Without Conscience: The Disturbing World of the Psychopaths Among Us - Hardcover

Robert D. Hare

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0671732617 ISBN 13: 9780671732615

Publisher: Atria, 1993

Synopsis

A psychologist confronts the topic of psychopathy, presenting it as a dark mystery with staggering implications for society and showing readers how to recognize whether their bosses, lovers, or friends are psychopaths

About this title

Review

"Psychopaths are social predators who charm, manipulate, and ruthlessly plow their way through life, leaving a broad trail of broken hearts, shattered expectations, and empty wallets. Completely lacking in conscience and in feelings for others, they selfishly take what they want and do as they please..." In Without Conscience Robert Hare argues convincingly that "psychopath" and "antisocial personality disorder" (a psychiatric term defined by a cluster of criminal behaviors) are not the same thing. Not all psychopaths are criminals, he says, and not all criminals are psychopaths. He proposes a psychopathy checklist that includes emotional/interpersonal traits such as glibness, grandiosity, lack of guilt, and shallow emotions, as well as social deviance traits such as impulsiveness, lack of responsibility, and antisocial behavior. His writing is lucid and illustrated with numerous anecdotes. The final chapter, "A Survival Guide," is especially recommended: as Hare writes, "Psychopaths are found in every segment of society, and there is a good chance that eventually you will have a painful or humiliating encounter with one."

From the Back Cover

A brilliant, in-depth handling of a most complex subject (Hugh Aynesworth, author of Ted Bundy: Conversations with a Killer).

Edition details

• Publisher: Atria
• Publication date: 1993
• ISBN 10: 0671732617
• ISBN 13: 9780671732615
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 256