Psychopath Essays (Examples)

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Psychopaths
Discussion on "ithout a Conscience" by Robert D. Hare

The Psychopathic Characteristics

Scientific Reasons of Psychopathy

Psychopathic Behavior and Forensic Psychology

Violence and Psychopaths

Most people would be terrified as well as perhaps intrigued by the word psychopath and visualize images of cold blooded and remorseless murderers or offenders that are depicted in TV serials or films. However Dr. Robert D. Hare, arguably the most well-known researcher of psychopath, describes such people as those who essentially suffer from personality disorder but are very aware of the results of their actions and have the sense between the wrong and the right (Hare, 2011). Such people are often hardly distinguishable in common life and seem to just like anyone else in society until their cruel side shows up.

Hare discusses these aspects of dual consciousness and cruelty and violence of psychopaths knowing very well the consequences of their actions in his book 'ithout Conscience: The Disturbing orld of….


The need to document and classify such behavior as obsessive can lead to misdiagnosis and unlawful prosecution. The human condition itself is very psychopathic if one is to equivocate this word with an affinity for the abnormal. Human and natural evolution itself displays psychopathic behavior by demanding and requiring a break from the norm and a transcendence to the new. Crawford (2012) suggested that psycopaths have value in our society. She claimed " Not all psychopaths are violent, he says, and some of them are just the sort of people society can count on in a crisis." Lewis (2013) agreed that there are benefits to psycopathy. She revealed that "findings show that people who have psychopathic traits are flexible in their ability to cooperate with others."

Classifying such behavior as an illness arrests development and models the human condition as a robotic and predictable occurrence. Psycopathy being classified as a mental….

Should we be surprised at his attempts to try to fake mental illness?
For some, incarceration and evading law enforcement is a very normal part of life, making DV's personality very psychopathic in a general framework. To DV however, his faking is normal and routine. DV stands to benefit from lying about his mental condition in order to receive less punishment. This action seems very normal however. Most people wish to escape punishment if afforded the opportunity, and DV is no different.

This week's information about psychopath and psychopathic behavior reveals the tricky and subjective nature of individual circumstance and the mental approaches associated with those circumstances. Unfortunately blanket statements about what the harms and characteristics of psychopaths are not very useful, normalcy is too hard to pin down. Gross demonstrations of non-empathetic, selfish undertakings and willful ignorance are very commonplace in much of society and distinguishing between healthy and non-healthy….

Sociopath or Psychopath
PAGES 6 WORDS 2015

Sociopath or Psychopath
Psychology - Disorders

Personality disorders have been the interest of psychologists since long time. There are many personality disorders identified by the psychologists, and this paper sheds light on the most important among those disorders i.e. Psychopath and Sociopath. In general, these people use these two terms interchangeably but the fact is that these two conditions may be interrelated, but the symptoms and the behaviors of the individuals suffering from these disorders, along with the background of this disorder may be entirely different. This paper this shed light on the difference of these disorders along with pin pointing the social factors that may be involved in making or enforcing these disorders.

Sociopath or Psychopath

The issue of identifying and differentiating the difference and similarity between a sociopath and psychopath has been a debated topic since long time. Many schools of thoughts have different opinion when it comes to classifying these two….

However, violence is only one possible manifestation of psychopathology (Gerrig & Zimbardo, 2009; Schmalleger, 2009). Individuals such as Bundy and Dahmer also represent the classic antisocial personality disorder which is not necessarily true of the vast majority of psychopaths, most of whom do not act out in criminally violent ways (Gerrig & Zimbardo, 2009. Schmalleger, 2009).
In principle, what is most relevant about individuals like Bundy and Dahmer is not the depravity of their crimes; rather, it is the overwhelming evidence of their ability to perpetuate a completely normal, even charming, false external personality. Dahmer, while a loner, was socially skilled enough to appeal to a large number of victims and maintained a perfectly ordinary lifestyle from every other perspective (Innes, 2007; Schmalleger, 2009). Bundy, in particular, demonstrates the manner in which psychopaths can manifest very high level of social functioning and professional achievement even while violating the most basic….

