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I don't mean someone who lacks emotion because they "don't care", but because either they can't feel emotion or the emotional response is delayed because of a genetic disposition.

Maybe there is an appropriate medical term that could be used.

The word stoic is recommended from a similar question, for example - but that question and its answers relate to an individuals ability to endure/tolerate a situation or simply ignore their emotions.

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The answer is simple: "He's a real Spock." Of course that could also mean he is good with children, but, hey, language is ambiguous. – Fraser Orr Oct 14 '11 at 2:56
They're often, but not always, sociopaths. – Optimal Cynic Oct 14 '11 at 5:41
The title and body ask subtly different questions. It is possible for a person to be able to feel emotion without being able to show it. – jimreed Oct 14 '11 at 12:25
@jimreed Thanks for pointing that out, I think I fixed it now. I think it's possible for a person to hide/mask their emotions, from what is described in the blunted affect. I am looking for help in describing a person who can't feel emotions similar to Anhedonia (a type of inability). – SaultDon Oct 14 '11 at 16:34

8 Answers

up vote 3 down vote accepted

Blunted affect may be the noun, but if you're looking for an adjective to describe someone like that the term is affectless.

affectless : showing or expressing no emotion; also : unfeeling

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This is the closest I think so far because of the keyword unfeeling where it could indicate the person has no control of or lacks an emotional response. They are therefore, what an average person may assume, unaffected. – SaultDon Oct 14 '11 at 1:47
up vote 4 down vote

The medical term is blunted affect. A more extreme case is called a flat affect.

From Wikipedia:

Blunted affect is the scientific term describing a lack of emotional reactivity on the part of an individual. It is manifest as a failure to express feelings either verbally or non-verbally, even when talking about issues that would normally be expected to engage the emotions. Expressive gestures are rare and there is little animation in facial expression or in vocal inflection

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Thanks for the prompt reply but I'm having difficulty using that in a sentence. I think something more specific would be helpful because this one seems to describe an overall type of phenomenon. I wonder if there is a name for the type of behaviour that I am talking about that doctors or psychologists would use? – SaultDon Oct 14 '11 at 1:40
up vote 1 down vote

If you're looking for a term to use in everyday conversation (your request for an appropriate medical term aside), it's common to describe someone as being emotionally detached.

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Your answer is definitely close. The word detached could also describe how the person is simply ignorant to another persons plight, for example. I think it could mislead the reader if not used with more description. – SaultDon Oct 14 '11 at 1:51
up vote 1 down vote

Possible synonyms:

  • reserved / suppressed
  • restrained / self-restrained / self-contained
  • discreet
  • overinhibited
  • dazed
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up vote 1 down vote

Reminds me of a line in Shawshank Redemption.

You strike me as a particularly icy and remorseless man, Mr. Dufresne.

"Cold" (or more poetically, "Icy", as used in the movie) can mean you are not easily affected emotionally, and do not show emotions.

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up vote 1 down vote

Are you thinking of Asperger's?

Asperger syndrome or Asperger's syndrome or Asperger disorder is an autism spectrum disorder that is characterized by significant difficulties in social interaction, along with restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior and interests

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up vote 0 down vote

How about nonchalant, indifferent, stoic, expressionless or unconcerned? I am one of those people you describe, and I find these words often describe me quite accurately.

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up vote 0 down vote

In extreme cases, the word you want could be "sociopath" or "psychopath". Despite fictional portrayals of "psychos" as being twitching, gibbering wrecks, in reality they tend to be very controlled and normal-seeming (hence the cliché of "He seemed so normal- kept himself to himself... " and other bystander-generated camera-fodder).

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