Can Bigotry Be Classified as a Personality Disorder?

In many cases, and rightfully so, we view people who hold radical racist, and other prejudicial beliefs, as hateful and bad. Their singular identifying characteristic becomes their racism, and we don’t usually take the time to consider what else is going on with their mental state. It’s easy to assume that anyone who exerts extreme judgment of someone solely based on the color of their skin or their ethnic heritage is somewhat unhinged, but how much credence should we give that notion? With nationalism on the rise worldwide and a resultant increase in divisiveness, discrimination, and hate crimes, the question of whether extreme bigotry is indicative of a pathological condition and a personality disorder has been a subject of discussion.

It goes without saying that classifying someone with a personality disorder does not excuse them of their racism or other hateful and prejudiced beliefs. Discrimination should not be tolerated under any circumstance, and to excuse it away as a form of mental instability is dangerous and does not protect the oppressed. However, understanding the minds of people who hold such extreme prejudices and biases may help trained professionals design and implement effective treatment protocols with the hope that, if extreme prejudice is indicative of a personality disorder, it can be lessened or eradicated in some people with sound clinical treatment.

In order to even consider whether or not someone who is racist is suffering from a personality disorder, it’s important to define what one is and what causes it. According to the Mayo Clinic, a personality disorder is “a type of mental disorder in which one has a rigid and unhealthy pattern of thinking, functioning and behaving.” The classification goes on to state that a person with a personality disorder “has trouble perceiving and relating to situations and people,” and even that someone with a personality disorder “may blame others for the challenges they face.” Based on that definition alone, it can certainly be argued that some people who are racist fall into the category of suffering from a personal disorder. The cause of personality disorders is thought to be a combination of genetic and environmental influences. Genes predispose some people to developing a disorder which can be triggered by certain circumstances in their life (especially trauma and abuse).

Yet, even if it is the case for some bigoted people, saying so is a dangerous line to cross. Throughout history, genocides have occurred because of ideologies that have revolved around scapegoating and blaming of others for societal problems. Saying that extreme racism is a personality disorder takes some of the control and responsibility away from the individual exhibiting the dangerous and harmful behavior. In other words, it’s claiming that their actions are, in some ways, out of their control.

So what’s the solution–to classify or not to classify? It doesn’t seem like there’s currently a good answer to that question. The double-edged sword lies in this gray area: classifying extreme bigotry as a personality disorder and using it as a diagnosis will take some of the responsibility off of the perpetrators, which obviously shouldn’t be the case given that the personality disordered do not suffer from the type of mental illness that would qualify as criminally insane (i.e. schizophrenia, mania, dissociative identity disorder). The upside, is that those who commit hate crimes are still subject to the legal and criminal ramifications. However, without the willingness to study extreme bigotry as a kind of disordered thinking, we’re also preventing a potential treatment for it, a treatment which, if rendered correctly, would undoubtedly make the world a safer and better place.