Conscience - the Disturbing orld of the Psychopaths Among Us
ithout Conscience: The Disturbing orld of the Psychopaths among Us

In his book ithout Conscience: The Disturbing orld of the Psychopaths Among Us, Robert D. Hare (1999) focuses on not only the famous psychopaths and the criminals who have made the news, but the people who walk among "normal" society every day - at the grocery store, the bank, and everywhere else. Many of these people are very low key. They are not physically violent, but they are emotionally and financially devastating to a large number of people because they have the ability to manipulate people much more easily than the average person could do - largely because they do not have any kind of conscience holding them back from the choices that they make (Hare, 1999). ithout any conscience, they do not see right and wrong the same way others….

Psychopathology Study
PAGES 2 WORDS 547

Psychopath
The five-factor model of personality measurement is based on five preconceived and arbitrary dimensions of personality, including neuroticism vs. emotional stability, extraversion vs. introversion, openness vs. closedness, agreeableness vs. antagonism, and conscientiousness vs. disinhibition. The DSM and its adherents rely heavily on the five-factor model of personality. Although the five-factor model of personality does provide a structure and framework for evaluation and diagnosis, there are several weaknesses in its approach and limitations in its clinical applications. For one it is not culturally relevant, as these traits are often linked to social and cultural factors. Second, these factors can too easily be used to suggest a normative personality type and deviant subtypes.

The major cognitive features of paranoid personality disorder create a vicious cycle due primarily to self-fulfilling prophesy creation. A person who mistrusts others may treat others with suspicion and hostility, causing others to treat the person in kind. Cognitively reinforced,….


In the final results of their study, women psychopaths scored higher in the categories "Superficial," "deceitful," "impulsive," and "poor behavioral controls." Men scored higher on "lacks remorse," "lacks goals," "adolescent antisocial behavior," and "adult antisocial behavior." The psychopathic men and women in prison scored about the same on the Hale PCL ratings in "Grandiose," "lacks empathy," "doesn't accept responsibility," and "irresponsible."

These results and data must be understood in the context of prison environments, the authors explain. "...A higher prevalence of psychopathy is expected, since severe violence and psychopathy correlates strongly," according to the report. omen were more impulsive and had less behavior control, but the consensus among researchers is that "women generally have fewer psychopathic traits than men.

In another journal study, "Psychopathy in Adolescent Female Offenders: An Item Response Theory Analysis of the Psychopathy Checklist: Youth Version," also published in Behavioral Sciences and the Law, the authors (Crystal L. Schrum….

The psychopath must be made to realize that his behavior is useless and disadvantageous. And the therapist should find and use a vantage point to encourage socially acceptable behavior in the psychopath. Over and above, the therapist should invest enormous patience, time and money to the whole effort. Thorne believes it will require an investment of $15,000 every year for up to 10 years to obtain satisfactory result. However, no controlled research has been undertaken on this approach. The overall investment is too great for many to embark in (Cleckley). #
ILIOGRAPHY

Cleckley, H. (1988). The mask of sanity. Georgia C.V. Mosby Company. Retrieved on April 22, 2009 from http://www.cassiopaea.org/cass/sanito_1.pdf

Clercq, . d. (2007). Childhood antecedents of personality disorder. Current Opinion in Psychiatry: Medscape. Retrieved on April 22, 2009 from http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/550673

Rutter, M. (2005). What is the meaning and utility of the psychopathy concept. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology: Plenum Publishing Corporation. Retrieved….

Psychopathy
The dependence on science to precisely label and indentify processes and facts can cause some problems within this discipline. Psychopathology, usually identified as a psychological disorder, has seen attempts to place this phenomena in a biological framework. The purpose of this essay is to discuss whether or not psychopaths are more likely to exhibit criminal behavior and what factors may contribute to such behavior. This essay will also discuss the implications of the biological and psychological contributions to this term.

