Psychopaths
Discussion on "Without 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 'Without Conscience: The Disturbing World of the Psychopaths Amongst Us'. The book describes, with real life examples of patients and offenders that Hare had met and interviewed during his professional years, the traits and characteristics of psychopaths. Many consider this book to be a self-help book which can be used to identify and treat psychopaths (Kiehl, n.d.).
The book is of value to people and would help verify suspicions about people being psychopathic based on characteristics of psychopaths as described by Hare like people who 'have no real feelings or conscience' and are 'relentless users,' (Hare, 2011) who always keep devising tricks to manipulate others. The book also dwells into the scientific cause of psychopathic behavior and the ways to measure psychopathic behavior through forensic science (Davies, 2008).
The Psychopathic Characteristics
Hare describes a majority of psychopaths as people who might not have committed any real crime in the eyes of the law during their entire lives and yet they cannot be trusted. There is always a lurking fear about what such people can do when they are identified as being psychopaths (LaHaye and LaHaye, 1994). Hare calls such persons and social predators that mingles in the society with outward normal behavior but only to hide their real facade.
Hare suggests use of his Psychology Checklist to identify and discover true psychopaths in the society and among the people around. Hare claims that this checklist can serve as a tool for predicting the probability of criminals who are most likely to reoffend. Hare contradicts the common notion that the concept of antisocial personality disorder or conduct disorder for children cannot be used to describe psychopaths (Endres, 2004). He rather suggests identification of psychopaths according to the stricter criteria that he advocates in his checklist.
Hare describes the characteristics of typical psychopaths as being absolute self-centered persons who often tend to be impulsive. Such persons have a tendency to lie about a lot many things, even everyday mundane issues, with the sole aim of manipulating other people for personal gains. Often they resort to violence to get what they want or, in extreme cases, to derive pleasure from violence (Hare, 1999). Hare claims that psychopaths often indulge in silly things that amount to law breaking and land them behind bars. Despite all these traits and characteristics, psychopaths are often described to be charming and manipulative. This charm is used by psychopaths to dupe people and also to impress the administration to get early paroles.
Hare raises a question at this juncture about psychopaths inquiring about whether such people are merely calculative or they are impulsive and act on instincts. Another critical aspect is to explain the absence of conscience among psychopaths Hare's inquiry has made him sure that psychopaths do not feel any great sympathy for the persons that they cause hurt or injury (Ablow, 2003.). Hare raises the question about this aspect asking whether such people are driven by the lack of having any 'bad' feeling or is being non-sympathetic a personality disorder.
Hare observes that most of the psychopaths that he had interviewed were not in the habit of breaking the law and had probably never done that during their entire lives. However such persons never let go a chance to bend and twist situations for personal gains. This they do to manipulate people around so that their 'grand' plan can be achieved. The primary instinct among psychopaths is that they really want to dominate others and have their way.
Hare further claims that such people are to be found all around in the society hiding their true facade under the veil of charm and simplicity (Davies, 2008). He argues that a miniscule percentage of psychopaths really get behind bars as most live normal lives outwardly. He claims...
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