Mention the word psychopath and I think it's fair to say that most people think of serial killers both real and fictional. As with criminal profiling, this is a topic area within forensic psychology where it is often difficult to separate fact from fiction. The aim of this article, therefore, is to do just that.
In order to understand the true nature of psychopathy, first and foremost, you need to be aware that psychopathy is a personality disorder, the diagnosis of which is usually based on detailed interviews with both the individual being assessed and their family.
However, the concept of personality disorder is extremely controversial, so much so, there are those that argue that personality disorder is nothing more than a term used by the medical profession to describe people they don't like.
In order to understand the true nature of psychopathy, first and foremost, you need to be aware that psychopathy is a personality disorder, the diagnosis of which is usually based on detailed interviews with both the individual being assessed and their family.
However, the concept of personality disorder is extremely controversial, so much so, there are those that argue that personality disorder is nothing more than a term used by the medical profession to describe people they don't like.