Moskowitz (2011) recently reveals some results of some interesting experiments. She revealed that "overall, these studies and many more like them paint a picture of significant biological differences between people who commit serious crimes and people who do not. While not all people with antisocial personality disorder -- or even all psychopaths -- end up breaking the law, and not all criminals meet the criteria for these disorders, there is a….

Psychology Honesty
PAGES 3 WORDS 1011

Psychopath
The research by Mazar, Amir & Ariely (2008) shows that ordinary people often find ways they can cheat and still believe themselves to be honest. People do this by rationalizing their actions, and preserving a self-concept of honesty and integrity. Most people are willing to stretch or manipulate their moral codes under certain circumstances, particularly when they can find ways of maintaining a self-concept or project the image of being honest.

A psychopath would be theoretically less concerned with self-concept or reputation than the ordinary person. Like anyone else, psychopaths will be driven to "minimize risk to themselves," and ensure they do not get caught (Grohol, n.d.). The ordinary people in the Mazar, Amir & Ariely (2008) study likewise do not want to get caught. The psychopath might be more inclined to cheat for the sake of cheating, more often than the ordinary person who cheats primarily for things like financial….

Nonetheless, Bill never hurts other people simply because he thinks that it is irrational to hurt others. He thinks that any rational person would be like him and not hurt other people. Does Bill really understand that hurting others is morally wrong? (Nichols, 2002, p. 285)."
This presents some interesting directions of thought. However, it is time to go into the relationship between serial murderers and forensic psychology as it applies to the crime scene. Ted Bundy seemed very much aware that he was committing crimes against society, certainly crimes against his victims. Berkowitz, it was argued, was more psychotic, and for that reason perhaps less aware of his actions as crimes against society or individuals. Berkowitz was known to have started more than a thousand fires, and had a history of cruelty to animals; both manifestations of deeper emotional problems (Schlesinger, 2004, p. 328). This does not make any….

In both cases, that label can make intervention more difficult instead of less difficult. Certainly, some types of behavioral issues are functions of immaturity or of stages of development and personality or identity experimentation. However, bona fide delinquency issues should not be excused as features of personality, largely because doing so undermines the development of personal responsibility and the realization that negative behaviors have negative consequences.
Which represents the greatest threat to society: multiple murder, workplace violence, or violent bias crimes?

It is difficult to compare the three types of crimes by listing them in order because so much depends on context. For example, violent bias crimes could include multiple murders. In general, multiple murders are relatively rare outside of environments where criminality is already at issue, such as in connection with organize crime and criminal gang rivalries. Workplace violence is comparatively rare when it comes to serious crimes such as….

Women Stay with Sociopaths
Finding out that one's husband does not care about anybody but themselves and is a psychopath, could be among the worse things for a wife to hear, but it has happened, and it continues to happen in hundreds of relationship. The question to answer, however, is not why is this guy a sociopath, but instead, why is this woman staying with this man who is clearly in need of mental health assistance. It can be hard to imagine how a woman, after finding out horrendous things about her husband could choose to stay with him despite who she knows he truly is. This was the case with Mary Jo Buttafuoco. After she found out her husband was cheating on her with Amy Fisher, a teenager at the time, her world came tumbling down on her. The picture perfect life that she for a very long time….

Theatre Art
PAGES 3 WORDS 1066

Dee:
The Shape of Things, a play by Neil LaBute, (A) expands on the central themes of society's distortional emphasis on appearances, and art as a potentially limitless and human-sculpting instrument. Linearly structured in three acts, the plot closely follows the problematic evolution of a student couple from a Midwest university. Starting as a discrepant match, Evelyn and Adam develop an oddly unequal relationship, as the former increasingly impacts major changes in the apparel and psychological onset of her partner, who complies with every single suggestion out of innocent devotion.

