprogram their reactions in order to do things and also evaluate what people do. This is because they understand that being is not the most important thing. The most important thing is what they do.
That’s why people with the psychopathic character structure seem to be colder. They avoid emotions and prefer reason. Things will come down to “What do I do to have value for this person? And what did they do to have value for me?” At this moment, the nervous system is shaping the child’s mind and body to react and survive in this new environment.
How does the psychopathic character structure interact with the world?
This is the period when parents have higher expectations for the child, such as interacting, saying “mommy” and “daddy,” singing “happy birthday,” etc. This is because in the oral phase, the child was 100% dependent on them and couldn’t communicate, only crying or sleeping all the time.
So, the parents think “the more you interact with me, the more I give you affection, love, attention”. But if the child understands that it is only in those moments that they receive affection, love and attention, they may feel like they are being manipulated.
This manifestation of the psychopathic character structure can also depend on some trauma that the child may experience in childhood. Several uncontrollable things will happen in their life, of any nature, such as a death, rejection, or something like that, which, happening at this stage, evidences their pain.
It’s important to remember that trauma for a child doesn’t have to mean violence or an abusive relationship—it can be any event they interpret negatively. Problems arise in the family, parents get busy, and being cute is no longer enough. Now, the child needs to help out, take care of their toys, start doing things on their own, and make life easier for mommy and daddy.
The problem is that this impression of “I need to do something” leads the child to feel manipulated. And then a dilemma arises: “how am I going to do something all the time, I have just learned to walk, I’m not ready yet”. And then the child often starts using tricks, combined with their new ability to get others to do things for them.
How do the gifts of the psychopathic character type develop?
The child will try to meet their needs and avoid being manipulated, but in doing so, they may take on the opposite role and become manipulative.
Let’s say that the child wants something from their father but knows that if they go directly to him, he will say no. The child turns to their mother and asks her to mediate the request. In doing so, the child has created a pathway for negotiation – positioning people to achieve their goal. This ends up being a great resource for the psychopathic type, which can be used both to manipulate and to become a leader.
The psychopathic is very logical, extremely rational, but they do not retreat into their own mind and ignore the world, as in the schizoid character structure, nor do they seek the path of emotions as in the oral character structure.
If you do something for this person, they analyze what they will owe you or how they can ensure that when they need it, you will do it again. The psychopathic is always testing the people around them.
What does the body of the oral character structure look like?
The body of the psychopathic character structure is shaped by inverted triangles. The shoulders are broad, and the waist is narrow. The forehead tends to be wider, the nose more upturned, and the chin triangular. A peculiar characteristic is the asymmetrical smile, where one side of the mouth is more open than the other.
The chest may always appear puffed out. The legs have a funnel shape, with thicker thighs and thinner, low-energy calves. People with this structure often stand with their legs farther apart, and a common habit is placing both hands on their waist. This is their way of occupying as much territory as possible.
People with a strong psychopathic character structure have much greater control over their upper body than their lower body. As a result, they look larger on top and smaller on the bottom, forming an “inverted triangle.” This pattern repeats in many parts of the body, as we will see next.
The posture of the psychopathic character structure leans “forward” because they observe the world with an intention to “interact and conquer” A clear example of this projection is Donald Trump. In almost any photo, he is extending his hand for a handshake or positioning himself slightly forward, as if “advancing onto people.” This is his way of interacting with the world.
People with psychopathic character structure have this energy. It creates an ‘atmosphere’ around this person, where they feel more comfortable to take up territory and gain control.
Returning to the body shape, an image that illustrates these characteristics well is the photo of Cristiano Ronaldo at the beginning of this post. Notice how he is extremely triangular. Look at the width of his shoulders and the width of his hips. You can clearly see a triangle in his torso.
Something interesting is that, in order to project himself even larger, Cristiano Ronaldo has his hands on his hips and opens his legs, occupying more space.
A person with the psychopathic structure tries to appear bigger while seeking a base, combining the lower part with the upper part and appearing larger in the upper part of their body. Even though he is muscular, Cristiano’s legs are thin. And you can again see the triangular aspect by observing the proportion of his thigh to his calf and his shin.
