Psychopathy: Understanding the Mind of the Master Manipulator!

What is Psychopathy? Prof Robert Hare a Canadian Psychologist is considered one of the leading scientists in this subject puts it like this:

[A] self-centred, callous and remorseless person profoundly lacking in empathy and the ability to form warm emotional relationships with others. A person who functions without restraint of a conscience (Hare, 1993 as cited in Nyholm & Nyholm, 2012).

Although Hare, Neuman and others have provided extensive research into psychopathy, the modern 'father' of Psychopathy was Harvey Cleckly an American Psychiatrist in the early 20th century. He published a book entitled "The mask of sanity" (1941). He had been treating a number of patients in prisons and mental asylums who displayed symptoms that were totally different. They lacked the symptoms & characteristics of his other patients. He stated:

"Aside from these groups and aside from all the types of patients recognised as psychotic, there remains for our consideration a large body of people who are incapable of leading normal lives and whose behaviour causes greatest distress in every community (Cleckley, 1941, p. 27)."

Cleckley then goes on to call these groups of patients "Psychopaths". Psychopaths have always existed hidden amongst the rest of humanity. History has shown that psychopathy has been written about even as far back as 700 BCE when the bible book of Deuteronomy was written by Moses stating some of the symptoms and again in 371 BCE by a Greek philosopher Theophrastus (Kiehl, 2020, p. 36 & 37). Although they have the same core deviances, they can mask themselves to some degree and hide within crowds in society. A number of research papers have demonstrated that most psychopath's who have a low IQ tend to be more violent where as those with a high IQ can be more sly and cunning (Hare, 1993, p. 102-107). No matter what their IQ, they are master manipulators and rule breakers just the same. Psychopaths can have a significant impact on society. While a small minority may engage in violent criminal behaviour, others may succeed in positions of power and influence, exploiting and manipulating others for personal gain. 

Click or tap on the picture to go to ITVX website and the programme on DES. The picture above shows a white middle aged man with a emotionless expression on his face. It is meant to depict what Dennis Neilson, a serial killer, looked like. The image is owned by ITV.

How can I tell who they are?

Psychopathy is a serious personality disorder characterized by a profound lack of empathy, remorse, and conscience. While often depicted in popular media as violent criminals, psychopaths can exist in all levels of society, from corporate executives to charming con artists. 

Key Characteristics of Psychopathy: 

• Lack of Empathy and Remorse: Psychopaths struggle to understand or share the feelings of others. They rarely feel guilt or remorse for their actions, even when they cause significant harm.  

• Superficial Charm and Manipulativeness: Psychopaths can be incredibly charming and persuasive. They use this charisma to exploit and manipulate others for their own gain.  

• Grandiose Sense of Self-Worth: They often possess an inflated sense of their own importance and abilities, while simultaneously devaluing others.  

• Callousness and Lack of Affect: They display a lack of concern for the suffering of others and often appear emotionally cold and detached.  

• Impulsivity and Irresponsibility: Psychopaths tend to act impulsively and irresponsibly, often disregarding the consequences of their actions.  

• Parasitic Lifestyle: They often exploit and manipulate others for personal gain, relying on others to support them financially or emotionally.  

The picture has Martin Clunes as a DCI investigating a serial rapist in London by The Metropolitan Police who is attacking and raping numerous old people in their homes. Picture is owned by ITV.

Back in the 1970's, psychologist Robert Hare and colleagues constructed a diagnostic tool called the Psychopathy Checklist (PCL). Since then, the checklist has been revised to the current version in use entitled PCL-R which is made up of four sections and can take between 3-4 hours to complete with the patient/prisoner. Although there are other assessment tools, the PCL-R is the most widely used assessment tool for diagnosing psychopathy. It is a comprehensive instrument that evaluates individuals on numerous factors, including interpersonal, affective, and lifestyle characteristics.  Other ways of diagnosing or confirming a diagnosis is by using brain scanning equipment such as MRI & fMRI machines as wells as EEG's (for a detailed understanding of these methods, please see the book The Psychopath Whisperer by Dr Kent Kiehl, 2014).

Keeping the population safe

Serial killers and rapists tend to capture people imagination and many TV programmes, pod casts, books, magazines and radio shows etc., have been created about them. Although not all serial killers and serial rapists are psychopathic, a large proportion are. To illustrate, here are some famous, or should I say infamous, British psychopaths:

Jack the Ripper

Charles Bronson

Peter Sutcliff

Dennis Neilson

Ronnie Cray

Peter Bryan

Graham Young

Delroy Grant

Patrick (Nosey) Kelly

Joanne Dennehy

Each country has its own judicial or justice system. These systems usually don't know what to do with their psychopathic population. Prisons and correctional centres around them world dislike housing them within the general offender population although research shows that they, on the surface of it at least, tend to be 'model' prisoners. However, they tend to be behind most of the violence and disorder within prisons. On the other hand, special secure forensic hospitals don't want them either. Most psychopaths do not believe they are mentally ill and take offence at being placed in such hospital wards thus they cause considerable difficulties for the nursing and medical staff. Within the England and Wales, there are three 'special' high secure hospitals that are run by the NHS. These are: you can click or tap on the name to go to their website

Broadmoor in Berkshire

Ashworth in Liverpool

Rampton in Nottingham

There are also smaller medium and low security forensic hospitals or specific wards/units around the UK. Some of the prisons (HMPPS) have special units for server personality disorders called PIPES or Psychologically informed planned environments (House of Lords, 2023). One of these is HMPPS Grendon (HMPPS stands for His Majesties Prison and Probation Service and has replaced the old HMP and NPS or national probation service in England and Wales) located in Buckinghamshire. Although these units deal with all types of violent offenders and all personality disorders, a high proportion of Grendon's and PIPES population suffer from psychopathy and have been sent there due to the fact they can not be managed by general prison wings.

