Defining Cyberpsychopathy : An Integrative Review

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Cyberpsychology
• Digital Behavior Analysis

Background:

• Digital platforms enable antisocial and manipulative behaviors, creating a need to understand cyberpsychopathy.
• Traditional psychopathy models are insufficient for explaining online dark personality traits.
• Existing research on cyberpsychopathy is fragmented, lacking an integrative framework.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize literature on cyberpsychopathy.
• To identify core conceptual domains of cyberpsychopathy.
• To propose an evidence-based definition of cyberpsychopathy.

Main Methods:

• Integrative literature review of 35 empirical studies.
• Thematic synthesis of identified studies.
• Evaluation of methodological quality.

Main Results:

• Identified six core domains: online behaviors, online environment, sociodemographics, personality traits, psychological factors, and motivations.
• Found dynamic interactions shaping cyberpsychopathy expression.
• Proposed a working definition of cyberpsychopathy as a multidimensional construct.

Conclusions:

• Cyberpsychopathy is complex, context-dependent, and extends beyond traditional psychopathy.
• Further research and validated assessment tools are crucial.
• Understanding cyberpsychopathy aids interventions and policy development for digital societies.