The Soul of the Psychopath

The term “psychopath” conjures up images of sadistic serial killers and elicits apprehension in the heart of the average citizen. The traits of the psychopath are so distinctive that they may represent a distinct diagnostic group of people who are completely lacking in normal human emotions and social responsiveness. In the prison setting, psychopaths constitute 15 to 25 percent of all incarcerated offenders. This lecture explored the concept of psychopathy and review the traits that make up the psychopathic personality. A videotaped interview with an incarcerated psychopath was used to illustrate the salient features of the psychopath.