The concept of “shared psychosis” or “folie à millions” has been used to describe how Trump’s behavior and delusional beliefs spread to his followers, reinforcing their collective detachment from reality.
His symptoms align with traits of malignant narcissism and sociopathy, characterized by a lack of conscience and disregard for others’ well-being. This combination contributes to his grandiose and violent tendencies, modelled after authoritarian figures, and fuels his political cult and attempts to undermine democratic institutions. Such mental health assessments point to a complex, chronic condition with profound implications for public safety and political stability if he regains power.
Higher partisan schadenfreude — the pleasure taken in the misfortunes of political out-groups — is predicted by several psychological traits including ideological extremity, strong social dominance orientation, low empathy, and certain “dark triad” personality traits such as Machiavellianism, narcissism, and psychopathy. Individuals with these traits tend to exhibit greater enjoyment of opponents’ suffering and stronger intergroup antipathy. Additionally, strong partisan identification and higher trait aggression also correspond with higher schadenfreude in political contexts.
Key psychological predictors include:
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Ideological extremity: Those with extreme ideological views more frequently experience schadenfreude toward political opponents due to heightened affective polarization and intergroup hostility.
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Social dominance orientation (SDO): Individuals who rank high on the spectrum of SDO, who prefer hierarchical group relations, show increased schadenfreude toward out-groups perceived as threats or rivals.
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Low empathy and moral disengagement: People lower in empathy and who morally disengage from out-group suffering tend to derive more pleasure from others’ misfortune.
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Dark Triad traits: Machiavellianism, narcissism, and psychopathy correlate positively with schadenfreude, as these traits involve callousness, competitiveness, and prioritizing self-interests over others. These traits are consistent with Social dominance orientation (SDO).
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Strong partisan identity and trait aggression: Strong, internalized party identification along with aggressive personality traits predict expressing and enjoying partisan schadenfreude.
Thus, schadenfreude in partisan contexts is linked to cognitive rigidity, emotional antipathy, social dominance motivations, and personality traits that reduce concern for others’ well-being, particularly out-group members — traits which are consistent with Social dominance orientation (SDO).
Sociopathy is a psychological condition often considered a form of Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD). It is characterized by a persistent pattern of disturbed interpersonal, emotional, and behavioral functioning. Key traits of sociopathy include a lack of guilt and empathy, manipulativeness, deceit, impulsiveness, and a disregard for the rights and welfare of others. Sociopaths often show superficial charm but tend to be irresponsible, dishonest, and have difficulty forming genuine emotional attachments. They may engage in risky, aggressive, or criminal behaviors and typically do not feel remorse for harming others.
Sociopathy differs somewhat from psychopathy in that sociopaths are more likely to display hot-headedness, impulsivity, and difficulty maintaining emotional relationships, while psychopaths tend to be more calculated, cold, and manipulative but better at blending into society. Sociopathy also implicates a failure to conform to social norms and rules, often accompanied by a lack of respect for authority. Despite these challenges, some sociopaths can function in various social roles and may respond to treatment aimed at reducing harmful behaviors.
Overall, sociopathy is a complex personality disorder marked by emotional and behavioral disturbances, including poor impulse control and lack of empathy, making social and occupational functioning difficult but not impossible. Early intervention and targeted treatment may help mitigate severe outcomes associated with the disorder.