Beware when analyzing the psychopathic character type!
We are analyzing people with a greater predominance of a certain character structure, but no one is 100% one or the other.
In a body mind assessment, the most difficult character structure to identify is the psychopathic, because they are chameleons. If they need to play the role of a victim to get what they want, their body will have a more oral appearance, such as being chubby, for example. The psychopathic tends to hide behind other structures depending on they tend to emphasize: chameleons in their body and behavior.
The feeling that someone with a predominant psychopathic character structure conveys is that they are going to dominate you, and their expression is as if they are measuring and evaluating you.
Head of the psychopathic type
Analyzing each part of the body separately, we will start with the shape of the head. Following the inverted triangle, the head is larger at the top and smaller at the bottom, This is seen more prominently in the region of the chin, which is almost always pointed.
We might think that almost everyone has a pointed chin, but that’s not the case. One thing is to have a chin smaller than your forehead, another thing is the angle from the forehead to the chin. Some people have a much more square or round face.
Eyes of the psychopathic structure
In our assessment, for the eyes, we analyze much more the sensation and expression than the shape. It’s as if the person with a psychopathic character structure is evaluating and trying to control you. They convey this feeling because they have been manipulated before. In order not to be manipulated again, they need to evaluate the environment around them. This is either to manipulate back or to protect themselves. Their gaze is always scanning you and the surroundings. They can have cunning, intimidating or seducing eyes.
Mouth of the psychopathic character structure
In the mouth, it is also necessary to look for more expressions than the shape itself. The characteristic feature is the uneven and asymmetrical smile. This smile brings the feeling of two faces in one, one more open and cheerful, and the other closed. This happens because the psychopathic keeps more than one version inside themselves.
Torso of the psychopathic personality type
When analyzing the torso, the shoulder is much wider than the beginning of the hips, and repeats the triangular aspect.
Hips of the psychopathic character type
The hips of the psychopathic character type feel somewhat disconnected, as if the upper and lower body don’t quite match.
It’s not always easy to spot their hip shape. They usually don’t have a very full butt, but since their upper body is bigger than their lower body, you can notice that the top part of the hips is slightly wider.
Legs of the psychopathic personality structure
In the psychopathic character type, the thigh is thicker than the calf, which is thicker than the shin, following the inverted triangle shape. Their nervous system isn’t wired to send much energy to the legs, so they tend to be relatively weak.
What is the psychopathic character structure in distress like?
The wound of the psychopathic character structure is the fear of feeling manipulated, even if they don’t complain or show it. When they don’t feel manipulated, they are able to use their gifts, using their ability to communicate and navigate situations in a way that benefits both themselves and those around them.
They have problems with their self-esteem because they need to feel special all the time and they have trust issues. To avoid manipulation, they try to control the world around them.
What not to expect from the psychopathic character structure?
When interacting with a person with a predominant psychopathic character structure, don’t expect emotions. Don’t expect them to open their heart to you. If you ask how they are feeling, they will wonder what you will do with that piece information. Most of the time, they will say the minimum, just to keep you satisfied.
They don’t like to talk about their flaws, problems, or feelings—only about what they’re good at. For them, “feeling too much” is a flaw. They think that they shouldn’t feel, only act. They always look for ways to be in the spotlight, to receive attention, to negotiate and manipulate the environment more easily, and to manage the expectations placed on them.
Don’t expect them to seek sensitivity, understand your way of feeling the world, or find ways to support you, because that’s not their skill set. If you demand that from a person with psychopathic character structure, you will make them function worse, disrupting their relationship with the world. They are not bad; they just won’t follow the path of emotions.
What to expect from the psychopathic character structure?
If there is a bad situation happening, people with a predominant psychopathic character structure seek a plan, people, resources, and ways to solve the situation. They work for practical results, and despite not caring about their own feelings, they may care about you.