The public clarification scene from the third act has a great potential for theatricality due to the fact that it comes across as a bitter surprise and a ruthlessly planned humiliation, yet admittedly it challenges the cultural and ethical boundaries concerning art and the human being as object for art. The reason why a large part of the audience exhibits revulsion at….

Serial killers are a topic that has fascinated people, beginning before the term was even coined.  They have been romanticized in pop culture, but their crimes seem to be rooted in a personality disorder that keeps them from empathizing with others.  They kill in a variety of ways and, when left unchecked, the number of people that they can kill can get into the 100s. 

Some subtopics to consider when writing about serial killers for your essay topic are:

  1. The role of Antisocial Personality Disorder (APD) in serial murders.
  2. Psychopath or sociopath?  Where on the spectrum of personality....

1. The Twisted Mind of John Wayne Gacy

2. A Deep Dive into the Crimes of John Wayne Gacy

3. The Legacy of Terror: John Wayne Gacy's Murderous Rampage

4. Exploring the Dark Psychology of John Wayne Gacy

5. John Wayne Gacy: The Killer Clown's Reign of Terror

6. Unraveling the Horrors of John Wayne Gacy's Murder Spree

7. The Chilling Details of John Wayne Gacy's Crimes

8. From Clown to Killer: The Story of John Wayne Gacy

9. Justice and Closure: The Aftermath of John Wayne Gacy's Crimes

10. The Infamous Case of John Wayne Gacy: A Study in Evil
11. Inside the Mind of a Serial Killer: The....

## Delving into the Realm of Clinical Psychology: A Comprehensive Guide to Essay Topics

Introduction

Clinical psychology, a multifaceted field rooted in the practice of evidence-based techniques, offers a captivating landscape for scholarly exploration. Its vast scope, encompassing assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of mental health disorders, presents an array of compelling essay topics. This comprehensive guide will navigate you through the intricacies of clinical psychology, providing a wealth of essay topics that resonate with the field's theoretical foundations and practical applications.

Theoretical Perspectives in Clinical Psychology

1. Psychodynamic Theory: Exploring the Unconscious Roots of Psychopathology
2. Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy: Unveiling the Interplay of Thoughts, Emotions, and....

1. The Twisted Mind of Ted Bundy: A Psychological Analysis

2. Ted Bundy: America's Notorious Serial Killer

3. The Legacy of Ted Bundy: A Study in Evil

4. Ted Bundy: A Man of Charming Deception

5. The Crimes of Ted Bundy: A Case Study in Deviant Behavior

6. Inside the Mind of Ted Bundy: A Look into the Psychopath's World

7. Ted Bundy: The Monster Next Door

8. The Infamous Legacy of Ted Bundy: Serial Killer Extraordinaire

9. Ted Bundy: The Mysterious Case of America's Most Wanted

10. Ted Bundy: The Chilling True Story of a Serial Killer's Reign of Terror
11. Unmasking Ted Bundy: The Truth Behind the Charismatic....

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8 Pages
Book Report

Psychology

Psychopaths Discussion on Without a Conscience by

Words: 2672
Length: 8 Pages
Type: Book Report

Psychopaths Discussion on "ithout a Conscience" by Robert D. Hare The Psychopathic Characteristics Scientific Reasons of Psychopathy Psychopathic Behavior and Forensic Psychology Violence and Psychopaths Most people would be terrified as well as perhaps intrigued…

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2 Pages
Discussion Chapter

Psychology

Psychopaths the Defining Characteristics of

Words: 667
Length: 2 Pages
Type: Discussion Chapter

The need to document and classify such behavior as obsessive can lead to misdiagnosis and unlawful prosecution. The human condition itself is very psychopathic if one is to equivocate…

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2 Pages
Term Paper

Psychology

Psychopath Case Study Case Study

Words: 419
Length: 2 Pages
Type: Term Paper

Should we be surprised at his attempts to try to fake mental illness? For some, incarceration and evading law enforcement is a very normal part of life, making DV's…

