"....he is in a continuing process of learning how to mimic the emotions of real people, and wants to learn all about the "subject matter" he is "studying"."
Possible...this reminds me of a "debate" among mental health professionals. It's widely believed that antisocials (i.e., psychpaths,sociopaths) cannot be successfully treated. Some go so far as to contend that therapists should not even attempt to treat them because the antisocials use the therapists and the therapeutic process to learn how to mimic normal human responses. In other words, we can't help them and we risk making them better liars!
My brother-in-law has a "personality disorder". He also has the psychiatrist's "Bible" so he can look up all kinds of behavior to mimic. He's pretty much gotten away with this for his entire adult life. He doesn't fool me for a minute. Of course, anyone who would want to live like that IS crazy!
Wow, that's interesting, and distressing, at the same time.
I had heard that they can't be successfully changed into, uh, people, but I hadn't heard that some people advised therapists that treating them might only make them more of a menace!
julie - where do you come down on the success of lack thereof, of treating psycho/sociopaths? I honestly believe that statement that lots of interaction with therapists is what they use to hone their skills in their pathology!!