So - who's a naughty psychopath then?

Even those that undergo specialist training in diagnosing psychopathy, which Jon Ronson calls "Psychopath spotters", can at times miss them. Why? Well there likened to Chameleons for a very good reason. They blend in. They a great at faking it by learning from others around them. So if you have read this article and felt that you know one or two or are even married to one (male or female) - run! or ask the police to see if they have a record under what is called Claire's Law.

Disclaimer: This information is for general knowledge only. For diagnosis and treatment of any mental health condition, consult a qualified mental health professional. This blog post is for informational purposes only and should not be considered medical or psychological advice. I hope this blog post provides a helpful overview of psychopathy. This blog post aims to provide a general understanding of psychopathy based on existing research. 

There is much debate surrounding psychopathy and its validity even though it is one of the most widely researched mental/personality disorders. Here is a made up conversation between two respected psychologists - who do you agree with??

The Psychopathy Debate 

Meet the Characters: 

• Dr. Evelyn Walsh:  A clinical psychologist specializing in personality disorders.  

• Dr. Mark Carter: A forensic psychologist with expertise in criminal behaviour.  

Setting: 

A university conference room. 

(Scene opens with Dr. Walsh and Dr. Carter seated at a table, engaging in a lively discussion.) 

Dr. Walsh: Mark, I understand your perspective, but I fundamentally disagree with the classification of psychopathy as a mental health disorder. 

Dr. Carter: Evelyn, I find that categorization crucial. It allows us to understand the underlying psychological mechanisms and develop appropriate interventions. 

Dr. Walsh: I believe the focus on psychopathy as a disorder pathologizes individuals who may simply exhibit certain personality traits. Many of the characteristics associated with psychopathy, such as boldness and dominance, can be observed in successful individuals across various fields. 

Dr. Carter: While that may be true in some cases, we must acknowledge the significant harm that individuals with high psychopathy scores can inflict on others. Research by Robert Hare, particularly his work on the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R), has consistently demonstrated a strong link between high psychopathy scores and criminal behaviour, violence, and recidivism. 

Dr. Walsh: I acknowledge the validity of the PCL-R as a tool for assessing certain personality traits. However, it oversimplifies complex human behaviour. It focuses on negative aspects, neglecting the potential for positive contributions from individuals who may score high on some psychopathy dimensions. 

Dr. Carter: I agree that the PCL-R has limitations. However, it provides a valuable framework for understanding individuals who exhibit a constellation of traits that pose a significant risk to themselves and others. Neuroimaging studies, such as those conducted by James Fallon, have shown that individuals with high psychopathy scores exhibit distinct brain abnormalities, particularly in regions associated with empathy and emotional regulation. 

Dr. Walsh: While neuroimaging studies offer intriguing insights, they cannot definitively prove that these brain differences are the cause of psychopathic behaviour. Environmental factors, such as early childhood trauma and adverse social experiences, undoubtedly play a crucial role. 

Dr. Carter: I agree that environmental factors are significant. However, I believe that recognizing psychopathy as a disorder allows for more targeted interventions, such as specialized treatment programs aimed at addressing the underlying deficits in empathy, emotional regulation, and impulse control. 

Dr. Walsh: I believe the focus should be on addressing harmful behaviours, regardless of whether they are labelled as symptoms of a disorder. We need to develop interventions that promote prosocial behaviour and reduce the risk of harm to others. 

Dr. Carter: I believe that acknowledging psychopathy as a disorder, while acknowledging its limitations, provides a valuable framework for understanding and addressing the challenges presented by individuals who exhibit these traits. 

(Scene ends with both psychologists acknowledging the complexity of the issue and the need for continued research and dialogue.) 

Note: This script presents a simplified version of a complex debate. The views expressed by the characters are not necessarily representative of all psychologists' opinions. 

Disclaimer: This blog post is for informational purposes only and should not be considered medical or psychological advice. It is crucial to remember that not everyone who exhibits some of these traits is a psychopath. Psychopathy is a complex disorder that requires professional assessment and diagnosis. 

Further Reading: 

Snakes in Suits - Prof. Robert Hare & Prof. Paul Babiak - Harper Collins Publishers

Without Conscience - Prof Robert Hare - Guilford Publishers

The Mask of Sanity - Dr Harvey Cleckley - EPBM

The Psychopathy Whisperer - Dr Kent Kiehl - Oneworld Publishers

Rebel Without A Cause - Dr Lindner - Other Publishers

The Psychopathy Test - Jon Ronson - Picador Publishers

True Life British Psychopath's:

A Passion for Poison - Carol Ann Lee - JB Publishers

The London Underground Serial Killer - Geoff Platt - Pen & Sword Publishers

Wicked Beyond Belief - Michael Bilton - Harper Press

Killing For Company - Brian Masters - Penguin Publishers