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6 Pages
Term Paper

Psychology

Sociopath or Psychopath

Words: 2015
Length: 6 Pages
Type: Term Paper

Sociopath or Psychopath Psychology - Disorders Personality disorders have been the interest of psychologists since long time. There are many personality disorders identified by the psychologists, and this paper sheds light…

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5 Pages
Term Paper

Psychology

Psychopathic Personality Disorder Psychopath Is

Words: 1449
Length: 5 Pages
Type: Term Paper

However, violence is only one possible manifestation of psychopathology (Gerrig & Zimbardo, 2009; Schmalleger, 2009). Individuals such as Bundy and Dahmer also represent the classic antisocial personality disorder…

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3 Pages
Book Review

Psychology

Without Conscience the Disturbing World of the Psychopaths Among US

Words: 1073
Length: 3 Pages
Type: Book Review

Conscience - the Disturbing orld of the Psychopaths Among Us ithout Conscience: The Disturbing orld of the Psychopaths among Us In his book ithout Conscience: The Disturbing orld of the…

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2 Pages
Term Paper

Psychology

Psychopathology Study

Words: 547
Length: 2 Pages
Type: Term Paper

Psychopath The five-factor model of personality measurement is based on five preconceived and arbitrary dimensions of personality, including neuroticism vs. emotional stability, extraversion vs. introversion, openness vs. closedness, agreeableness vs.…

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13 Pages
Term Paper

Psychology

Psychopathic Female Offenders Female Psychopathy

Words: 4025
Length: 13 Pages
Type: Term Paper

In the final results of their study, women psychopaths scored higher in the categories "Superficial," "deceitful," "impulsive," and "poor behavioral controls." Men scored higher on "lacks remorse," "lacks goals,"…

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5 Pages
Thesis

Psychology

Psychopathy a Concealed Personality Defect

Words: 1519
Length: 5 Pages
Type: Thesis

The psychopath must be made to realize that his behavior is useless and disadvantageous. And the therapist should find and use a vantage point to encourage socially acceptable…

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2 Pages
Term Paper

Psychology

Psychopathy the Dependence on Science to Precisely

Words: 487
Length: 2 Pages
Type: Term Paper

Psychopathy The dependence on science to precisely label and indentify processes and facts can cause some problems within this discipline. Psychopathology, usually identified as a psychological disorder, has seen attempts…

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3 Pages
Essay

Psychology

Psychology Honesty

Words: 1011
Length: 3 Pages
Type: Essay

Psychopath The research by Mazar, Amir & Ariely (2008) shows that ordinary people often find ways they can cheat and still believe themselves to be honest. People do this by…

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8 Pages
Term Paper

Criminal Justice

Personalities and Motivations of Murderers

Words: 3011
Length: 8 Pages
Type: Term Paper

Nonetheless, Bill never hurts other people simply because he thinks that it is irrational to hurt others. He thinks that any rational person would be like him and…

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3 Pages
Essay

Criminal Justice

Criminal Psychology What Are the

Words: 787
Length: 3 Pages
Type: Essay

In both cases, that label can make intervention more difficult instead of less difficult. Certainly, some types of behavioral issues are functions of immaturity or of stages of…

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2 Pages
Essay

Psychology

Women Stay With Sociopaths Finding Out That

Words: 648
Length: 2 Pages
Type: Essay

Women Stay with Sociopaths Finding out that one's husband does not care about anybody but themselves and is a psychopath, could be among the worse things for a wife…

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3 Pages
Creative Writing

Art  (general)

Theatre Art

Words: 1066
Length: 3 Pages
Type: Creative Writing

Dee: The Shape of Things, a play by Neil LaBute, (A) expands on the central themes of society's distortional emphasis on appearances, and art as a potentially limitless and human-sculpting…

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