For someone with a psychopathic character type, the solution is to create a better plan to get you out of the situation—but that doesn’t include listening to your emotions about it. Even though they always find different ways to solve problems, remember that their legs are weak. In other words, they need others to take action.
People with an intense psychopathic character structure are very perceptive and good with words. They might say exactly what you want to hear if that benefits them.
What are the gifts of the psychopathic character structure?
People with the psychopathic personality type have the ability to talk, manipulate, and convince people to follow a plan. That’s why people with the psychopathic character structure are great leaders. When they’re using their gifts, meeting their needs, they use their ability to pursue big goals that help everyone around. They are very sensitive to issues of injustice and oppression and they are powerful speakers.
A person with the psychopathic using their gifts can understand what is important to people, focusing on logic. They use their ability to articulate positively or negatively, depending on whether their psychopathic character structure is in flow or in distress.
But of course, there are also people who can manipulate in a negative way, use and deceive people. So if you want someone with a psychopathic character type to be in their resource and work with you instead of just for themselves, you can encourage them by recognizing their leadership skills and praising their achievements.
You can stimulate them highlighting what they do, praising and valuing them. People with the psychopathic character structure expect recognition, not for who they are but for what they accomplish.
What are the variations of the psychopathic character structure?
Three pattern variations of the structure show different behaviors, despite similar body shapes. These three variations of the psychopathic character structure are:
- threatening, if you have the threatening type, you may believe the world is threatening and the only way to feel safe is through some form of aggression, hostility or argumentativeness. People perceive a hostile energy around you.
- seduction, you may try to get what you want through charm, seduction, or a flattering or overly polite way with people;
- victimization or withdrawal, putting himself as a victim to gain empathy and manipulate people’s reaction or withdrawing from unpleasant situations in a hostile way.
These three variations of the psychopathic structure are visible by the presence of other structures. If the person with a psychopathic character structure also has an intense oral structure, for example, they tend to play the victim. They won’t be very good at controlling by fear.
A person with the psychopathic character structure may not behave as expected; instead, they may act as a seducer or victim. An example is a child manipulating their mother saying that if she doesn’t do something, they will be sad.
It’s also interesting to consider that a person can transition between the adaptations. They start with one structure, switch to another if it doesn’t work, and do anything to achieve their goals. This is the chameleon behavior of the psychopathic character structure.
How to meet the needs of the psychopathic character structure?
Their strength lies in putting the right pieces in the right places—whether that’s people, financial resources, or tools. This makes someone with a psychopathic character type a powerful leader. Above all, they are great at finding resources when they’re leading.
To boost the strengths of the psychopathic character type, you can:
- Create opportunities for negotiation and deal-making.
- Give them attention and let them take control of situations.
- Recognize them for who they are, not just for what they do.
- Provide a safe environment where they can trust and relax—without needing to strategize or manipulate.
- Encourage them to connect people or resources, leading in a way that benefits everyone.
- Engage in fair exchanges (I do this for you, you do that for me).
- Challenge them with new hobbies, new places, and fresh experiences.
Sayings of the psychopathic character structure
- A deal is a deal.
- Everything has a price.
- I did this for you. / You owe me one.
- An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.
- There’s no such thing as a free lunch.
Unlock your psychopathic character structure gifts
Did you relate to the psychopathic character structure? This is just a part of who you are. But true transformation goes beyond understanding a your psychopathic structure. That’s why I’ve developed a step-by-step process to help you uncover who you truly are, break free from patterns holding you back, and step into a more fulfilling, successful life.
A key part of this process is the body mind assessment, a method developed by Brazilian researchers to measure the percentage of each character structure in individuals. Through this assessment, you’ll discover your unique mix of character structures, how they interact, and what you need to activate your gifts to achieve your dreams.
But self-awareness is just the beginning. In your clarity session, we’ll dive deep into how these insights can help you solve real-life challenges—whether in relationships, career, or personal growth. You’ll gain clear, practical strategies to manage your character structures, make better decisions, and unlock your full potential.
If you’re ready to take this transformational journey, schedule your clarity session now and take the first step toward the life you truly deserve!
