Disclaimer, I am in General psych "Pych 101" so any pros who want to pick on this feel free, consider the VERY amatuer source.
This is not a fanfic.
My Pych teacher insisted we all do an abnormal psych diagnosis of a popular movie or TV character, I wanted to do Branagh's Hamlet. She would not approve of that, but thought Bender was perfectly ok.
So here is what I turn in tomrrow. Feedback anyone?
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Abnormal psych diagnosis for patient "Bender"
Bender is a four year old bending unit presently employed with the New New York shipping company
"Planet Express"
Bender was court ordered to undergo psychological examination as part of a conditional release required for probation after several charges of breaking an entering and petty theft.
As an AI Bender is a difficult diagnosis not being "human" in the strictest sense of the term. Yet Bender displays several very human problems, in exaggerated, almost "comic" levels.
I will attempt to quantify them below using standard texts and diagnosis.
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Bender Shows a profound Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD)
A pervasive pattern of grandiosity (in fantasy or behavior), need for admiration, and lack of empathy, beginning by early adulthood and present in a variety of contexts, as indicated by five (or more) of the following:
1. has a grandiose sense of self-importance (e.g., exaggerates achievements and talents, expects to be recognized as superior without commensurate achievements)
Bender repeatedly claims that it is Destiny to ""Rule the world" and to "kill all humans". The fact that he never acts upon this, or any other threat of violent action suggests he is not violent, but is simply attempting to draw attention to himself to help bolster his occasionally failing sense of superiority.
2. is preoccupied with fantasies of unlimited success, power, brilliance, beauty, or ideal love
Bender often engages in spontaneous public singing, most often consisting of the "tuneless" repeat of the same line repeated over and over. "Bender is great, Bender is Great" he will sing this endlessly "with great enjoyment and gusto" when walking or indulging in any non directly communication related activities.
3. believes that he or she is "special" and unique and can only be understood by, or should associate with, other special or high-status people (or institutions)
Bender has a fixation on certain celebrities. Although only robot or alien celebrities.
"possible internalized inferiority feelings caused by not being human?"
Benders strongest celebrity fixation is robot actor "Calculon" who he has attempted to impress, and gain the confidence of, by fraud, fictitious claims to previous acquaintance, and "stalking behavior" necessitating the issuing of a restraining order.
Also his secondary celebrity fixation, the well known television Chief "Elzar". Attempts to harass Elzar have also caused retraining orders to be placed after Bender had to be ejected from both Elzar's restaurant, and from the studio audience of his cooking show.
4. requires excessive admiration
Bender once insisted that his friends hold his funeral BEFORE he died so he could "Be properly appreciated" When the "mourners" failed to grieve to what he considered to be the deserved level of his "loss" he became upset and violent, destroying furniture and decorations. (the casket) " "although not attempting to physically harm the people present"
5. has a sense of entitlement, i.e., unreasonable expectations of especially favorable treatment or automatic compliance with his or her expectations
Bender sees his lack of money and material goods to be the fault of others. Therefore any property of ANY person is his by right, the owners are denying him access to "his" property. Bender talks about stealing a great deal, but as he sees most property as his, its debatable whether he really grasps the concept "steal" .
6. is interpersonally exploitative, i.e., takes advantage of others to achieve his or her own ends
Bender uses virtually everyone he comes in contact with, even his self declared "idols" Bender attempts to amplify his sense of self importance through his "largely imaginary" friendships with these idols.
Once Bender went as far as to steal the blood of his one human friend.
7. lacks empathy: is unwilling to recognize or identify with the feelings and needs of others
Bender finds the tragedies of others to be intensely comic and seems to have little understanding that others even have feelings, let alone the concept of empathy
8. is often envious of others or believes that others are envious of him or her
Once, when his human friend "Fry" had lost his nose, Bender did not see it as a traumatic mutilation, but that Fry had done it to become more "Bender Like".
9. shows arrogant, haughty behaviors or attitudes
Bender is practically the definition of arrogance, His sense of self importance has to be re-enforced repeatedly in day to day life. And any who deny it are assumed "by Bender" to be either enemies, idiots, or jealous.
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I would not declare Bender a true "sociopath" as he has shown some dedication to his few friends, he will help them in life threatening situations, in his work with Planet Express he has put his "life" at risk to save coworkers "although he does demand very high levels of praise, and financial renumeration if he can get it"
He has shown some feeling for his coworkers in times of crisis although he will deny any sort of feelings on the matter if pressed for details.
Bender is not presently a threat to his safety or the safety of others, and is gainfully employed, and self supporting. He can interact socially in a work enviroment with CLOSE supervision, and peer feedback.
Suggestions are regular therapy, and examination of software for possible correction of corrupted, or non-functional code.
Diagnosis:
DSM-IV
Narcissistic Personality Disorder 301.81
Examiner: D*** W***
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