What lies beneath the Mask of Sanity: A comparison of Ted Bundy and Charles Manson’s Rorschachs

Authors

Carl B. Gacono, Maverick PsychologyFollow
Jason M. Smith, Maverick PsychologyFollow
Tod A. Roy, Private PracticeFollow

Abstract

Once psychopathy level (PCL-R ≥ 30 = psychopathy) is determined, data beyond what is offered by the PCL-R is needed to fully understand the dynamics which underlie an individual’s overt criminal behavior. As we have empirically demonstrated (Gacono, 2016; Gacono & Evans, 2008; Gacono & Meloy, 1994; Smith et al., 2021), the Rorschach is ideally suited for this task. In this article we demonstrate the utility of the Rorschach Comprehensive System method (Exner, 2003; CS-R, Exner et al. 2022) in ferreting out the dynamics that underlie Ted Bundy and Charles Manson’s masks of sanity (Cleckley, 1941). Ted Bundy’s Rorschach reveals an inner world comprised of complex dysphoria and unmet needs states, that when coupled with sexual sadism and psychopathy, fuel his sexual murders. By contrast, Manson’s Rorschach provides an image of emptiness and deterioration, a slip into psychosis, and a glimpse into the banality of an aging psychopath.

Recommended Citation

Gacono, Carl B.; Smith, Jason M.; and Roy, Tod A. (2025) "What lies beneath the Mask of Sanity: A comparison of Ted Bundy and Charles Manson’s Rorschachs," Archives of Assessment Psychology: Vol. 15, Article 6.
Available at: https://nsuworks.nova.edu/psyassessment/vol15/iss1/6