Without Conscience: The Disturbing World of the Psychopaths Among Us

Front Cover
Guilford Press, Sep 20, 2011 - Psychology - 236 pages
Most people are both repelled and intrigued by the images of cold-blooded, conscienceless murderers that increasingly populate our movies, television programs, and newspaper headlines. With their flagrant criminal violation of society's rules, serial killers like Ted Bundy and John Wayne Gacy are among the most dramatic examples of the psychopath. Individuals with this personality disorder are fully aware of the consequences of their actions and know the difference between right and wrong, yet they are terrifyingly self-centered, remorseless, and unable to care about the feelings of others. Perhaps most frightening, they often seem completely normal to unsuspecting targets--and they do not always ply their trade by killing. Presenting a compelling portrait of these dangerous men and women based on 25 years of distinguished scientific research, Dr. Robert D. Hare vividly describes a world of con artists, hustlers, rapists, and other predators who charm, lie, and manipulate their way through life. Are psychopaths mad, or simply bad? How can they be recognized? And how can we protect ourselves? This book provides solid information and surprising insights for anyone seeking to understand this devastating condition.
 

Contents

The Problem
1
Chapter 1 Experiencing the Psychopath
8
Chapter 2 Focusing the Picture
21
Feelings and Relationships
33
Lifestyle
57
The Missing Piece
71
The Logical Choice
83
Chapter 7 WhiteCollar Psychopaths
102
Chapter 9 Flies in the Web
144
Chapter 10 The Roots of the Problem
155
Chapter 11 The Ethics of Labeling
180
Chapter 12 Can Anything Be Done?
192
Chapter 13 A Survival Guide
207
Epilogue
219
Chapter Notes
221
Author Biography
237

Chapter 8 Words from an Overcoat Pocket
124

Other editions - View all

Common terms and phrases

About the author (2011)

Robert D. Hare, PhD, considered one of the world’s foremost experts on psychopathy, is Professor Emeritus of Psychology at the University of British Columbia, Canada. Dr. Hare is the developer of one of the most widely used tools for assessing psychopathy and the author of over 100 scientific articles and several books. He has received numerous awards for his distinguished contributions to psychology and criminology.

Bibliographic information