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Abstract
Long the stuff of clinical lore, successful psychopathy has recently become the focus of research. Although numerous authors have conjectured that psychopathic traits are sometimes associated with occupational or interpersonal success, rigorous evidence for this assertion has thus far been minimal. We provide a status report on successful-psychopathy research, address controversies surrounding successful psychopathy, examine evidence for competing models of this construct, and offer desiderata for future research.
Recommended Reading
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Fowles, D. C., Dindo, L. (2009). Temperament and psychopathy: A dual-pathway model. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 18, 179–183. A helpful synopsis of research suggesting that psychopathy reflects the confluence of two independent dimensions, one reflecting a fearless temperament and the other reflecting affective and behavioral disinhibition. Google Scholar | SAGE Journals | |
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Gao, Y., Raine, A. (2010). Successful and unsuccessful psychopaths: A neurobiological model. Behavioral Sciences & the Law, 28, 194–210. An excellent review of the still-nascent literature on the biology of successful psychopathy and its potential differences from unsuccessful psychopathy. Google Scholar | Medline | ISI | |
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Patrick, C. J. (Ed.). (2006). Handbook of psychopathy. New York, NY: Guilford Press. Still the most comprehensive source for research and theory on the assessment, diagnosis, causes, and treatment of psychopathy. Google Scholar | |
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